diff --git a/amplifier_app_cli/commands/run.py b/amplifier_app_cli/commands/run.py
index c0069392..9661cfd8 100644
--- a/amplifier_app_cli/commands/run.py
+++ b/amplifier_app_cli/commands/run.py
@@ -213,17 +213,28 @@ def run(
             )
             providers_list = config_data.get("providers", [])
 
-            # Find the target provider
+            # Find the target provider by name first, then by module
             target_idx = None
             for i, entry in enumerate(providers_list):
-                if isinstance(entry, dict) and entry.get("module") == provider_module:
+                if isinstance(entry, dict) and entry.get("name") == provider:
                     target_idx = i
+                    provider_module = entry.get("module", provider_module)
                     break
+            if target_idx is None:
+                for i, entry in enumerate(providers_list):
+                    if isinstance(entry, dict) and entry.get("module") == provider_module:
+                        target_idx = i
+                        break
 
             if target_idx is None:
+                def _provider_label(p: dict) -> str:
+                    name = p.get("name")
+                    module = p.get("module", "?").replace("provider-", "")
+                    return f"{name} ({module})" if name else module
+
                 console.print(
                     f"[red]Error:[/red] Provider '{provider}' not configured\n"
-                    f"Available providers: {', '.join(p.get('module', '?').replace('provider-', '') for p in providers_list if isinstance(p, dict))}\n"
+                    f"Available providers: {', '.join(_provider_label(p) for p in providers_list if isinstance(p, dict))}\n"
                     f"Run 'amplifier provider use --help' for configuration options"
                 )
                 sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/amplifier_app_cli/effective_config.py b/amplifier_app_cli/effective_config.py
index b9737978..8d1a3c22 100644
--- a/amplifier_app_cli/effective_config.py
+++ b/amplifier_app_cli/effective_config.py
@@ -62,8 +62,12 @@ def get_effective_config_summary(
         provider_config = selected_provider.get("config", {})
         model = provider_config.get("default_model", "default")
 
-        # Try to get friendly provider name
-        provider_name = _get_provider_display_name(provider_module)
+        # Use explicit 'name' from settings if set, otherwise derive from module ID
+        instance_name = selected_provider.get("name")
+        if instance_name:
+            provider_name = instance_name.replace("-", " ").title()
+        else:
+            provider_name = _get_provider_display_name(provider_module)
     else:
         provider_module = "none"
         provider_name = "None"
diff --git a/amplifier_app_cli/session_spawner.py b/amplifier_app_cli/session_spawner.py
index 3625e1ef..06f48fc8 100644
--- a/amplifier_app_cli/session_spawner.py
+++ b/amplifier_app_cli/session_spawner.py
@@ -157,11 +157,15 @@ def _apply_provider_override(
     target_idx = None
     for i, p in enumerate(providers):
         module_id = p.get("module", "")
-        # Match: "anthropic", "provider-anthropic", or full module ID
-        if provider_id and provider_id in (
-            module_id,
-            module_id.replace("provider-", ""),
-            f"provider-{provider_id}",
+        entry_name = p.get("name", "")
+        # Match: config name, module shorthand, full module ID
+        if provider_id and (
+            provider_id == entry_name
+            or provider_id in (
+                module_id,
+                module_id.replace("provider-", ""),
+                f"provider-{provider_id}",
+            )
         ):
             target_idx = i
             break
@@ -178,10 +182,15 @@ def _apply_provider_override(
                 target_idx = i
 
     if target_idx is None:
+        available = []
+        for p in providers:
+            name = p.get("name")
+            mod = p.get("module", "?").replace("provider-", "")
+            available.append(name if name and name != mod else mod)
         logger.warning(
             "Provider '%s' not found in config. Available: %s",
             provider_id,
-            ", ".join(p.get("module", "?") for p in providers),
+            ", ".join(available),
         )
         return config