diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.cpp
index 30b95d8010..db6701d431 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.cpp
@@ -153,23 +153,24 @@ wxXmlNode* PCB_IO_IPC2581::appendNode( wxXmlNode* aParent, const wxString& aName
 
 wxString PCB_IO_IPC2581::genString( const wxString& aStr, const char* aPrefix ) const
 {
+    // Build a key using the prefix and original string so that repeated calls for the same
+    // element return the same generated name.
+    wxString key = aPrefix ? wxString( aPrefix ) + wxT( ":" ) + aStr : aStr;
+
+    auto it = m_generated_names.find( key );
+
+    if( it != m_generated_names.end() )
+        return it->second;
+
     wxString str;
 
     if( m_version == 'C' )
     {
         str = aStr;
         str.Replace( wxT( ":" ), wxT( "_" ) );
-
-        if( aPrefix )
-            str.Prepend( wxString( aPrefix ) + wxT( ":" ) );
-        else
-            str.Prepend( wxT( "KI:" ) );
     }
     else
     {
-        if( aPrefix )
-            str = wxString::Format( "%s_", aPrefix );
-
         for( wxString::const_iterator iter = aStr.begin(); iter != aStr.end(); ++iter )
         {
             if( !m_acceptable_chars.count( *iter ) )
@@ -179,7 +180,17 @@ wxString PCB_IO_IPC2581::genString( const wxString& aStr, const char* aPrefix )
         }
     }
 
-    return str;
+    wxString base = str;
+    wxString name = base;
+    int      suffix = 1;
+
+    while( m_element_names.count( name ) )
+        name = wxString::Format( "%s_%d", base, suffix++ );
+
+    m_element_names.insert( name );
+    m_generated_names[key] = name;
+
+    return name;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.h b/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.h
index 67e4f41769..c0e83d5f23 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.h
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_io/ipc2581/pcb_io_ipc2581.h
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 
 #include <wx/xml/xml.h>
 #include <memory>
+#include <map>
+#include <set>
 
 class BOARD;
 class BOARD_ITEM;
@@ -328,6 +330,9 @@ private:
 
     PROGRESS_REPORTER*      m_progress_reporter;
 
+    mutable std::set<wxString>           m_element_names;   //<! Track generated element names
+    mutable std::map<wxString, wxString> m_generated_names; //<! Map input keys to unique names
+
     std::set<wxUniChar>     m_acceptable_chars;     //<! IPC2581B and C have differing sets of allowed characters in names
 
     wxXmlDocument*          m_xml_doc;