A method for providing a name service within an industrial automation system, wherein communication devices of the industrial automation system each check via a name service component whether a device name with a topological or hierarchical name component, which essentially completely designates a spatial or hierarchical arrangement of the respective communication device, is allocated to the respective communication device, where in cases of a positive check result, the communication devices each designate their associated device name as complete device name, and where in cases of a negative check result, the communication devices each independently generate their complete device name from topological or hierarchical name components distributed via messages with router advertisements and a name component unambiguous within their respective subnetwork.