diff --git a/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc b/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
index dd8f4253d4..d46ea648eb 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
@@ -678,7 +678,6 @@ void
 AudioEngine::do_reset_backend()
 {
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (X_("Backend reset processing thread"), 1024);
-	pthread_set_name ("EngineWatchdog");
 
 	Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock guard (_reset_request_lock);
 
@@ -739,7 +738,6 @@ void
 AudioEngine::do_devicelist_update()
 {
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (X_("Device list update processing thread"), 512);
-	pthread_set_name ("DeviceList");
 
 	Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock guard (_devicelist_update_lock);
 
@@ -769,13 +767,13 @@ AudioEngine::start_hw_event_processing()
 	if (_hw_reset_event_thread == 0) {
 		_hw_reset_request_count.store (0);
 		_stop_hw_reset_processing.store (0);
-		_hw_reset_event_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AudioEngine::do_reset_backend, this));
+		_hw_reset_event_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AudioEngine::do_reset_backend, this), "EngineWatchdog");
 	}
 
 	if (_hw_devicelist_update_thread == 0) {
 		_hw_devicelist_update_count.store (0);
 		_stop_hw_devicelist_processing.store (0);
-		_hw_devicelist_update_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AudioEngine::do_devicelist_update, this));
+		_hw_devicelist_update_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AudioEngine::do_devicelist_update, this), "DeviceList");
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/automation_watch.cc b/libs/ardour/automation_watch.cc
index beea168108..3778367e9e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/automation_watch.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/automation_watch.cc
@@ -202,7 +202,6 @@ void
 AutomationWatch::thread ()
 {
 	pbd_set_thread_priority (pthread_self(), PBD_SCHED_FIFO, AudioEngine::instance()->client_real_time_priority() - 2); // XXX
-	pthread_set_name ("AutomationWatch");
 	while (_run_thread) {
 		Glib::usleep ((gulong) floor (Config->get_automation_interval_msecs() * 1000)); // TODO use pthread_cond_timedwait on _run_thread
 		timer ();
@@ -224,7 +223,7 @@ AutomationWatch::set_session (Session* s)
 
 	if (_session) {
 		_run_thread = true;
-		_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AutomationWatch::thread, this));
+		_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&AutomationWatch::thread, this), "AutomationWatch");
 
 		_session->TransportStateChange.connect_same_thread (transport_connection, boost::bind (&AutomationWatch::transport_state_change, this));
 	}
diff --git a/libs/ardour/butler.cc b/libs/ardour/butler.cc
index 2a31403a1f..274e2cf5ea 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/butler.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/butler.cc
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ Butler::start_thread ()
 
 	should_run = false;
 
-	if (pthread_create_and_store ("disk butler", &thread, _thread_work, this)) {
+	if (pthread_create_and_store ("butler", &thread, _thread_work, this)) {
 		error << _("Session: could not create butler thread") << endmsg;
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -171,7 +171,6 @@ void*
 Butler::_thread_work (void* arg)
 {
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool ("butler events", 4096);
-	pthread_set_name (X_("butler"));
 	/* get thread buffers for RegionFx */
 	ARDOUR::ProcessThread* pt = new ProcessThread ();
 	pt->get_buffers ();
diff --git a/libs/ardour/midi_patch_manager.cc b/libs/ardour/midi_patch_manager.cc
index 40d6af221e..8933731fc6 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/midi_patch_manager.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/midi_patch_manager.cc
@@ -275,7 +275,6 @@ MidiPatchManager::load_midnams ()
 	*/
 
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), "midi-patch-manager", 8);
-	pthread_set_name ("MIDNAMLoader");
 
 	{
 		PBD::Unwinder<bool> npc (no_patch_changed_messages, true);
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ MidiPatchManager::load_midnams ()
 void
 MidiPatchManager::load_midnams_in_thread ()
 {
-	_midnam_load_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&MidiPatchManager::load_midnams, this));
+	_midnam_load_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&MidiPatchManager::load_midnams, this), "MIDNAMLoader");
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/ardour/source_factory.cc b/libs/ardour/source_factory.cc
index 527a09e5b4..841b4cba14 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/source_factory.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/source_factory.cc
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ static void
 peak_thread_work ()
 {
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (X_("PeakFile Builder "), 64);
-	pthread_set_name ("PeakFileBuilder");
-
 	while (true) {
 		SourceFactory::peak_building_lock.lock ();
 
