diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index d65aeace62..3f6fbfb2ab 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ Template for new versions:
 
 ## Misc Improvements
 - `spectate`: show dwarves' activities (like prayer)
+- `spectate`: added prefer nicknamed units
 
 ## Documentation
 
diff --git a/docs/plugins/spectate.rst b/docs/plugins/spectate.rst
index 68d1013f64..dd0174f320 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/spectate.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/spectate.rst
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ Settings
     Toggle whether to prefer following (non-siege) units that have newly
     arrived on the map.
 
+``prefer-nicknamed`` (default: enabled)
+    Toggle whether to prefer following nicknamed units.
+
 ``tooltip-follow`` (default: enabled)
     If the ``spectate.tooltip`` overlay is enabled, toggle whether to show the
     tooltips that follow onscreen dwarves around the map.
diff --git a/plugins/lua/spectate.lua b/plugins/lua/spectate.lua
index 8c7e653a7b..521f24fbfe 100644
--- a/plugins/lua/spectate.lua
+++ b/plugins/lua/spectate.lua
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ local function get_default_state()
         ['include-wildlife']=false,
         ['prefer-conflict']=true,
         ['prefer-new-arrivals']=true,
+        ['prefer-nicknamed']=true,
         ['tooltip-follow']=true,
         ['tooltip-follow-blink-milliseconds']=3000,
         ['tooltip-follow-hold-to-show']='none', -- one of none, ctrl, alt, or shift
diff --git a/plugins/spectate.cpp b/plugins/spectate.cpp
index 54bd4944a0..ae287f6000 100644
--- a/plugins/spectate.cpp
+++ b/plugins/spectate.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ static uint32_t next_cycle_unpaused_ms = 0;  // threshold for the next cycle
 static const size_t MAX_HISTORY = 200;
 
 static const float CITIZEN_COMBAT_PREFERRED_WEIGHT = 25.0f;
+static const float NICKNAMED_CITIZEN_PREFERRED_WEIGHT = 15.0f;
 static const float OTHER_COMBAT_PREFERRED_WEIGHT = 10.0f;
 static const float JOB_WEIGHT = 5.0f;
 static const float OTHER_WEIGHT = 1.0f;
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ static struct Configuration {
     bool include_wildlife;
     bool prefer_conflict;
     bool prefer_new_arrivals;
+    bool prefer_nicknamed;
     int32_t follow_ms;
 
     void reset() {
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ static struct Configuration {
         include_wildlife = false;
         prefer_conflict = true;
         prefer_new_arrivals = true;
+        prefer_nicknamed = true;
         follow_ms = 10000;
     }
 } config;
@@ -436,6 +439,7 @@ static bool is_in_combat(df::unit *unit) {
 static void get_dwarf_buckets(color_ostream &out,
     vector<df::unit*> &citizen_combat_units,
     vector<df::unit*> &other_combat_units,
+    vector<df::unit*> &nicknamed_units,
     vector<df::unit*> &job_units,
     vector<df::unit*> &other_units)
 {
@@ -452,11 +456,13 @@ static void get_dwarf_buckets(color_ostream &out,
             continue;
 
         if (is_in_combat(unit)) {
-            TRACE(cycle,out).print("unit %d is in combat: %s\n", unit->id, DF2CONSOLE(Units::getReadableName(unit)).c_str());
+            TRACE(cycle, out).print("unit %d is in combat: %s\n", unit->id, DF2CONSOLE(Units::getReadableName(unit)).c_str());
             if (Units::isCitizen(unit, true) || Units::isResident(unit, true))
                 citizen_combat_units.push_back(unit);
             else
                 other_combat_units.push_back(unit);
+        } else if (config.prefer_nicknamed && !unit->name.nickname.empty()) {
+            nicknamed_units.push_back(unit);
         } else if (unit->job.current_job && !boring_jobs.contains(unit->job.current_job->job_type)) {
             job_units.push_back(unit);
         } else {
@@ -510,9 +516,10 @@ static void follow_a_dwarf(color_ostream &out) {
 
     vector<df::unit*> citizen_combat_units;
     vector<df::unit*> other_combat_units;
+    vector<df::unit*> nicknamed_units;
     vector<df::unit*> job_units;
     vector<df::unit*> other_units;
-    get_dwarf_buckets(out, citizen_combat_units, other_combat_units, job_units, other_units);
+    get_dwarf_buckets(out, citizen_combat_units, other_combat_units, nicknamed_units, job_units, other_units);
 
     set_next_cycle_unpaused_ms(out, !citizen_combat_units.empty());
 
@@ -523,6 +530,7 @@ static void follow_a_dwarf(color_ostream &out) {
     intervals.push_back(0);
     add_bucket(citizen_combat_units, units, intervals, weights, config.prefer_conflict ? CITIZEN_COMBAT_PREFERRED_WEIGHT : JOB_WEIGHT);
     add_bucket(other_combat_units, units, intervals, weights, config.prefer_conflict ? OTHER_COMBAT_PREFERRED_WEIGHT : JOB_WEIGHT);
+    add_bucket(nicknamed_units, units, intervals, weights, NICKNAMED_CITIZEN_PREFERRED_WEIGHT);
     add_bucket(job_units, units, intervals, weights, JOB_WEIGHT);
     add_bucket(other_units, units, intervals, weights, OTHER_WEIGHT);
 
@@ -538,6 +546,7 @@ static void follow_a_dwarf(color_ostream &out) {
     if (debug_cycle.isEnabled(DebugCategory::LDEBUG)) {
         DUMP_BUCKET(citizen_combat_units);
         DUMP_BUCKET(other_combat_units);
+        DUMP_BUCKET(nicknamed_units);
         DUMP_BUCKET(job_units);
         DUMP_BUCKET(other_units);
         DUMP_FLOAT_VECTOR(intervals);
@@ -575,6 +584,8 @@ static void spectate_setSetting(color_ostream &out, string name, int val) {
         config.prefer_conflict = val;
     } else if (name == "prefer-new-arrivals") {
         config.prefer_new_arrivals = val;
+    } else if (name == "prefer-nicknamed") {
+        config.prefer_nicknamed = val;
     } else if (name == "follow-seconds") {
         if (val <= 0) {
             WARN(control,out).print("follow-seconds must be a positive integer\n");