diff --git a/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/AuthoringConsumptionTest.exe.manifest b/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/AuthoringConsumptionTest.exe.manifest
index a288e18c7..83ef29153 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/AuthoringConsumptionTest.exe.manifest
+++ b/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/AuthoringConsumptionTest.exe.manifest
@@ -118,6 +118,18 @@
        name="AuthoringTest.CustomInterfaceGuidClass"
        threadingModel="both"
        xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
+    <activatableClass
+       name="AuthoringTest.CustomOverloadNamesClass"
+       threadingModel="both"
+       xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
+    <activatableClass
+       name="AuthoringTest.OverloadCollisionClass"
+       threadingModel="both"
+       xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
+    <activatableClass
+       name="AuthoringTest.DefaultOverloadNotFirstClass"
+       threadingModel="both"
+       xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:winrt.v1" />
     <activatableClass
        name="AuthoringTest.NonActivatableType"
        threadingModel="both"
diff --git a/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/test.cpp b/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/test.cpp
index 12352265e..b516e7111 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/test.cpp
+++ b/src/Tests/AuthoringConsumptionTest/test.cpp
@@ -736,6 +736,105 @@ TEST(AuthoringTest, CustomInterfaceGuid)
     EXPECT_EQ(customInterface.HelloWorld(), L"Hello World!");
 }
 
+TEST(AuthoringTest, CustomOverloadNames)
+{
+    // Test interface-level overloads with user-specified OverloadAttribute names
+    CustomOverloadNamesClass obj;
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Lookup(hstring(L"test")), hstring(L"found:test"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Lookup(42), 420);
+
+    // Through the interface
+    ICustomOverloadNames iface = obj;
+    EXPECT_EQ(iface.Lookup(hstring(L"hello")), hstring(L"found:hello"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(iface.Lookup(7), 70);
+
+    // Test class-level overloads with mixed user-specified and auto-generated names
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Transform(hstring(L"abc")), hstring(L"ABC"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Transform(5), 10);
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Transform(1.0), 1.5);
+
+    // Verify the user-specified ABI names actually appear in the generated projection.
+    // The abi<ICustomOverloadNames>::type vtable has virtual methods named exactly
+    // after the [Overload("...")] values. If the winmd had auto-generated names
+    // (e.g. "Lookup2") instead of "LookupByIndex", these calls would fail to compile
+    using abi_type = winrt::impl::abi_t<ICustomOverloadNames>;
+    auto raw = static_cast<abi_type*>(winrt::get_abi(iface));
+    {
+        int32_t result = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(raw->LookupByIndex(7, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_EQ(result, 70);
+    }
+    {
+        bool result = false;
+        EXPECT_EQ(raw->LookupByFlag(false, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_TRUE(result);
+    }
+
+    // Same check for the class-level synthesized interface
+    using class_abi_type = winrt::impl::abi_t<ICustomOverloadNamesClassClass>;
+    ICustomOverloadNamesClassClass classIface = obj.as<ICustomOverloadNamesClassClass>();
+    auto rawClass = static_cast<class_abi_type*>(winrt::get_abi(classIface));
+    {
+        int32_t result = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(rawClass->TransformNumber(5, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_EQ(result, 10);
+    }
+    {
+        // The auto-generated overload coexists with the author-named one: because "TransformNumber"
+        // is author-specified, it does not consume a numeric suffix, so Transform(double) becomes
+        // "Transform2" (not "Transform3")
+        double result = 0.0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(rawClass->Transform2(1.0, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_EQ(result, 1.5);
+    }
+}
+
+TEST(AuthoringTest, CustomOverloadNamesCollision)
+{
+    // The author names one overload "M2" (matching the auto-generated pattern), so the
+    // auto-generated name for the remaining overload must skip "M2" and become "M3"
+    OverloadCollisionClass obj;
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.M(hstring(L"abc")), hstring(L"abc"));
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.M(21), 42);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(obj.M(false));
+
+    using class_abi_type = winrt::impl::abi_t<IOverloadCollisionClassClass>;
+    IOverloadCollisionClassClass classIface = obj.as<IOverloadCollisionClassClass>();
+    auto raw = static_cast<class_abi_type*>(winrt::get_abi(classIface));
+    {
+        int32_t result = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(raw->M2(21, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_EQ(result, 42);
+    }
+    {
+        bool result = false;
+        EXPECT_EQ(raw->M3(false, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_TRUE(result);
+    }
+}
+
+TEST(AuthoringTest, CustomOverloadNamesDefaultNotFirst)
+{
+    // [DefaultOverload] is on the second-declared overload, so it keeps the original ABI name
+    // ("Get") while the author-specified name on the first overload ("GetByIndex") is honored
+    DefaultOverloadNotFirstClass obj;
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Get(5), 105);
+    EXPECT_EQ(obj.Get(hstring(L"abc")), hstring(L"key:abc"));
+
+    IDefaultOverloadNotFirst iface = obj;
+    EXPECT_EQ(iface.Get(7), 107);
+    EXPECT_EQ(iface.Get(hstring(L"z")), hstring(L"key:z"));
+
+    // The author-specified name lives on the non-default (first-declared) overload
+    using abi_type = winrt::impl::abi_t<IDefaultOverloadNotFirst>;
+    auto raw = static_cast<abi_type*>(winrt::get_abi(iface));
+    {
+        int32_t result = 0;
+        EXPECT_EQ(raw->GetByIndex(7, &result), S_OK);
+        EXPECT_EQ(result, 107);
+    }
+}
+
 TEST(AuthoringTest, NonActivatableFactory)
 {
     EXPECT_EQ(NonActivatableFactory::Create().GetText(), L"Test123");
diff --git a/src/Tests/AuthoringTest/Program.cs b/src/Tests/AuthoringTest/Program.cs
index 9eeb3111c..c7adaa37f 100644
--- a/src/Tests/AuthoringTest/Program.cs
+++ b/src/Tests/AuthoringTest/Program.cs
@@ -1891,6 +1891,67 @@ public sealed class CustomInterfaceGuidClass : ICustomInterfaceGuid
         public string HelloWorld() => "Hello World!";
     }
 
