diff --git a/gramps/gen/display/name.py b/gramps/gen/display/name.py
index 9a5306d03..1c6dcf787 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/display/name.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/display/name.py
@@ -433,6 +433,9 @@ class NameDisplay:
         self.set_default_format(self.get_default_format())
 
     def add_name_format(self, name, fmt_str):
+        for num in self.name_formats:
+            if fmt_str in self.name_formats.get(num):
+                return num
         num = -1
         while num in self.name_formats:
             num -= 1