diff --git a/bluepyemodel/export_emodel/export_emodel.py b/bluepyemodel/export_emodel/export_emodel.py
index 8abacc52..26c14f7b 100644
--- a/bluepyemodel/export_emodel/export_emodel.py
+++ b/bluepyemodel/export_emodel/export_emodel.py
@@ -68,7 +68,11 @@ def _write_node_file(emodel, model_template_path, node_file_path, morphology_pat
 
 
 def _write_hoc_file(
-    cell_model, emodel, hoc_file_path, template="cell_template_neurodamus_sbo.jinja2"
+    cell_model,
+    emodel,
+    hoc_file_path,
+    template="cell_template_neurodamus_sbo.jinja2",
+    new_emodel_name=None,
 ):
     """Creates a hoc file containing the emodel and its morphology.
     WARNING: this assumes that any morphology modifier has been informed as both
@@ -76,6 +80,9 @@ def _write_hoc_file(
 
     template_dir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "templates"))
 
+    if new_emodel_name is not None:
+        cell_model.name = new_emodel_name
+
     hoc_content = cell_model.create_hoc(
         param_values=emodel.parameters,
         template=template,
@@ -86,12 +93,15 @@ def _write_hoc_file(
         f.writelines(hoc_content)
 
 
-def _export_model_sonata(cell_model, emodel, output_dir=None):
+def _export_model_sonata(cell_model, emodel, output_dir=None, new_emodel_name=None):
     """Creates the directory and files required for an emodel to be used in circuit building"""
 
     if not emodel.passed_validation:
         logger.warning("Exporting a model that did not pass validation.")
 
+    if new_emodel_name is not None:
+        emodel.emodel_metadata.emodel = new_emodel_name
+
     if output_dir is None:
         output_dir = (
             f"./export_emodels_sonata/{emodel.emodel_metadata.as_string(seed=emodel.seed)}/"
@@ -108,7 +118,11 @@ def _export_model_sonata(cell_model, emodel, output_dir=None):
 
     # Exports the BluePyOpt cell model as a hoc file
     _write_hoc_file(
-        cell_model, emodel, hoc_file_path, template="cell_template_neurodamus_sbo.jinja2"
+        cell_model,
+        emodel,
+        hoc_file_path,
+        template="cell_template_neurodamus_sbo.jinja2",
+        new_emodel_name=new_emodel_name,
     )
 
     # Create the SONATA node file
@@ -148,7 +162,12 @@ def select_emodels(emodel_name, emodels, only_validated=False, only_best=True, s
 
 
 def export_emodels_sonata(
-    access_point, only_validated=False, only_best=True, seeds=None, map_function=map
+    access_point,
+    only_validated=False,
+    only_best=True,
+    seeds=None,
+    map_function=map,
+    new_emodel_name=None,
 ):
     """Export a set of emodels to a set of folder named after them. Each folder will
     contain a sonata nodes.h5 file, the morphology of the model and a hoc version of the model.
@@ -183,13 +202,16 @@ def export_emodels_sonata(
     for mo in emodels:
         if not cell_model.morphology.morph_modifiers:  # Turn [] into None
             cell_model.morphology.morph_modifiers = None
-        _export_model_sonata(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None)
+        _export_model_sonata(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None, new_emodel_name=new_emodel_name)
 
 
-def _export_emodel_hoc(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None):
+def _export_emodel_hoc(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None, new_emodel_name=None):
     if not mo.passed_validation:
         logger.warning("Exporting a model that did not pass validation.")
 
+    if new_emodel_name is not None:
+        mo.emodel_metadata.emodel = new_emodel_name
+
     if output_dir is None:
         output_dir = f"./export_emodels_hoc/{mo.emodel_metadata.as_string(seed=mo.seed)}/"
     output_path = pathlib.Path(output_dir)
@@ -202,11 +224,22 @@ def _export_emodel_hoc(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None):
     shutil.copyfile(cell_model.morphology.morphology_path, morphology_path)
 
     # Exports the BluePyOpt cell model as a hoc file
-    _write_hoc_file(cell_model, mo, hoc_file_path, template="cell_template.jinja2")
+    _write_hoc_file(
+        cell_model,
+        mo,
+        hoc_file_path,
+        template="cell_template.jinja2",
+        new_emodel_name=new_emodel_name,
+    )
 
 
 def export_emodels_hoc(
-    access_point, only_validated=False, only_best=True, seeds=None, map_function=map
+    access_point,
+    only_validated=False,
+    only_best=True,
+    seeds=None,
+    map_function=map,
+    new_emodel_name=None,
 ):
     """Export a set of emodels to a set of folder named after them. Each folder will contain a hoc
     version of the model.
@@ -241,4 +274,4 @@ def export_emodels_hoc(
     for mo in emodels:
         if not cell_model.morphology.morph_modifiers:  # Turn [] into None
             cell_model.morphology.morph_modifiers = None
-        _export_emodel_hoc(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None)
+        _export_emodel_hoc(cell_model, mo, output_dir=None, new_emodel_name=new_emodel_name)