+    // Test that user-specified [OverloadAttribute] names are emitted in the winmd.
+    // The interface has 3 overloads of Lookup where the non-default ones carry custom ABI names
+    public interface ICustomOverloadNames
+    {
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.DefaultOverload()]
+        string Lookup(string key);
+
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("LookupByIndex")]
+        int Lookup(int index);
+
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("LookupByFlag")]
+        bool Lookup(bool flag);
+    }
+
+    // Test a mix of user-specified and auto-generated OverloadAttribute names
+    public sealed class CustomOverloadNamesClass : ICustomOverloadNames
+    {
+        public string Lookup(string key) => "found:" + key;
+        public int Lookup(int index) => index * 10;
+        public bool Lookup(bool flag) => !flag;
+
+        // Class-level overloads: first gets a custom name, second is auto-generated
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.DefaultOverload()]
+        public string Transform(string input) => input.ToUpper();
+
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("TransformNumber")]
+        public int Transform(int value) => value * 2;
+
+        public double Transform(double value) => value + 0.5;
+    }
+
+    // Auto-generated overload names must skip any name the author already claimed: here the author
+    // names one overload "M2" (the auto-generated pattern), so the remaining overload becomes "M3"
+    public sealed class OverloadCollisionClass
+    {
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.DefaultOverload()]
+        public string M(string s) => s;
+
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("M2")]
+        public int M(int i) => i * 2;
+
+        public bool M(bool b) => !b;
+    }
+
+    // [DefaultOverload] is on a non-first overload: it must keep the original name while the
+    // author-specified name on the first-declared overload is still honored
+    public interface IDefaultOverloadNotFirst
+    {
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("GetByIndex")]
+        int Get(int index);
+
+        [Windows.Foundation.Metadata.DefaultOverload()]
+        string Get(string key);
+    }
+
+    public sealed class DefaultOverloadNotFirstClass : IDefaultOverloadNotFirst
+    {
+        public int Get(int index) => index + 100;
+        public string Get(string key) => "key:" + key;
+    }
+
     public sealed class NonActivatableType
     {
         private readonly string _text;
diff --git a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Attributes.cs b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Attributes.cs
index 764cc8000..25147f287 100644
--- a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Attributes.cs
+++ b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Attributes.cs
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ private void CopyCustomAttributes(IHasCustomAttribute source, IHasCustomAttribut
     /// </summary>
     /// <remarks>
     /// Filters out attributes that are handled separately by the generator (e.g., <c>[Guid]</c>,
-    /// <c>[Version]</c>), compiler-generated attributes (e.g., from <c>System.Runtime.CompilerServices</c>),
+    /// <c>[Version]</c>, <c>[Overload]</c>), compiler-generated attributes (e.g., from <c>System.Runtime.CompilerServices</c>),
     /// non-public attribute types, and attributes with unreadable signatures.
     /// </remarks>
     /// <param name="attribute">The custom attribute to evaluate.</param>
@@ -371,11 +371,14 @@ private static bool ShouldCopyAttribute(CustomAttribute attribute, RuntimeContex
             return false;
         }
 
