Method for registering device names assigned to industrial automation devices or communication devices in a name service system, in which - the name service system comprises at least one name service server which provides information relating to assignments between device names and communication network addresses according to a name resolution protocol, - at least selected automation or communication devices each comprise a name service component (221, 231) and, by means of their name service component, control transmission of a registration request containing an assignment between their respectively assigned device name and at least one respectively configured communication network address to the name service server, - a control component (222, 232) is respectively assigned to the name service components (221, 231) and enables or blocks transmission of a registration request, - before enabling or blocking a registration request for a selected automation or communication device, the control components (222, 232) each query which device configuration identifier is assigned to the device name of the respective selected automation or communication device in the name service system, - if an assignment exists, the control components (222, 232) each check whether the device configuration identifier assigned to the device name of the respective selected automation or communication device in the name service system corresponds to a device configuration identifier assigned to the respective selected automation or communication device, wherein - if an assignment of a device configuration identifier is missing or in the event of a positive checking result, the control components (222, 232) each enable transmission of the registration request, - in the event of a negative checking result, the control components (222, 232) each block transmission of the registration request on the basis of a reachability check for at least one communication network address assigned to the respective device name in the name service system, wherein - if an automation or communication device having the communication network address assigned to the respective device name can be reached, the control components each block transmission of the registration request, - if an automation or communication device having the communication network address assigned to the respective device name cannot be reached, the control components each enable transmission of the registration request. - the name service system comprises at least one name service server which provides information relating to assignments between device names and communication network addresses according to a name resolution protocol, - at least selected automation or communication devices each comprise a name service component (221, 231) and, by means of their name service component, control transmission of a registration request containing an assignment between their respectively assigned device name and at least one respectively configured communication network address to the name service server, - a control component (222, 232) is respectively assigned to the name service components (221, 231) and enables or blocks transmission of a registration request, - before enabling or blocking a registration request for a selected automation or communication device, the control components (222, 232) each query which device configuration identifier is assigned to the device name of the respective selected automation or communication device in the name service system, - if an assignment exists, the control components (222, 232) each check whether the device configuration identifier assigned to the device name of the respective selected automation or communication device in the name service system corresponds to a device configuration identifier assigned to the respective selected automation or communication device, wherein - if an assignment of a device configuration identifier is missing or in the event of a positive checking result, the control components (222, 232) each enable transmission of the registration request, - in the event of a negative checking result, the control components (222, 232) each block transmission of the registration request on the basis of a reachability check for at least one communication network address assigned to the respective device name in the name service system, wherein - if an automation or communication device having the communication network address assigned to the respective device name can be reached, the control components each block transmission of the registration request, - if an automation or communication device having the communication network address assigned to the respective device name cannot be reached, the control components each enable transmission of the registration request.