diff --git a/brand/README.md b/brand/README.md
index 6822c4615..ee8721da6 100644
--- a/brand/README.md
+++ b/brand/README.md
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ and `brand.json` colors when absent.
 {
   "name": "Streamplace",
   "wordmark": "stream.place",
+  "defaultSiteTitle": "My Streamplace Node",
   "monochrome": false,
   "colors": {
     "ink": "#0A0A0B",
@@ -65,7 +66,10 @@ and `brand.json` colors when absent.
 All colors are optional; `*Foreground` colors default to `ink` and only
 apply to monochrome marks (a multi-color mark renders as-is). `wordmark` is
 the text rendered next to the mark in the app's lockup — a `.` in it gets
-the accent treatment. `story` optionally carries the mark's design story for
+the accent treatment. `defaultSiteTitle` (default `My <name> Node`) is what
+an unbranded node calls itself in the nav until its operator sets a runtime
+siteTitle via the branding admin; a first-party brand points it at its own
+wordmark so its nodes show the styled wordmark with no runtime config. `story` optionally carries the mark's design story for
 the `/brand` guidelines screen (`tagline`, `readings`, `geometry`, `specs`,
 `usage` — see `BrandStory` in the generated `js/app/assets/generated/brand.ts`);
 sections without data are hidden.
diff --git a/js/app/components/brand/logo.tsx b/js/app/components/brand/logo.tsx
index 92111245b..218450c86 100644
--- a/js/app/components/brand/logo.tsx
+++ b/js/app/components/brand/logo.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Text, useTheme } from "@streamplace/components";
+import { Text, useBrandingAsset, useTheme } from "@streamplace/components";
 import { fontFamilies } from "@streamplace/components/src/lib/theme/tokens";
 import { Fragment } from "react";
 import { View, type ViewProps } from "react-native";
@@ -61,12 +61,15 @@ export function LogoTile({ size = 32 }: { size?: number }) {
 
 export function Wordmark({
   size = 20,
+  text = BRAND.wordmark,
   color,
   dotColor,
   weight = "semibold",
   letterSpacing,
 }: {
   size?: number;
+  /** Text to set in wordmark styling; defaults to the brand wordmark. */
+  text?: string;
   color?: string;
   /** Optional accent color for any "." — omit to keep the wordmark mono. */
   dotColor?: string;
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ export function Wordmark({
     fontWeight: (isMedium ? "500" : "600") as "500" | "600",
     color: color ?? theme.colors.text1,
   };
-  const parts = BRAND.wordmark.split(".");
+  const parts = text.split(".");
   return (
     <Text style={base} selectable={false}>
       {parts.map((part, i) => (
@@ -102,6 +105,7 @@ export function Wordmark({
 
