diff --git a/libs/ardour/io_tasklist.cc b/libs/ardour/io_tasklist.cc
index d5dd73894f..69582be615 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/io_tasklist.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/io_tasklist.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ IOTaskList::IOTaskList (uint32_t n_threads)
 
 	_workers.resize (_n_threads);
 	for (uint32_t i = 0; i < _n_threads; ++i) {
-		if (!use_rt || pbd_realtime_pthread_create (policy, PBD_RT_PRI_IOFX, 0, &_workers[i], &_worker_thread, this)) {
+		if (!use_rt || pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("I/O", policy, PBD_RT_PRI_IOFX, 0, &_workers[i], &_worker_thread, this)) {
 			if (use_rt && i == 0) {
 				PBD::warning << _("IOTaskList: cannot acquire realtime permissions.") << endmsg;
 			}
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
index 67794bef9d..d81fbab9ee 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
@@ -952,7 +952,7 @@ AlsaAudioBackend::_start (bool for_latency_measurement)
 	_run = true;
 	_port_change_flag.store (0);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("ALSA Main", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                                 &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AlsaAudioBackend: failed to create process thread.") << endmsg;
@@ -1152,7 +1152,7 @@ AlsaAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void ()> func)
 	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("ALSA Proc", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, alsa_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
 			return -1;
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
index 272f391682..15d25cc64b 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_midi.cc
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static void * pthread_process (void *arg)
 int
 AlsaMidiIO::start ()
 {
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("ALSA MIDI", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
 				&_main_thread, pthread_process, this))
 	{
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
index bc8a1bfd15..6f1025e1d9 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_slave.cc
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ AlsaAudioSlave::start ()
 	}
 
 	_run = true;
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("ALSA Slave", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
 				&_thread, _process_thread, this))
 	{
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP, &_thread, _process_thread, this)) {
diff --git a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
index a81b7d82d6..f9c245c6be 100644
--- a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.cc
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ CoreAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 	}
 #endif
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("CoreAudio Proc", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                              &thread_id, coreaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, coreaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
diff --git a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
index c20403613e..ae1e8edbe5 100644
--- a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.cc
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ DummyAudioBackend::_start (bool /*for_latency_measurement*/)
 	_port_change_flag.store (0);
 
 	bool ok = _realtime;
-	if (_realtime && pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
+	if (_realtime && pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("Dummy Main", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 		PBD::warning << _("DummyAudioBackend: failed to acquire realtime permissions.") << endmsg;
 		ok = false;
 	}
@@ -529,7 +529,7 @@ DummyAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	bool ok = _realtime && 0 == pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, dummy_process_thread, td);
+	bool ok = _realtime && 0 == pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("Dummy Proc", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, dummy_process_thread, td);
 	if (!ok && pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, dummy_process_thread, td)) {
 		PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
 		return -1;
diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
index c8268a5045..66c6d56f45 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.cc
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ PortAudioBackend::process_callback(const float* input,
 bool
 PortAudioBackend::start_blocking_process_thread ()
 {
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("PortAudio Main", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 				&_main_blocking_thread, blocking_thread_func, this))
 	{
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_blocking_thread, blocking_thread_func, this))
@@ -1103,7 +1103,7 @@ PortAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("PortAudio Proc", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 				&thread_id, portaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, portaudio_process_thread, td)) {
 			DEBUG_AUDIO("Cannot create process thread.");
diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/winmmemidi_output_device.cc b/libs/backends/portaudio/winmmemidi_output_device.cc
index 316afce614..bd70d7c9d7 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/winmmemidi_output_device.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/winmmemidi_output_device.cc
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ WinMMEMidiOutputDevice::start_midi_output_thread ()
 	m_thread_quit = false;
 
 	// TODO Use native threads
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("WinMME Output", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MIDI, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_HELP,
 				&m_output_thread_handle, midi_output_thread, this)) {
 		return false;
 	}
diff --git a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
index da4a2d0027..9d4ea88014 100644
--- a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.cc
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ PulseAudioBackend::_start (bool /*for_latency_measurement*/)
 	_run = true;
 	_port_change_flag.store (0);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("PulseAudio Main", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_MAIN, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                                 &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &_main_thread, pthread_process, this)) {
 			PBD::error << _("PulseAudioBackend: failed to create process thread.") << endmsg;
@@ -703,7 +703,7 @@ PulseAudioBackend::create_process_thread (boost::function<void()> func)
 	pthread_t   thread_id;
 	ThreadData* td = new ThreadData (this, func, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC);
 
-	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create (PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
+	if (pbd_realtime_pthread_create ("PulseAudio Proc", PBD_SCHED_FIFO, PBD_RT_PRI_PROC, PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC,
 	                                 &thread_id, pulse_process_thread, td)) {
 		if (pbd_pthread_create (PBD_RT_STACKSIZE_PROC, &thread_id, pulse_process_thread, td)) {
 			PBD::error << _("AudioEngine: cannot create process thread.") << endmsg;
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
index 069f9c9c23..181dcf9ca8 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/pthread_utils.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ LIBPBD_API int pbd_pthread_create (
 
 
 LIBPBD_API int pbd_realtime_pthread_create (
+		std::string const& debug_name,
 		const int policy, int priority, const size_t stacksize,
 		pthread_t *thread,
 		void *(*start_routine) (void *),
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc b/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
index 721de0a728..6a72a284ca 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/pthread_utils.cc
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ pbd_absolute_rt_priority (int policy, int priority)
 
 int
 pbd_realtime_pthread_create (
+		std::string const& debug_name,
 		const int policy, int priority, const size_t stacksize,
 		pthread_t* thread,
 		void* (*start_routine) (void*),
@@ -416,7 +417,7 @@ pbd_realtime_pthread_create (
 	if (stacksize > 0) {
 		pthread_attr_setstacksize (&attr, stacksize + pbd_stack_size ());
 	}
-	DEBUG_TRACE (PBD::DEBUG::Threads, string_compose ("Start Realtime Thread policy = %1 priority = %2 stacksize = 0x%3%4\n", policy, parm.sched_priority, std::hex, stacksize));
+	DEBUG_TRACE (PBD::DEBUG::Threads, string_compose ("Start RT Thread: '%1' policy = %2 priority = %3 stacksize = 0x%4%5\n", debug_name, policy, parm.sched_priority, std::hex, stacksize));
 	rv = pthread_create (thread, &attr, start_routine, arg);
 	pthread_attr_destroy (&attr);