diff --git a/pod/buffers.py b/pod/buffers.py
index 785ab6d..8c9b2ec 100644
--- a/pod/buffers.py
+++ b/pod/buffers.py
@@ -139,16 +139,23 @@ class Buffer:
 
     def getLength(self): pass # To be overridden
 
-    def patchColumnsRepeated(self, attrs):
-        '''Every table column must have an attribute
-           "number-columns-repeated".'''
-        key = self.env.tags['number-columns-repeated']
-        attrs = attrs._attrs
-        columnNumber = self.env.getTable().nbOfColumns -1
-        if key in attrs:
-            attrs[key] = ':columnsRepeated[%d]|%s' % (columnNumber, attrs[key])
-        else:
-            attrs[key] = ':columnsRepeated[%d]|1' % (columnNumber)
+    def patchTableElement(self, elem, attrs):
+        '''Convert the name of a table to an expression allowing the user to
+           define himself this name via variable "tableName".
+
+           Convert attribute "number-columns-repeated" of every table column
+           (or add it if it does not exist) to let the user define how he will
+           repeat table columns via variable "columnsRepeated".'''
+        if elem == self.env.tags['table']:
+            attrs = attrs._attrs
+            name = self.env.tags['table-name']
+            attrs[name] = ':tableName|"%s"' % attrs[name]
+        elif elem == self.env.tags['table-column']:
+            attrs = attrs._attrs
+            key = self.env.tags['number-columns-repeated']
+            columnNumber = self.env.getTable().nbOfColumns -1
+            nb = (key in attrs) and attrs[key] or '1'
+            attrs[key] = ':columnsRepeated[%d]|%s' % (columnNumber, nb)
 
     def dumpStartElement(self, elem, attrs={}, ignoreAttrs=(), hook=False,
                          noEndTag=False, renamedAttrs=None):
@@ -166,8 +173,8 @@ class Buffer:
                    p_hook must be a tuple (s_attrName, s_expr).
         '''
         self.write('<%s' % elem)
-        if self.pod and (elem == self.env.tags['table-column']):
-            self.patchColumnsRepeated(attrs)
+        # Some table elements must be patched (pod only)
+        if self.pod: self.patchTableElement(elem, attrs)
         for name, value in attrs.items():
             if ignoreAttrs and (name in ignoreAttrs): continue
             if renamedAttrs and (name in renamedAttrs): name=renamedAttrs[name]
diff --git a/pod/pod_parser.py b/pod/pod_parser.py
index ea85fe7..4e061c3 100644
--- a/pod/pod_parser.py
+++ b/pod/pod_parser.py
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ class PodEnvironment(OdfEnvironment):
             xmlElemDef.__init__(elemFullName)
         # Create a table of names of used tags and attributes (precomputed,
         # including namespace, for performance).
+        table = ns[self.NS_TABLE]
         self.tags = {
           'tracked-changes': '%s:tracked-changes' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
           'change': '%s:change' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
@@ -199,17 +200,17 @@ class PodEnvironment(OdfEnvironment):
           'change-start': '%s:change-start' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
           'change-end': '%s:change-end' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
           'conditional-text': '%s:conditional-text' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
-          'table-cell': '%s:table-cell' % ns[self.NS_TABLE],
-          'formula': '%s:formula' % ns[self.NS_TABLE],
+          'table': '%s:table' % table,
+          'table-name': '%s:name' % table,
+          'table-cell': '%s:table-cell' % table,
+          'table-column': '%s:table-column' % table,
+          'formula': '%s:formula' % table,
           'value-type': '%s:value-type' % ns[self.NS_OFFICE],
           'value': '%s:value' % ns[self.NS_OFFICE],
           'string-value': '%s:string-value' % ns[self.NS_OFFICE],
           'span': '%s:span' % ns[self.NS_TEXT],
-          'number-columns-spanned': '%s:number-columns-spanned' % \
-                                    ns[self.NS_TABLE],
-          'number-columns-repeated': '%s:number-columns-repeated' % \
-                                    ns[self.NS_TABLE],
-          'table-column': '%s:table-column' % ns[self.NS_TABLE],
+          'number-columns-spanned': '%s:number-columns-spanned' % table,
+          'number-columns-repeated': '%s:number-columns-repeated' % table,
         }
         self.ignorableElements = (self.tags['tracked-changes'],
                                   self.tags['change'])