diff --git a/src/core/state-manager.ts b/src/core/state-manager.ts
index 995c29d..94d139d 100644
--- a/src/core/state-manager.ts
+++ b/src/core/state-manager.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { AppConfig, ChatMessage, McpInspectorSnapshot } from './types.js';
 export interface AgentStateSnapshot {
   config: AppConfig;
   messages: ChatMessage[];
+  title: string | undefined;
   authSource: ProviderAuthSource;
   status: string;
   isBusy: boolean;
@@ -17,7 +18,11 @@ type StateListener = () => void;
 
 export interface AgentStateOptions {
   initialMessages?: ChatMessage[];
-  onConversationChange?: (messages: ChatMessage[]) => void | Promise<void>;
+  initialTitle?: string | undefined;
+  onConversationChange?: (
+    messages: ChatMessage[],
+    title: string | undefined,
+  ) => void | Promise<void> | Promise<boolean>;
 }
 
 export class AgentStateManager {
@@ -26,7 +31,10 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
   private readonly listeners = new Set<StateListener>();
 
   private readonly onConversationChange:
-    | ((messages: ChatMessage[]) => void | Promise<void>)
+    | ((
+        messages: ChatMessage[],
+        title: string | undefined,
+      ) => void | Promise<void> | Promise<boolean>)
     | undefined;
 
   public constructor(config: AppConfig, options: AgentStateOptions = {}) {
@@ -34,6 +42,7 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
     this.snapshotValue = {
       config,
       messages: structuredClone(options.initialMessages ?? []),
+      title: options.initialTitle,
       authSource: 'missing',
       status: 'Idle',
       isBusy: false,
@@ -122,6 +131,7 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
   public clearConversation(): void {
     this.update((snapshot) => {
       snapshot.messages = [];
+      snapshot.title = undefined;
       snapshot.status = 'Idle';
       snapshot.isBusy = false;
       snapshot.streamingText = '';
@@ -132,9 +142,10 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
     this.notifyConversationChange();
   }
 
-  public replaceConversation(messages: ChatMessage[]): void {
+  public replaceConversation(messages: ChatMessage[], title?: string): void {
     this.update((snapshot) => {
       snapshot.messages = structuredClone(messages);
+      snapshot.title = title;
       snapshot.status = 'Idle';
       snapshot.isBusy = false;
       snapshot.streamingText = '';
@@ -144,6 +155,14 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
     this.notifyConversationChange();
   }
 
+  public setTitle(title: string): void {
+    this.update((snapshot) => {
+      snapshot.title = title;
+    });
+
+    this.notifyConversationChange();
+  }
+
   public replaceConfig(config: AppConfig): void {
     this.update((snapshot) => {
       snapshot.config = config;
@@ -182,6 +201,7 @@ export class AgentStateManager {
 
     void this.onConversationChange(
       structuredClone(this.snapshotValue.messages),
+      this.snapshotValue.title,
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/transcript-store.ts b/src/core/transcript-store.ts
index 1d85b40..b1d8ab0 100644
--- a/src/core/transcript-store.ts
+++ b/src/core/transcript-store.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const chatMessageSchema = z.object({
 
 const transcriptSchema = z.object({
   messages: z.array(chatMessageSchema),
+  title: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
 export const transcriptPath = join(agentHomeDir, 'history.yaml');
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ const archiveIndexEntrySchema = z.object({
   messageCount: z.number(),
   preview: z.string(),
   updatedAt: z.string(),
+  title: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
 const archiveIndexSchema = z.object({
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ type ArchiveSummary = {
   messageCount: number;
   preview: string;
   updatedAt: string;
+  title: string | undefined;
 };
 
 async function ensureAgentHome(): Promise<void> {
@@ -85,12 +88,6 @@ function mapTranscriptMessage(
   };
 }
 
