diff --git a/src/core/game3/rse/secret_base.lua b/src/core/game3/rse/secret_base.lua
index dd62431b..85a55c62 100644
--- a/src/core/game3/rse/secret_base.lua
+++ b/src/core/game3/rse/secret_base.lua
@@ -580,11 +580,18 @@ function SB.ownedByAnotherPlayer(sess)
   return SB.base(sess, 0).secretBaseId ~= SB._curId
 end
 
--- pokeemerald/src/secret_base.c:728
+-- pokeemerald/src/secret_base.c:728; the European carts put the owner in the
+-- row's STR_VAR_1 ("BASE DE {STR_VAR_1}", pret pokeemerald multi-language,
+-- src/secret_base.c:732), the US and Japanese ones append the row to it.
 function SB.name(idx, sess)
   local b = SB.base(sess, idx)
-  local ok, suffix = pcall(Rse.text, "gText_ApostropheSBase")
-  return tostring(b.trainerName or "") .. (ok and suffix or "'s BASE")
+  local owner = tostring(b.trainerName or "")
+  local ok, base = pcall(function()
+    return require("src.core.game3.rom_text").plain("gText_ApostropheSBase", { stringVars = { "\1" } })
+  end)
+  if not ok then return owner .. "'s BASE" end
+  if base:find("\1", 1, true) then return (base:gsub("\1", function() return owner end)) end
+  return owner .. base
 end
 
 -- pokeemerald/src/secret_base.c:735
diff --git a/src/ui/game3/naming.lua b/src/ui/game3/naming.lua
index d246021a..382a3cde 100644
--- a/src/ui/game3/naming.lua
+++ b/src/ui/game3/naming.lua
@@ -32,10 +32,21 @@ Naming.TEMPLATE = {
 -- pokeemerald/include/naming_screen.h:7
 Naming.TEMPLATE_ORDER = { "PLAYER", "BOX", "CAUGHT_MON", "NICKNAME", "WALDA" }
 
+-- A name and a cart string the US code appends after it. The French, Italian
+-- and Spanish carts put the name in the string's STR_VAR_1 instead, wherever
+-- the row places it (pret pokeemerald multi-language, src/naming_screen.c:1746);
+-- a row without one keeps the US order.
+function Naming.nameInto(key, name)
+  name = tostring(name or "")
+  local text = RomText.plain(key, { stringVars = { "\1" } })
+  if text:find("\1", 1, true) then return (text:gsub("\1", function() return name end)) end
+  return name .. text
+end
+
 -- pokeemerald/src/naming_screen.c:1715
 function Naming.monTitle(speciesName)
   -- pokeemerald/src/text.c:972
-  return tostring(speciesName or "") .. RomText.plain("gText_PkmnsNickname", { stringVars = {} })
+  return Naming.nameInto("gText_PkmnsNickname", speciesName)
 end
 
 -- pret sKeyboardChars + sPageColumnXPos (cursor).
diff --git a/tests/engine/game3_european_name_placeholder_test.lua b/tests/engine/game3_european_name_placeholder_test.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0971b06d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/game3_european_name_placeholder_test.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+-- A name joined to a cart string the US code appends after it: the European
+-- carts put it in the string's STR_VAR_1 (pret pokeemerald multi-language,
+-- src/naming_screen.c:1746, src/secret_base.c:732).
+
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.harness")
+local eq = T.eq
+
+local RomText = require("src.core.game3.rom_text")
+local Naming = require("src.ui.game3.naming")
+local SB = require("src.core.game3.rse.secret_base")
+
+local saved = {}
+local function set(key, ir)
+  if saved[key] == nil then saved[key] = RomText.overrides[key] or false end
+  RomText.overrides[key] = ir
+end
+local function text(s) return { { t = "text", s = s }, { t = "eos" } } end
+
+-- src/naming_screen.c:1746
+set("gText_PkmnsNickname", text("'s nickname?"))
+eq(Naming.monTitle("BULBASAUR"), "BULBASAUR's nickname?", "FireRed's US row has no placeholder: the name goes first")
+set("gText_PkmnsNickname", { { t = "strvar", n = 1 }, { t = "text", s = "'s nickname?" }, { t = "eos" } })
+eq(Naming.monTitle("MUDKIP"), "MUDKIP's nickname?", "Emerald's US row prints the same")
+set("gText_PkmnsNickname", { { t = "text", s = "Surnom de " }, { t = "strvar", n = 1 }, { t = "text", s = "?" }, { t = "eos" } })
+eq(Naming.monTitle("POUSSIFEU"), "Surnom de POUSSIFEU?", "French: the species fills the row's STR_VAR_1")
+eq(Naming.monTitle(nil), "Surnom de ?", "a missing name leaves the placeholder empty")
+set("gText_PkmnsNickname", text("　の　ニックネームは？"))
+eq(Naming.monTitle("フシギダネ"), "フシギダネ　の　ニックネームは？", "FireRed's Japanese row has no placeholder either")
+
+-- a mod's catalog entry for the English source: the name still lands in it
+local Strings = require("src.core.Strings")
+set("gText_PkmnsNickname", { { t = "strvar", n = 1 }, { t = "text", s = "'s nickname?" }, { t = "eos" } })
+Strings.load({ strings = { ["%s's nickname?"] = "Surnom de %s?" } })
+eq(Naming.monTitle("MUDKIP"), "Surnom de MUDKIP?", "a catalog translation takes the name in its %s")
+Strings.load(nil)
+
+-- src/secret_base.c:732
+local sess = { secretBases = { { trainerName = "SACHA" } } }
+set("gText_ApostropheSBase", text("'s BASE"))
+eq(SB.name(0, sess), "SACHA's BASE", "US: the row follows the owner")
+set("gText_ApostropheSBase", text("　きち"))
+eq(SB.name(0, sess), "SACHA　きち", "Japanese: the same")
+set("gText_ApostropheSBase", { { t = "text", s = "BASE DE " }, { t = "strvar", n = 1 }, { t = "eos" } })
+eq(SB.name(0, sess), "BASE DE SACHA", "French: the owner fills the row's STR_VAR_1")
+
+for key, ir in pairs(saved) do RomText.overrides[key] = ir or nil end
+
+T.finish("game3_european_name_placeholder_test")