diff --git a/pytools/__init__.py b/pytools/__init__.py
index 225e2dfadcb2ba69aa8960d7266031eecd1b3d6f..b3ce8a18b206f62cab0e9c2c89c7933a043ca4f3 100644
--- a/pytools/__init__.py
+++ b/pytools/__init__.py
@@ -2311,8 +2311,14 @@ class UniqueNameGenerator:
         """
         pass
 
-    def add_name(self, name: str) -> None:
-        if self.is_name_conflicting(name):
+    def add_name(self, name: str, *, conflicting_ok: bool = False) -> None:
+        """
+        :arg conflicting_ok: A flag to dictate the behavior when *name* is
+            conflicting with the set of existing names. If *True*, a conflict
+            is silently passed. If *False*, a :class:`ValueError` is raised on
+            encountering a conflict.
+        """
+        if (not conflicting_ok) and self.is_name_conflicting(name):
             raise ValueError(f"name '{name}' conflicts with existing names")
 
         if not name.startswith(self.forced_prefix):
@@ -2323,9 +2329,14 @@ class UniqueNameGenerator:
         self.existing_names.add(name)
         self._name_added(name)
 
-    def add_names(self, names: Iterable[str]) -> None:
+    def add_names(self, names: Iterable[str],
+                  *,
+                  conflicting_ok: bool = False) -> None:
+        """
+        :arg conflicting_ok: Plainly passed to :meth:`UniqueNameGenerator.add_name`.
+        """
         for name in names:
-            self.add_name(name)
+            self.add_name(name, conflicting_ok=conflicting_ok)
 
     def __call__(self, based_on: str = "id") -> str:
         based_on = self.forced_prefix + based_on
diff --git a/test/test_pytools.py b/test/test_pytools.py
index 18dd44485f5fb89a521a605dc441c65e9b9842bf..d53394269c12085a19a27e51c61c1d635efddcb1 100644
--- a/test/test_pytools.py
+++ b/test/test_pytools.py
@@ -652,6 +652,18 @@ def test_sphere_sampling(sampling, visualize=False):
 # }}}
 
 
+def test_unique_name_gen_conflicting_ok():
+    from pytools import UniqueNameGenerator
+
+    ung = UniqueNameGenerator()
+    ung.add_names({"a", "b", "c"})
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        ung.add_names({"a"})
+
+    ung.add_names({"a", "b", "c"}, conflicting_ok=True)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     if len(sys.argv) > 1:
         exec(sys.argv[1])