-async function readTranscriptFile(path: string): Promise<ChatMessage[] | null> {
-  const raw = await readFile(path, 'utf8');
-  const parsed = transcriptSchema.parse(YAML.parse(raw));
-  return parsed.messages.map(mapTranscriptMessage);
-}
-
 function summarizeTranscript(messages: ChatMessage[]): string {
   const firstMeaningfulMessage = messages.find(
     (message) => message.role !== 'system',
@@ -198,13 +195,16 @@ async function readArchiveSummaryFromFile(
   const filePath = join(transcriptArchiveDir, fileName);
 
   try {
-    const messages = await readTranscriptFile(filePath);
+    const raw = await readFile(filePath, 'utf8');
+    const parsed = transcriptSchema.parse(YAML.parse(raw));
+    const messages = parsed.messages.map(mapTranscriptMessage);
     const fileStat = await stat(filePath);
     return {
       id: fileName,
       messageCount: messages?.length ?? 0,
       preview: summarizeTranscript(messages ?? []),
       updatedAt: fileStat.mtime.toISOString(),
+      title: parsed.title,
     };
   } catch (error) {
     debug(
@@ -258,29 +258,46 @@ async function rewriteArchiveIndex(entries: ArchiveSummary[]): Promise<void> {
   );
 }
 
-export async function loadTranscript(): Promise<ChatMessage[]> {
+export interface LoadedTranscript {
+  messages: ChatMessage[];
+  title: string | undefined;
+}
+
+export async function loadTranscript(): Promise<LoadedTranscript> {
   try {
-    return (await readTranscriptFile(transcriptPath)) ?? [];
+    const raw = await readFile(transcriptPath, 'utf8');
+    const parsed = transcriptSchema.parse(YAML.parse(raw));
+    return {
+      messages: parsed.messages.map(mapTranscriptMessage),
+      title: parsed.title,
+    };
   } catch (error) {
     if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === 'ENOENT') {
-      return [];
+      return { messages: [], title: undefined };
     }
 
     debug(
       `Failed to load current transcript: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
     );
-    return [];
+    return { messages: [], title: undefined };
   }
 }
 
-export async function saveTranscript(messages: ChatMessage[]): Promise<void> {
+export async function saveTranscript(
+  messages: ChatMessage[],
+  title?: string,
+): Promise<void> {
   await ensureAgentHome();
-  const output = YAML.stringify({ messages }, { indent: 2 });
+  const output = YAML.stringify(
+    { messages, ...(title !== undefined ? { title } : {}) },
+    { indent: 2 },
+  );
   await writeFile(transcriptPath, output, { encoding: 'utf8' });
 }
 
 export async function archiveTranscript(
   messages: ChatMessage[],
+  title?: string,
 ): Promise<void> {
   if (messages.length === 0) {
     return;
@@ -288,7 +305,10 @@ export async function archiveTranscript(
 
   await ensureTranscriptArchiveDir();
   const fileName = createArchiveFileName();
-  const output = YAML.stringify({ messages }, { indent: 2 });
+  const output = YAML.stringify(
+    { messages, ...(title !== undefined ? { title } : {}) },
+    { indent: 2 },
+  );
   await writeFile(join(transcriptArchiveDir, fileName), output, {
     encoding: 'utf8',
   });
@@ -299,6 +319,7 @@ export async function archiveTranscript(
     messageCount: messages.length,
     preview,
     updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
+    title,
   };
 
   try {
@@ -323,14 +344,7 @@ export async function archiveTranscript(
   }
 }
 
-export async function loadArchivedSummaries(): Promise<
-  Array<{
-    id: string;
-    messageCount: number;
-    preview: string;
-    updatedAt: string;
-  }>
-> {
+export async function loadArchivedSummaries(): Promise<ArchiveSummary[]> {
   await ensureTranscriptArchiveDir();
 
   const archiveFiles = await listArchiveFiles();
@@ -345,7 +359,7 @@ export async function loadArchivedSummaries(): Promise<
     for (const fileName of archiveFiles) {
       const indexedSummary = indexedEntries.get(fileName);
       if (indexedSummary) {
-        summaries.push(indexedSummary);
+        summaries.push(indexedSummary as ArchiveSummary);
         continue;
       }
 
@@ -364,7 +378,7 @@ export async function loadArchivedSummaries(): Promise<
   }
 }
 
