diff --git a/lib/compiler.js b/lib/compiler.js
index 30ad2d0..e2dea15 100644
--- a/lib/compiler.js
+++ b/lib/compiler.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ var ConfigLoader = require('./config-loader');
 var debug = require('debug')('loopback:boot:compiler');
 var Module = require('module');
 var _ = require('lodash');
+var _s = require('underscore.string');
 
 var FILE_EXTENSION_JSON = '.json';
 
@@ -382,6 +383,8 @@ function tryResolveAppPath(rootDir, relativePath, resolveOptions) {
 
 function loadModelDefinition(rootDir, jsonFile, allFiles) {
   var definition = require(jsonFile);
+  var basename = path.basename(jsonFile, path.extname(jsonFile));
+  definition.name = definition.name || _s.capitalize(_s.camelize(basename));
 
   // find a matching file with a supported extension like `.js` or `.coffee`
   var sourceFile = fixFileExtension(jsonFile, allFiles, true);
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b198c18..c2df7b5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@
     "debug": "^2.0.0",
     "lodash": "^2.4.1",
     "semver": "^4.1.0",
-    "toposort": "^0.2.10"
+    "toposort": "^0.2.10",
+    "underscore.string": "^3.0.3"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "browserify": "^4.1.8",
diff --git a/test/compiler.test.js b/test/compiler.test.js
index cc3a5c2..6df170f 100644
--- a/test/compiler.test.js
+++ b/test/compiler.test.js
@@ -867,6 +867,144 @@ describe('compiler', function() {
         .to.throw(/cyclic dependency/i);
     });
 
+    it('uses file name as default value for model name', function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        Car: { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/car.json', {});
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      var modelNames = instructions.models.map(getNameProperty);
+      expect(modelNames).to.eql(['Car']);
+    });
+
+    it('uses `OrderItem` as default model name for file with name `order-item`',
+      function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        OrderItem: { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order-item.json', {});
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      var modelNames = instructions.models.map(getNameProperty);
+      expect(modelNames).to.eql(['OrderItem']);
+    });
+
+    it('uses `OrderItem` as default model name for file with name `order_item`',
+      function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        OrderItem: { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order_item.json', {});
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      var modelNames = instructions.models.map(getNameProperty);
+      expect(modelNames).to.eql(['OrderItem']);
+    });
+
+    it('uses `OrderItem` as default model name for file with name `order item`',
+      function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        OrderItem: { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order item.json', {});
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      var modelNames = instructions.models.map(getNameProperty);
+      expect(modelNames).to.eql(['OrderItem']);
+    });
+
+    it('overrides `default model name` by `name` in model definition',
+      function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        overrideCar: { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/car.json', { name: 'overrideCar'});
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      var modelNames = instructions.models.map(getNameProperty);
+      expect(modelNames).to.eql(['overrideCar']);
+    });
+
+    it('overwrites model with same default name', function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        'OrderItem': { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order-item.json', {
+        properties: {
+          price: { type: 'number' }
+        }
+      });
+      appdir.writeFileSync('models/order-item.js', '');
+
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/orderItem.json', {
+        properties: {
+          quantity: { type: 'number' }
+        }
+      });
+      var appJS = appdir.writeFileSync('models/orderItem.js', '');
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      expect(instructions.models).to.eql([{
+        name: 'OrderItem',
+        config: {
+          dataSource: 'db'
+        },
+        definition: {
+          name: 'OrderItem',
+          properties: {
+            quantity: {type: 'number'}
+          }
+        },
+        sourceFile: appJS
+      }]);
+    });
+
+    it('overwrites model with same name in model definition', function() {
+      appdir.createConfigFilesSync({}, {}, {
+        'customOrder': { dataSource: 'db' }
+      });
+
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order1.json', {
+        name : 'customOrder',
+        properties: {
+          price: { type: 'number' }
+        }
+      });
+      appdir.writeFileSync('models/order1.js', '');
+
+      appdir.writeConfigFileSync('models/order2.json', {
+        name : 'customOrder',
+        properties: {
+          quantity: { type: 'number' }
+        }
+      });
+      var appJS = appdir.writeFileSync('models/order2.js', '');
+
+      var instructions = boot.compile(appdir.PATH);
+
+      expect(instructions.models).to.eql([{
+        name: 'customOrder',
+        config: {
+          dataSource: 'db'
+        },
+        definition: {
+          name: 'customOrder',
+          properties: {
+            quantity: {type: 'number'}
+          }
+        },
+        sourceFile: appJS
+      }]);
+    });
+
     it('returns a new copy of JSON data', function() {
       appdir.createConfigFilesSync();