@@ -119,7 +117,7 @@ SourceFactory::init ()
 	}
 	peak_thread_run = true;
 	for (int n = 0; n < 2; ++n) {
-		peak_thread_pool.push_back (PBD::Thread::create (&peak_thread_work));
+		peak_thread_pool.push_back (PBD::Thread::create (&peak_thread_work, string_compose ("PeakFileBuilder-%1", n)));
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc b/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
index 870b15780c..7656be5a2f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
@@ -4879,7 +4879,7 @@ TriggerBoxThread::TriggerBoxThread ()
 	: requests (1024)
 	, _xthread (true)
 {
-	if (pthread_create_and_store ("triggerbox thread", &thread, _thread_work, this)) {
+	if (pthread_create_and_store ("TriggerBox Worker", &thread, _thread_work, this)) {
 		error << _("Session: could not create triggerbox thread") << endmsg;
 		throw failed_constructor ();
 	}
@@ -4897,15 +4897,12 @@ void *
 TriggerBoxThread::_thread_work (void* arg)
 {
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool ("tbthread events", 4096);
-	pthread_set_name (X_("tbthread"));
 	return ((TriggerBoxThread *) arg)->thread_work ();
 }
 
 void *
 TriggerBoxThread::thread_work ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (X_("Trigger Worker"));
-
 	while (true) {
 
 		char msg;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/worker.cc b/libs/ardour/worker.cc
index 1fc385c958..e8fbe3abfd 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/worker.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/worker.cc
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Worker::Worker(Workee* workee, uint32_t ring_size, bool threaded)
 	, _synchronous(!threaded)
 {
 	if (threaded) {
-		_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Worker::run, this));
+		_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Worker::run, this), "LV2Worker");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -137,8 +137,6 @@ Worker::emit_responses()
 void
 Worker::run()
 {
-	pthread_set_name ("LV2Worker");
-
 	void*  buf      = NULL;
 	size_t buf_size = 0;
 	while (true) {
diff --git a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
index c1c63b8322..4b9f321b4e 100644
--- a/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
+++ b/libs/audiographer/audiographer/sndfile/tmp_file_rt.h
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ class TmpFileRt
 	static void * _disk_thread (void *arg)
 	{
 		TmpFileRt *d = static_cast<TmpFileRt *>(arg);
-		pthread_set_name ("ExportDiskIO");
 		d->disk_thread ();
 		return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/libs/pbd/base_ui.cc b/libs/pbd/base_ui.cc
index 9c0a9a264d..d6b37f3657 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/base_ui.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/base_ui.cc
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ BaseUI::set_thread_priority () const
 void
 BaseUI::main_thread ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (string_compose ("UI:%1", event_loop_name ()).c_str ());
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::EventLoop, string_compose ("%1: event loop running in thread %2\n", event_loop_name(), pthread_name()));
 	set_event_loop_for_thread (this);
 	thread_init ();
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ BaseUI::run ()
 	attach_request_source ();
 
 	Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock lm (_run_lock);
-	_run_loop_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&BaseUI::main_thread, this));
+	_run_loop_thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&BaseUI::main_thread, this), string_compose ("UI:%1", event_loop_name ()));
 	_running.wait (_run_lock);
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/pbd/downloader.cc b/libs/pbd/downloader.cc
index 57ff9e5ca7..9acf3ff360 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/downloader.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/downloader.cc
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ Downloader::start ()
 