-export async function loadTranscriptById(id: string): Promise<ChatMessage[]> {
+export async function loadTranscriptById(id: string): Promise<LoadedTranscript> {
   if (id === 'current') {
     return await loadTranscript();
   }
@@ -377,8 +391,12 @@ export async function loadTranscriptById(id: string): Promise<ChatMessage[]> {
   }
 
   try {
-    const messages = await readTranscriptFile(resolvedPath);
-    return messages ?? [];
+    const raw = await readFile(resolvedPath, 'utf8');
+    const parsed = transcriptSchema.parse(YAML.parse(raw));
+    return {
+      messages: parsed.messages.map(mapTranscriptMessage),
+      title: parsed.title,
+    };
   } catch (error) {
     throw new Error(
       `Failed to read transcript "${id}": ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
@@ -394,19 +412,22 @@ export async function listTranscripts(): Promise<
     preview: string;
     updatedAt: string;
     isCurrent: boolean;
+    title: string | undefined;
   }>
 > {
-  const currentMessages = await loadTranscript();
-  const currentTranscript = currentMessages.length
+  const currentTranscript = await loadTranscript();
+  const currentMessages = currentTranscript.messages;
+  const currentTranscriptEntries = currentMessages.length
     ? [
         {
           id: 'current',
-          label: 'Current conversation',
+          label: currentTranscript.title ?? 'Current conversation',
           messageCount: currentMessages.length,
           preview: summarizeTranscript(currentMessages),
           updatedAt:
             (await statIfExists(transcriptPath)) ?? new Date(0).toISOString(),
           isCurrent: true,
+          title: currentTranscript.title,
         },
       ]
     : [];
@@ -415,16 +436,18 @@ export async function listTranscripts(): Promise<
   const archivedSummaries = archiveTranscripts.map((transcript) => ({
     id: transcript.id,
     label:
-      transcript.preview.length > 48
+      transcript.title ??
+      (transcript.preview.length > 48
         ? `${transcript.preview.slice(0, 45)}...`
-        : transcript.preview,
+        : transcript.preview),
     messageCount: transcript.messageCount,
     preview: transcript.preview,
     updatedAt: transcript.updatedAt,
     isCurrent: false,
+    title: transcript.title,
   }));
 
-  return [...currentTranscript, ...archivedSummaries].sort((left, right) =>
+  return [...currentTranscriptEntries, ...archivedSummaries].sort((left, right) =>
     right.updatedAt.localeCompare(left.updatedAt),
   );
 }
diff --git a/src/tui/App.tsx b/src/tui/App.tsx
index 4b78408..33405c8 100644
--- a/src/tui/App.tsx
+++ b/src/tui/App.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ export function App({ session }: { session: TuiSession }): ReactElement {
   const [draft, setDraft] = useState('');
   const [exportDraft, setExportDraft] = useState('');
   const [exportPromptOpen, setExportPromptOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [renameDraft, setRenameDraft] = useState('');
+  const [renamePromptOpen, setRenamePromptOpen] = useState(false);
   const [paletteOpen, setPaletteOpen] = useState(false);
   const [paletteIndex, setPaletteIndex] = useState(0);
   const [transcriptBrowserOpen, setTranscriptBrowserOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -134,6 +136,45 @@ export function App({ session }: { session: TuiSession }): ReactElement {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (renamePromptOpen) {
+      if (key.ctrl && input === 'c') {
+        exit();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (key.escape) {
+        setRenamePromptOpen(false);
+        setRenameDraft('');
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (key.return) {
+        const value = renameDraft.trim();
+
+        void (async () => {
+          try {
+            await session.renameConversation(value);
+            setRenamePromptOpen(false);
+            setRenameDraft('');
+          } catch {
+            // The session already surfaced the failure.
+          }
+        })();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (key.backspace || key.delete) {
+        setRenameDraft((value) => value.slice(0, -1));
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (input) {
+        setRenameDraft((value) => `${value}${input}`);
+      }
+
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (transcriptBrowserOpen) {
       if (key.ctrl && input === 'c') {
         exit();
@@ -199,6 +240,9 @@ export function App({ session }: { session: TuiSession }): ReactElement {
             } else if (action === CommandAction.ExportTranscript) {
               setExportDraft(createDefaultTranscriptExportName());
               setExportPromptOpen(true);
+            } else if (action === CommandAction.RenameConversation) {
+              setRenameDraft(snapshot.title ?? '');
+              setRenamePromptOpen(true);
             }
           })();
           if (selected.id === 'quit') {
@@ -259,15 +303,30 @@ export function App({ session }: { session: TuiSession }): ReactElement {
         authSource={snapshot.authSource}
         busy={snapshot.isBusy}
         error={snapshot.error}
+        title={snapshot.title}
       />
       <McpInspectorPanel inspector={snapshot.mcpInspector} />
       <InputLine
-        draft={exportPromptOpen ? exportDraft : draft}
-        prompt={exportPromptOpen ? 'Export transcript to: ' : '> '}
+        draft={
+          exportPromptOpen
+            ? exportDraft
+            : renamePromptOpen
+              ? renameDraft
+              : draft
+        }
+        prompt={
+          exportPromptOpen
+            ? 'Export transcript to: '
+            : renamePromptOpen
+              ? 'Rename conversation: '
+              : '> '
+        }
         placeholder={
           exportPromptOpen
             ? 'transcript-2026-05-18T12-34-56.789Z.txt'
-            : 'Type a message. Ctrl+K opens the command palette.'
+            : renamePromptOpen
+              ? 'Enter a title for this conversation'
+              : 'Type a message. Ctrl+K opens the command palette.'
         }
       />
       {paletteOpen ? (
diff --git a/src/tui/StreamingRenderer.tsx b/src/tui/StreamingRenderer.tsx
index de5d18c..66e1cf5 100644
--- a/src/tui/StreamingRenderer.tsx
+++ b/src/tui/StreamingRenderer.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ export function StatusBar({
   authSource,
   busy,
   error,
+  title,
 }: {
   status: string;
   provider: string;
@@ -82,10 +83,12 @@ export function StatusBar({
   authSource: string;
   busy: boolean;
   error: string | undefined;
+  title: string | undefined;
 }): ReactElement {
   return (
     <Box flexDirection="column" marginTop={1}>
       <Text color={busy ? 'yellow' : 'green'}>
+        {title ? `${title}  ` : ''}
         {status}
         {'  '}
         {provider}/{model}
diff --git a/src/tui/session.ts b/src/tui/session.ts
index ae3df83..5c0d524 100644
--- a/src/tui/session.ts
+++ b/src/tui/session.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ export interface TuiCommand {
 export enum CommandAction {
   BrowseTranscripts = 'browse-transcripts',
   ExportTranscript = 'export-transcript',
+  RenameConversation = 'rename-conversation',
 }
 