-        // Skip attributes already handled separately by the generator
+        // Skip attributes already handled separately by the generator.
+        // '[Overload]' is emitted by 'AddOverloadAttributesForType', which honors any author-specified
+        // name (see 'RecordUserSpecifiedOverloadName'), so copying it here would produce duplicates.
         if (attributeTypeName is
             "System.Runtime.InteropServices.GuidAttribute" or
             "WindowsRuntime.Xaml.GeneratedCustomPropertyProviderAttribute" or
             "Windows.Foundation.Metadata.VersionAttribute" or
+            "Windows.Foundation.Metadata.OverloadAttribute" or
             "System.Reflection.DefaultMemberAttribute")
         {
             return false;
diff --git a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Finalization.cs b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Finalization.cs
index 8a5a0b6e9..289969a51 100644
--- a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Finalization.cs
+++ b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Finalization.cs
@@ -81,10 +81,13 @@ public void FinalizeGeneration()
             CopyCustomAttributes(declaration.InputType, declaration.OutputType);
         }
 
-        // Phase 4: Add overload attributes for methods with the same name
+        // Phase 4: Add overload attributes for overloaded methods. Only interfaces (authored and
+        // synthesized) carry '[Overload]' attributes, since a runtime class exposes its members
+        // through interfaces (where the Windows Runtime ABI method names live). Emitting them on a
+        // class as well would be redundant and could conflict with the names on its interfaces.
         foreach ((string _, TypeDeclaration declaration) in typeDeclarations)
         {
-            if (declaration.OutputType is null)
+            if (declaration.OutputType is not { IsInterface: true })
             {
                 continue;
             }
@@ -426,31 +429,118 @@ private bool IsProjectionEquivalent(string dotNetTypeName, string winrtTypeName)
     /// </summary>
     /// <remarks>
     /// Windows Runtime requires that overloaded methods have unique names. This method finds method groups
-    /// with the same name and assigns <c>[Overload("MethodName2")]</c>, <c>[Overload("MethodName3")]</c>,
-    /// etc. to the second, third, and subsequent overloads.
+    /// with the same name and assigns a unique name to every overload except the default one (the method
+    /// marked with <c>[DefaultOverload]</c>, or the first in metadata order when none is marked), which keeps
+    /// the original name. When the author has applied <c>[Overload("...")]</c> on a method, that name is honored
+    /// as-is; otherwise a unique sequential name (<c>[Overload("MethodName2")]</c>, <c>[Overload("MethodName3")]</c>,
+    /// etc.) is generated, skipping any name already used by another member or a previously assigned overload.
     /// </remarks>
     /// <param name="type">The type to add overload attributes to.</param>
     private void AddOverloadAttributesForType(TypeDefinition type)
     {
-        // Group methods by name to find overloaded methods
-        IEnumerable<IGrouping<string, MethodDefinition>> methodGroups = type.Methods
-            .Where(m => !m.IsConstructor && !m.IsSpecialName)
-            .GroupBy(m => m.Name?.Value ?? "")
-            .Where(g => g.Count() > 1);
+        List<MethodDefinition> methods = [.. type.Methods.Where(m => !m.IsConstructor && !m.IsSpecialName)];
+
+        // Collect the names already in use within the type, so auto-generated overload names can avoid
+        // collisions: every member name (methods including accessors, properties and events) and any
+        // author-specified overload name. Auto-generated names are added to the set as they are produced,
+        // so they cannot collide with each other across groups (e.g. 'M1' + '2' and 'M' + '12').
+        HashSet<string> reservedNames = new(StringComparer.Ordinal);
+
+        foreach (MethodDefinition method in type.Methods)
+        {
+            _ = reservedNames.Add(method.Name?.Value ?? "");
+
+            if (_userSpecifiedOverloadNames.TryGetValue(method, out string? userOverloadName))
+            {
+                _ = reservedNames.Add(userOverloadName);
+            }
+        }
+
+        foreach (PropertyDefinition property in type.Properties)
+        {
+            _ = reservedNames.Add(property.Name?.Value ?? "");
+        }
+
+        foreach (EventDefinition @event in type.Events)
+        {
+            _ = reservedNames.Add(@event.Name?.Value ?? "");
+        }
 
