diff --git a/crates/project/src/comp.rs b/crates/project/src/comp.rs
index aa4ff7201..63edc65be 100644
--- a/crates/project/src/comp.rs
+++ b/crates/project/src/comp.rs
@@ -265,13 +265,11 @@ impl Comp {
         self.layers.iter().find(|l| matches!(l.source, LayerSource::Camera) && l.switches.video && l.is_active_at(t))
     }
 
-    /// Unique layer name with a numeric suffix (`Shape Layer 2`).
+    /// `base`, or the next free numbered name when a layer already has it (`Shape Layer 2`,
+    /// `v-b1.mp4 2`; see `numbered_name`).
     pub fn unique_layer_name(&self, base: &str) -> String {
-        if !self.layers.iter().any(|l| l.name == base) {
-            return base.to_string();
-        }
-        let stem = base.trim_end_matches(|c: char| c.is_ascii_digit()).trim_end();
-        (2..).map(|i| format!("{stem} {i}")).find(|n| !self.layers.iter().any(|l| &l.name == n)).unwrap_or_default()
+        let taken = |n: &str| self.layers.iter().any(|l| l.name == n);
+        if taken(base) { crate::item::numbered_name(base, taken) } else { base.to_string() }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/project/src/item.rs b/crates/project/src/item.rs
index 1ef3d1f0a..047f1ef3f 100644
--- a/crates/project/src/item.rs
+++ b/crates/project/src/item.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@ use super::layer::LayerSource;
 use super::settings::{APP_VERSION, ProjectError, ProjectSettings, SCHEMA_VERSION, SavedView};
 use super::{Arc, BTreeMap, Deserialize, FrameRate, Label, Project, Serialize, Tick, file_check, limits};
 
+/// `base` numbered with the lowest counter from 2 for which `taken` is false: a copy of an item or
+/// another layer of the same name. A number set off by a space is a counter and is replaced
+/// (`Red Solid 1` → `Red Solid 2`, `shot 2` → `shot 3`); digits that end a word belong to the
+/// name and stay (`v-b1.mp4` → `v-b1.mp4 2`, `clip2.mov` → `clip2.mov 2`).
+pub(crate) fn numbered_name(base: &str, taken: impl Fn(&str) -> bool) -> String {
+    let head = base.trim_end_matches(|c: char| c.is_ascii_digit());
+    let stem = match head.strip_suffix(' ') {
+        Some(stem) if head.len() < base.len() && !stem.trim_end().is_empty() => stem.trim_end(),
+        _ => base,
+    };
+    (2u64..).map(|k| format!("{stem} {k}")).find(|n| !taken(n)).unwrap_or_default()
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct ItemId(pub u64);
 
@@ -162,13 +175,11 @@ impl Project {
     pub fn find_by_name(&self, name: &str) -> Option<&Item> {
         self.items.values().find(|i| i.name == name)
     }
-    /// A numbered name for a copy of `base` that no project item has (Edit ▸ Duplicate): its
-    /// trailing number is dropped and the lowest free one from 2 is added (`Comp 1` → `Comp 2`,
-    /// `Name` → `Name 2`, then `Name 3`). Items for which `ignore` holds don't count.
+    /// A numbered name for a copy of `base` that no project item has (Edit ▸ Duplicate), as
+    /// `numbered_name` gives it (`Comp 1` → `Comp 2`, `Name` → `Name 2`, then `Name 3`,
+    /// `v-b1.mp4` → `v-b1.mp4 2`). Items for which `ignore` holds don't count.
     pub fn numbered_item_name(&self, base: &str, ignore: impl Fn(&Item) -> bool) -> String {
-        let stem = base.trim_end_matches(|c: char| c.is_ascii_digit()).trim_end();
-        let taken = |n: &str| self.items.values().any(|i| i.name == n && !ignore(i));
-        (2u64..).map(|k| format!("{stem} {k}")).find(|n| !taken(n)).unwrap_or_default()
+        numbered_name(base, |n| self.items.values().any(|i| i.name == n && !ignore(i)))
     }
     /// `base` when no project item has that name, else the next free numbered name as
     /// [`Project::numbered_item_name`] gives it. Items for which `ignore` holds don't count.
diff --git a/crates/project/src/tests.rs b/crates/project/src/tests.rs
index a47792b89..ed0d05588 100644
--- a/crates/project/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/project/src/tests.rs
@@ -113,6 +113,33 @@ fn resolution_factors_and_scales() {
     assert_eq!(Resolution::Third.scale(0.1, 1.0), 1.0 / 3.0);
 }
 
+/// Another layer of the same source, and a duplicated item, get a numbered name. Only a number set
+/// off by a space is a counter; digits that end a word stay (`v-b1.mp4` gave `v-b1.mp 2`).
+#[test]
+fn numbered_names_keep_digits_that_end_a_word() {
+    // (the name in use, the next layer's and the item copy's name)
+    let rows = [
+        ("v-b1.mp4", "v-b1.mp4 2"),
+        ("clip2.mov", "clip2.mov 2"),
+        ("shot 2", "shot 3"),
+        ("a.b.c", "a.b.c 2"),
+        ("Background", "Background 2"),
+        ("Red Solid 1", "Red Solid 2"),
+    ];
+    for (name, next) in rows {
+        let mut p = Project::default();
+        let mut comp = Comp::new(64, 36, FrameRate::FPS_29_97, Tick::from_seconds_f64(1.0));
+        let solid = Solid { color: [0.5; 3], width: 64, height: 36, pixel_aspect: 1.0 };
+        let item = p.add_item(name, effectcraft_color::Label::Red, None, ItemKind::Solid(solid));
+        let first = build::layer(&mut p, &comp, name, LayerSource::Solid { item }, (64, 36), None);
+        assert_eq!(first.name, name, "the first layer of {name}");
+        comp.layers.push(first);
+        let second = build::layer(&mut p, &comp, name, LayerSource::Solid { item }, (64, 36), None);
+        assert_eq!(second.name, next, "the second layer of {name}");
+        assert_eq!(p.numbered_item_name(name, |_| false), next, "a copy of the item {name}");
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn unique_names_and_cycles() {
     let (p, cid) = project_with_layer();