 export interface TuiSession {
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ export interface TuiSession {
   listTranscripts(): Promise<TranscriptSummary[]>;
   openTranscript(transcriptId: string): Promise<void>;
   exportTranscript(filePath: string): Promise<void>;
+  renameConversation(title: string): Promise<void>;
   refreshAuth(): Promise<void>;
   refreshTools(): Promise<void>;
   clearConversation(): void;
@@ -94,32 +96,71 @@ export interface TranscriptSummary {
   preview: string;
   updatedAt: string;
   isCurrent: boolean;
+  title: string | undefined;
 }
 
 export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
-  const initialMessages = await loadTranscript();
-  let transcriptWriteQueue = Promise.resolve();
+  const loadedTranscript = await loadTranscript();
+  const initialMessages = loadedTranscript.messages;
+  const initialTitle = loadedTranscript.title;
+  let transcriptWriteQueue = Promise.resolve<boolean>(true);
   let transcriptArchiveQueue = Promise.resolve();
   let activeConfig = config;
 
-  const persistConversation = (messages: ChatMessage[]): Promise<void> => {
+  let titleGenerated = initialTitle !== undefined;
+  let currentTitle: string | undefined = initialTitle;
+
+  const generateTitle = (messages: ChatMessage[]): string | undefined => {
+    if (titleGenerated) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const firstUserMessage = messages.find((m) => m.role === 'user');
+    if (!firstUserMessage) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    const content = firstUserMessage.content.trim();
+    if (!content) {
+      return undefined;
+    }
+    titleGenerated = true;
+    const title =
+      content.length > 60 ? `${content.slice(0, 57)}...` : content;
+    currentTitle = title;
+    return title;
+  };
+
+  const persistConversation = (
+    messages: ChatMessage[],
+    title: string | undefined,
+  ): Promise<boolean> => {
+    const resolvedTitle = generateTitle(messages) ?? title ?? currentTitle;
+    if (resolvedTitle !== currentTitle) {
+      currentTitle = resolvedTitle;
+      titleGenerated = true;
+    }
+    const savedTitle = currentTitle;
     transcriptWriteQueue = transcriptWriteQueue
-      .catch(() => undefined)
+      .catch(() => true)
       .then(async () => {
         if (messages.length === 0) {
           await clearTranscript();
-          return;
+          return true;
         }
 