 export function LogoLockup({
   size = 20,
+  text,
   color,
   markColor,
   dotColor,
@@ -110,6 +114,7 @@ export function LogoLockup({
   ...props
 }: ViewProps & {
   size?: number;
+  text?: string;
   color?: string;
   markColor?: string;
   dotColor?: string;
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ export function LogoLockup({
       <LogoMark size={markSize} color={markColor} />
       <Wordmark
         size={size}
+        text={text}
         color={color}
         dotColor={dotColor}
         weight={weight}
@@ -141,3 +147,16 @@ export function LogoLockup({
     </View>
   );
 }
+
+/**
+ * The nav-header lockup: the mark plus what this node calls itself — the
+ * operator's runtime siteTitle branding when set, else the brand's
+ * defaultSiteTitle (which the first-party brand points at its own wordmark,
+ * so branded nodes show the styled wordmark with no runtime config).
+ */
+export function SiteTitleLockup(
+  props: Omit<Parameters<typeof LogoLockup>[0], "text">,
+) {
+  const siteTitle = useBrandingAsset("siteTitle")?.data;
+  return <LogoLockup {...props} text={siteTitle || BRAND.defaultSiteTitle} />;
+}
diff --git a/js/app/components/sidebar/sidebar-overlay.tsx b/js/app/components/sidebar/sidebar-overlay.tsx
index 007f41f51..b0938ac46 100644
--- a/js/app/components/sidebar/sidebar-overlay.tsx
+++ b/js/app/components/sidebar/sidebar-overlay.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
 import { BlueskyIcon } from "@streamplace/components/src/components/icons/bluesky-icon";
 import { DiscordIcon } from "@streamplace/components/src/components/icons/discord-icon";
 import { colors, spacing } from "@streamplace/components/src/lib/theme/tokens";
-import { LogoLockup } from "components/brand/logo";
+import { SiteTitleLockup } from "components/brand/logo";
 import { LogoBrandMenu } from "components/brand/logo-brand-menu";
 import { Image } from "expo-image";
 import usePlatform from "hooks/usePlatform";
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ export function SidebarOverlay() {
                 });
               }}
             >
-              <LogoLockup
+              <SiteTitleLockup
                 size={19}
                 weight="semibold"
                 letterSpacing={0}
diff --git a/js/app/src/shell.tsx b/js/app/src/shell.tsx
index ba7fdcd09..7fd70f12c 100644
--- a/js/app/src/shell.tsx
+++ b/js/app/src/shell.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import {
 } from "@streamplace/components";
 import { colors, spacing } from "@streamplace/components/src/lib/theme/tokens";
 import { Settings } from "components";
-import { LogoLockup } from "components/brand/logo";
+import { SiteTitleLockup } from "components/brand/logo";
 import { LogoBrandMenu } from "components/brand/logo-brand-menu";
 import Login from "components/login/login";
 import LoginModal from "components/login/login-modal";
@@ -954,7 +954,7 @@ export default function Shell() {
                   });
                 }}
               >
-                <LogoLockup
+                <SiteTitleLockup
                   size={19}
                   weight="semibold"
                   letterSpacing={0}
diff --git a/js/brand/generate.mjs b/js/brand/generate.mjs
index 1e2acea9c..9ae47dd03 100644
--- a/js/brand/generate.mjs
+++ b/js/brand/generate.mjs
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ colors.bannerForeground ??= colors.ink;
 
 const name = config.name;
 const wordmark = config.wordmark ?? name;
+// What an unbranded node calls itself in the nav / titles until its operator
+// sets a runtime siteTitle. The first-party brand sets this to its wordmark
+// so its own nodes show the styled wordmark with no runtime config.
+const defaultSiteTitle = config.defaultSiteTitle ?? `My ${name} Node`;
 const mono = config.monochrome === true;
 const story = config.story ?? null;
 const slug = name
@@ -402,8 +406,11 @@ write(join(outDocs, "logo-dark.png"), docsDark);
 // Resolved config for app.config.ts (splash/adaptive-icon colors).
 write(
   join(outApp, "brand.json"),
-  JSON.stringify({ name, slug, wordmark, monochrome: mono, colors }, null, 2) +
-    "\n",
+  JSON.stringify(
+    { name, slug, wordmark, defaultSiteTitle, monochrome: mono, colors },
+    null,
+    2,
+  ) + "\n",
 );
 
 // TypeScript module the app's logo components render from.
@@ -431,6 +438,7 @@ export type Brand = {
   name: string;
   slug: string;
   wordmark: string;
+  defaultSiteTitle: string;
   monochrome: boolean;
   colors: {
     ink: string;
@@ -450,6 +458,7 @@ export const BRAND: Brand = {
   name: ${JSON.stringify(name)},
   slug: ${JSON.stringify(slug)},
   wordmark: ${JSON.stringify(wordmark)},
+  defaultSiteTitle: ${JSON.stringify(defaultSiteTitle)},
   monochrome: ${mono},
   colors: {
     ink: ${JSON.stringify(colors.ink)},
diff --git a/js/components/src/streamplace-store/branding.tsx b/js/components/src/streamplace-store/branding.tsx
index 9349b2b53..b50b9bd9d 100644
--- a/js/components/src/streamplace-store/branding.tsx
+++ b/js/components/src/streamplace-store/branding.tsx
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ export function useFavicon(): string | undefined {
 // convenience hook for site title
 export function useSiteTitle(): string {
   const asset = useBrandingAsset("siteTitle");
-  return asset?.data || "My Streamplace Station";
+  return asset?.data || "My Streamplace Node";
 }
 
 // convenience hook for site description