diff --git a/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go b/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
index 291a7e0510..8c4e8ad05e 100644
--- a/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
@@ -154,7 +154,8 @@ type GRPCRouteRule struct {
 	// Name is the name of the route rule. This name MUST be unique within a Route if it is set.
 	//
 	// Support: Extended
-	Name SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Name *SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
 
 	// Matches define conditions used for matching the rule against incoming
 	// gRPC requests. Each match is independent, i.e. this rule will be matched
diff --git a/apis/v1/httproute_types.go b/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
index 5be6792cff..b816e1a460 100644
--- a/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ type HTTPRouteRule struct {
 	// Name is the name of the route rule. This name MUST be unique within a Route if it is set.
 	//
 	// Support: Extended
-	Name SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Name *SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
 
 	// Matches define conditions used for matching the rule against incoming
 	// HTTP requests. Each match is independent, i.e. this rule will be matched
diff --git a/apis/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/apis/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 3cde481a77..e2da9fcabb 100644
--- a/apis/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/apis/v1/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -349,6 +349,11 @@ func (in *GRPCRouteMatch) DeepCopy() *GRPCRouteMatch {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *GRPCRouteRule) DeepCopyInto(out *GRPCRouteRule) {
 	*out = *in
+	if in.Name != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Name, &out.Name
+		*out = new(SectionName)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	if in.Matches != nil {
 		in, out := &in.Matches, &out.Matches
 		*out = make([]GRPCRouteMatch, len(*in))
@@ -1139,6 +1144,11 @@ func (in *HTTPRouteMatch) DeepCopy() *HTTPRouteMatch {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *HTTPRouteRule) DeepCopyInto(out *HTTPRouteRule) {
 	*out = *in
+	if in.Name != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Name, &out.Name
+		*out = new(SectionName)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	if in.Matches != nil {
 		in, out := &in.Matches, &out.Matches
 		*out = make([]HTTPRouteMatch, len(*in))
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
index ee5e7e7c4e..3178558623 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ type TCPRouteRule struct {
 	// Name is the name of the route rule. This name MUST be unique within a Route if it is set.
 	//
 	// Support: Extended
-	Name SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Name *SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
 
 	// BackendRefs defines the backend(s) where matching requests should be
 	// sent. If unspecified or invalid (refers to a non-existent resource or a
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
index 4fdc5d1072..d6d2b25e73 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ type TLSRouteRule struct {
 	// Name is the name of the route rule. This name MUST be unique within a Route if it is set.
 	//
 	// Support: Extended
-	Name SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Name *SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
 
 	// BackendRefs defines the backend(s) where matching requests should be
 	// sent. If unspecified or invalid (refers to a non-existent resource or
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
index 5373c683ba..05ac7a20ac 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ type UDPRouteRule struct {
 	// Name is the name of the route rule. This name MUST be unique within a Route if it is set.
 	//
 	// Support: Extended
-	Name SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
+	// +optional
+	Name *SectionName `json:"name,omitempty"`
 
 	// BackendRefs defines the backend(s) where matching requests should be
 	// sent. If unspecified or invalid (refers to a non-existent resource or a
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/apis/v1alpha2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 20b3cdb942..df8c0f3736 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -407,6 +407,11 @@ func (in *TCPRouteList) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *TCPRouteRule) DeepCopyInto(out *TCPRouteRule) {
 	*out = *in
+	if in.Name != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Name, &out.Name
+		*out = new(v1.SectionName)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	if in.BackendRefs != nil {
 		in, out := &in.BackendRefs, &out.BackendRefs
 		*out = make([]v1.BackendRef, len(*in))
@@ -527,6 +532,11 @@ func (in *TLSRouteList) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *TLSRouteRule) DeepCopyInto(out *TLSRouteRule) {
 	*out = *in
+	if in.Name != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Name, &out.Name
+		*out = new(v1.SectionName)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	if in.BackendRefs != nil {
 		in, out := &in.BackendRefs, &out.BackendRefs
 		*out = make([]v1.BackendRef, len(*in))
@@ -652,6 +662,11 @@ func (in *UDPRouteList) DeepCopyObject() runtime.Object {
 // DeepCopyInto is an autogenerated deepcopy function, copying the receiver, writing into out. in must be non-nil.
 func (in *UDPRouteRule) DeepCopyInto(out *UDPRouteRule) {
 	*out = *in
+	if in.Name != nil {
+		in, out := &in.Name, &out.Name
+		*out = new(v1.SectionName)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	if in.BackendRefs != nil {
 		in, out := &in.BackendRefs, &out.BackendRefs
 		*out = make([]v1.BackendRef, len(*in))
diff --git a/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go b/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
index 557f63af25..c8e82d735c 100644
--- a/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
+++ b/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
@@ -1214,10 +1214,10 @@ func TestHTTPRouteRule(t *testing.T) {
 			wantErrors: []string{"Route name must be unique within the route"},
 			rules: []gatewayv1.HTTPRouteRule{
 				{
-					Name: "name1",
+					Name: ptrTo(gatewayv1.SectionName("name1")),
 				},
 				{
-					Name: "name1",
+					Name: ptrTo(gatewayv1.SectionName("name1")),
 				},
 			},
 		},