-        await saveTranscript(messages);
+        try {
+          await saveTranscript(messages, savedTitle);
+          return true;
+        } catch {
+          return false;
+        }
       });
 
     void transcriptWriteQueue.catch(() => undefined);
     return transcriptWriteQueue;
   };
 
-  const waitForTranscriptWrites = async (): Promise<void> => {
-    await transcriptWriteQueue.catch(() => undefined);
+  const waitForTranscriptWrites = async (): Promise<boolean> => {
+    return transcriptWriteQueue.catch(() => false);
   };
 
   const waitForTranscriptArchives = async (): Promise<void> => {
@@ -129,10 +170,11 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
   const archiveConversation = async (
     messages: ChatMessage[],
   ): Promise<void> => {
+    const savedTitle = currentTitle;
     transcriptArchiveQueue = transcriptArchiveQueue
       .catch(() => undefined)
       .then(async () => {
-        await archiveTranscript(messages);
+        await archiveTranscript(messages, savedTitle);
       });
 
     void transcriptArchiveQueue.catch(() => undefined);
@@ -141,6 +183,7 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
 
   const state = new AgentStateManager(config, {
     initialMessages,
+    initialTitle,
     onConversationChange: persistConversation,
   });
   const initialProvider = await createProviderClient(activeConfig);
@@ -340,6 +383,8 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
 
       state.clearConversation();
       state.setMcpInspector(tools.getMcpInspector());
+      titleGenerated = false;
+      currentTitle = undefined;
     } catch (error) {
       state.setError(
         `Failed to start a new chat: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
@@ -362,17 +407,19 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
     try {
       await waitForTranscriptWrites();
       await waitForTranscriptArchives();
-      const messages = await loadTranscriptById(transcriptId);
+      const loaded = await loadTranscriptById(transcriptId);
       const currentMessages = state.getSnapshot().messages;
       if (
         transcriptId !== 'current' &&
         currentMessages.length > 0 &&
-        !messagesMatch(currentMessages, messages)
+        !messagesMatch(currentMessages, loaded.messages)
       ) {
         await archiveConversation(currentMessages);
       }
 
-      state.replaceConversation(messages);
+      titleGenerated = loaded.title !== undefined;
+      currentTitle = loaded.title;
+      state.replaceConversation(loaded.messages, loaded.title);
     } catch (error) {
       state.setError(
         `Failed to open transcript: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
@@ -432,6 +479,8 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
         return CommandAction.BrowseTranscripts;
       case 'export-transcript':
         return CommandAction.ExportTranscript;
+      case 'rename-conversation':
+        return CommandAction.RenameConversation;
       case 'edit-config':
         if (state.getSnapshot().isBusy) {
           state.setStatus('Finish the active turn before editing config');
@@ -472,6 +521,33 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
     }
   };
 
+  const renameCurrentConversation = async (title: string): Promise<void> => {
+    if (state.getSnapshot().isBusy) {
+      state.setStatus('Finish the active turn before renaming conversation');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const trimmedTitle = title.trim();
+    if (!trimmedTitle) {
+      state.setStatus('Conversation title cannot be empty');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const finalTitle =
+      trimmedTitle.length > 60
+        ? `${trimmedTitle.slice(0, 57)}...`
+        : trimmedTitle;
+    currentTitle = finalTitle;
+    titleGenerated = true;
+    state.setTitle(finalTitle);
+    const succeeded = await waitForTranscriptWrites();
+    if (succeeded) {
+      state.markIdle(`Conversation renamed to "${finalTitle}"`);
+    } else {
+      state.markIdle(`Title updated in memory, but failed to persist to disk`);
+    }
+  };
+
   return {
     state,
     commands: [
@@ -491,6 +567,11 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
         description:
           'Write the current conversation to a file without clearing it',
       },
+      {
+        id: 'rename-conversation',
+        label: 'Rename conversation',
+        description: 'Give the current chat a human-friendly title',
+      },
       {
         id: 'edit-config',
         label: 'Edit config',
@@ -531,6 +612,7 @@ export async function createTuiSession(config: AppConfig): Promise<TuiSession> {
     listTranscripts: listSavedTranscripts,
     openTranscript,
     exportTranscript: exportCurrentTranscript,
+    renameConversation: renameCurrentConversation,
     refreshAuth,
     refreshTools,
     clearConversation: () => state.clearConversation(),