-        foreach (IGrouping<string, MethodDefinition> group in methodGroups)
+        // Group methods by name to find overloaded methods
+        foreach (IGrouping<string, MethodDefinition> group in methods.GroupBy(m => m.Name?.Value ?? "").Where(g => g.Count() > 1))
         {
-            int overloadIndex = 1;
+            // The default overload keeps the original (non-overloaded) name: the one marked with
+            // '[DefaultOverload]', or the first in metadata order when none is marked. Every other
+            // overload needs a unique name (author-specified when present, otherwise auto-generated).
+            MethodDefinition defaultMethod = group.FirstOrDefault(HasDefaultOverloadAttribute) ?? group.First();
+
+            int lastSuffix = 1;
 
-            foreach (MethodDefinition method in group.Skip(1))
+            foreach (MethodDefinition method in group)
             {
-                overloadIndex++;
-                string overloadName = $"{group.Key}{overloadIndex}";
+                if (method == defaultMethod)
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                // Honor an author-applied '[Overload("...")]' name when present (see 'RecordUserSpecifiedOverloadName')
+                if (_userSpecifiedOverloadNames.TryGetValue(method, out string? overloadName))
+                {
+                    AddOverloadAttribute(method, overloadName);
+
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                // Otherwise auto-generate the next sequential name that is not already in use (and reserve it)
+                do
+                {
+                    overloadName = $"{group.Key}{++lastSuffix}";
+                }
+                while (!reservedNames.Add(overloadName));
+
                 AddOverloadAttribute(method, overloadName);
             }
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Checks whether a method is marked with <c>[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.DefaultOverload]</c>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="method">The method to check.</param>
+    /// <returns><see langword="true"/> if the method has the attribute; otherwise, <see langword="false"/>.</returns>
+    private static bool HasDefaultOverloadAttribute(MethodDefinition method)
+    {
+        return method.FindCustomAttributes("Windows.Foundation.Metadata", "DefaultOverloadAttribute").Any();
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Records the overload name explicitly specified by the author via
+    /// <c>[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("...")]</c> on an input method, so it can be honored
+    /// by <see cref="AddOverloadAttributesForType"/> during finalization.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// The author-applied <c>[Overload]</c> attribute is intentionally not copied verbatim to the output method
+    /// (see <c>ShouldCopyAttribute</c>); it is re-emitted by <see cref="AddOverloadAttribute"/> as the single
+    /// source of truth, so the overload name is applied only to genuinely overloaded methods and always
+    /// references the Windows Runtime contract assembly.
+    /// </remarks>
+    /// <param name="inputMethod">The input <see cref="MethodDefinition"/> to read the attribute from.</param>
+    /// <param name="outputMethod">The output <see cref="MethodDefinition"/> to associate the name with.</param>
+    private void RecordUserSpecifiedOverloadName(MethodDefinition inputMethod, MethodDefinition outputMethod)
+    {
+        if (inputMethod.FindCustomAttributes("Windows.Foundation.Metadata", "OverloadAttribute").FirstOrDefault() is not CustomAttribute attribute)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // The single fixed argument is the overload name. AsmResolver stores attribute string arguments
+        // as 'Utf8String' (not 'System.String'), so it is matched as a non-null element and converted.
+        if (attribute.Signature is { FixedArguments: [{ Element: { } overloadName }] })
+        {
+            _userSpecifiedOverloadNames[outputMethod] = overloadName.ToString()!;
+        }
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Adds an <c>[Overload]</c> attribute to a method.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Members.cs b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Members.cs
index 283f6ef41..5562f0130 100644
--- a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Members.cs
+++ b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.Members.cs
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ private void AddMethodToInterface(TypeDefinition outputType, MethodDefinition in
 
         // Copy custom attributes from the input method
         CopyCustomAttributes(inputMethod, outputMethod);
+
+        // Record any author-specified '[Overload]' name so finalization can honor it
+        RecordUserSpecifiedOverloadName(inputMethod, outputMethod);
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.cs b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.cs
index e7af3b363..aab5d89d3 100644
--- a/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.cs
+++ b/src/WinRT.WinMD.Generator/Writers/WinMDWriter.cs
@@ -79,6 +79,17 @@ internal sealed partial class WinMDWriter
     /// </summary>
     private readonly Dictionary<string, TypeReference> _typeReferenceCache = new(StringComparer.Ordinal);
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Maps an output method to the overload name explicitly specified by the author via
+    /// <c>[Windows.Foundation.Metadata.Overload("...")]</c>.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// Populated while methods are emitted (see <see cref="RecordUserSpecifiedOverloadName"/>) and consumed
+    /// during finalization by <see cref="AddOverloadAttributesForType"/> to honor author-specified overload
+    /// names instead of auto-generating sequential ones.
+    /// </remarks>
+    private readonly Dictionary<MethodDefinition, string> _userSpecifiedOverloadNames = new();
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Creates a new <see cref="WinMDWriter"/> instance.
     /// </summary>