 	_cancel = false;
 	_status = 0; /* unknown at this point */
-	return 0 != (thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Downloader::download, this)));
+	return 0 != (thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Downloader::download, this), "Downloader"));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/pbd/inflater.cc b/libs/pbd/inflater.cc
index 35f9b2a1df..4a747f8ffe 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/inflater.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/inflater.cc
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Inflater::~Inflater ()
 int
 Inflater::start ()
 {
-	return 0 != (thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Inflater::threaded_inflate, this)));
+	return 0 != (thread = PBD::Thread::create (boost::bind (&Inflater::threaded_inflate, this), "Inflater"));
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/cc121/cc121.cc b/libs/surfaces/cc121/cc121.cc
index 1debf8e69c..f5360f5007 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/cc121/cc121.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/cc121/cc121.cc
@@ -258,8 +258,6 @@ CC121::stop ()
 void
 CC121::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/contourdesign/contourdesign.cc b/libs/surfaces/contourdesign/contourdesign.cc
index a7fa14b4b4..21f13d856f 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/contourdesign/contourdesign.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/contourdesign/contourdesign.cc
@@ -238,8 +238,6 @@ void
 ContourDesignControlProtocol::thread_init ()
 {
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::ContourDesignControl, "thread_init()\n");
-
-	pthread_set_name (X_("contourdesign"));
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self (), X_("contourdesign"), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (X_("contourdesign"), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/faderport8/faderport8.cc b/libs/surfaces/faderport8/faderport8.cc
index bbf77723db..852697f311 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/faderport8/faderport8.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/faderport8/faderport8.cc
@@ -283,8 +283,6 @@ FaderPort8::stop ()
 void
 FaderPort8::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/generic_midi_control_protocol.cc b/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/generic_midi_control_protocol.cc
index 697f2c8c10..612502964d 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/generic_midi_control_protocol.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/generic_midi_control_protocol.cc
@@ -308,8 +308,6 @@ GenericMidiControlProtocol::stop ()
 void
 GenericMidiControlProtocol::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/launch_control_xl/launch_control_xl.cc b/libs/surfaces/launch_control_xl/launch_control_xl.cc
index acf04b5717..9e15164820 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/launch_control_xl/launch_control_xl.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/launch_control_xl/launch_control_xl.cc
@@ -665,8 +665,6 @@ void LaunchControlXL::handle_midi_note_off_message(MIDI::Parser & parser, MIDI::
 void
 LaunchControlXL::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc b/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
index 7e34712c1c..d372da6265 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
@@ -194,8 +194,6 @@ MackieControlProtocol::~MackieControlProtocol()
 void
 MackieControlProtocol::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/maschine2/maschine2.cc b/libs/surfaces/maschine2/maschine2.cc
index e2bc32fbbe..616f3eab2e 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/maschine2/maschine2.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/maschine2/maschine2.cc
@@ -307,16 +307,9 @@ Maschine2::stop ()
 void
 Maschine2::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 1024);
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 1024);
-
-	struct sched_param rtparam;
-	memset (&rtparam, 0, sizeof (rtparam));
-	rtparam.sched_priority = 9; /* XXX should be relative to audio (JACK) thread */
-	if (pthread_setschedparam (pthread_self(), SCHED_FIFO, &rtparam) != 0) {
-		// do we care? not particularly.
-	}
+	set_thread_priority ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/osc/osc.cc b/libs/surfaces/osc/osc.cc
index f1b6a8f9d6..6e30b6b139 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/osc/osc.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/osc/osc.cc
@@ -284,8 +284,6 @@ OSC::start ()
 void
 OSC::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	if (_osc_unix_server) {
 		Glib::RefPtr<IOSource> src = IOSource::create (lo_server_get_socket_fd (_osc_unix_server), IO_IN|IO_HUP|IO_ERR);
 		src->connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &OSC::osc_input_handler), _osc_unix_server));
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/us2400/us2400_control_protocol.cc b/libs/surfaces/us2400/us2400_control_protocol.cc
index 57f52a3cd5..101b41bd3d 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/us2400/us2400_control_protocol.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/us2400/us2400_control_protocol.cc
@@ -174,8 +174,6 @@ US2400Protocol::~US2400Protocol()
 void
 US2400Protocol::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name().c_str());
-
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), event_loop_name(), 2048);
 	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name(), 128);
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
index 9b8ec442ef..5fec5d5819 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ ArdourWebsockets::set_active (bool yn)
 void
 ArdourWebsockets::thread_init ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name (event_loop_name ().c_str ());
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self (), event_loop_name (), 2048);
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (event_loop_name (), 128);
 }
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/wiimote/wiimote.cc b/libs/surfaces/wiimote/wiimote.cc
index b92d0901fc..388161ad84 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/wiimote/wiimote.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/wiimote/wiimote.cc
@@ -154,8 +154,6 @@ WiimoteControlProtocol::thread_init ()
 {
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::WiimoteControl, "WiimoteControlProtocol::thread_init init\n");
 
-	pthread_set_name (X_("wiimote"));
-
 	// allow to make requests to the GUI and RT thread(s)
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self (), X_("wiimote"), 2048);
 	BasicUI::register_thread ("wiimote");
diff --git a/libs/waveview/wave_view_private.cc b/libs/waveview/wave_view_private.cc
index e1bcb2d783..eb68bfbfe5 100644
--- a/libs/waveview/wave_view_private.cc
+++ b/libs/waveview/wave_view_private.cc
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ WaveViewDrawingThread::start ()
 {
 	assert (!_thread);
 
-	_thread = PBD::Thread::create (&WaveViewThreads::thread_proc);
+	_thread = PBD::Thread::create (&WaveViewThreads::thread_proc, "WaveViewDrawing");
 }
 
 void
@@ -477,8 +477,6 @@ WaveViewThreads::thread_proc ()
 void
 WaveViewThreads::_thread_proc ()
 {
-	pthread_set_name ("WaveViewDrawing");
-
 	while (true) {
 
 		_queue_mutex.lock ();