diff --git a/packages/syntax/src/parser.js b/packages/syntax/src/parser.js
index b1f41a2..c4bbb83 100644
--- a/packages/syntax/src/parser.js
+++ b/packages/syntax/src/parser.js
@@ -145,8 +145,7 @@ export default class SyndicateParser extends _original_Parser {
                 node.formals = node.params;
                 delete node.params; // eww
                 if (this.eat(tt.eq)) {
-                  if (!this.match(tt.string)) { this.unexpected(null, tt.string); }
-                  node.wireName = this.parseLiteral(this.state.value, "StringLiteral");
+                  node.wireName = this.parseExpression();
                 }
                 this.semicolon();
                 return this.finishNode(node, "SyndicateTypeDefinition");
diff --git a/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js b/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
index a59b8cc..ceb7085 100644
--- a/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
+++ b/packages/syntax/src/plugin.js
@@ -450,10 +450,11 @@ export default declare((api, options) => {
 
       SyndicateTypeDefinition(path, state) {
         const { node } = path;
-        path.replaceWith(template(`const ID = RECORD.makeConstructor(WIRE, FORMALS);`)({
+        path.replaceWith(template(`const ID = RECORD.makeBasicConstructor(WIRE, FORMALS);`)({
           ID: node.id,
           RECORD: state.RecordID,
-          WIRE: node.wireName || t.stringLiteral(node.id.name),
+          WIRE: node.wireName ||
+            template.expression(`Symbol.for(N)`)({N: t.stringLiteral(node.id.name)}),
           FORMALS: t.arrayExpression(node.formals.map((f) => t.stringLiteral(f.name))),
         }));
       },
diff --git a/packages/syntax/src/types.js b/packages/syntax/src/types.js
index 488d6a4..aa2180f 100644
--- a/packages/syntax/src/types.js
+++ b/packages/syntax/src/types.js
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ defineType("SyndicateTypeDefinition", {
       ),
     },
     wireName: {
-      validate: assertNodeType("StringLiteral"),
+      validate: assertNodeType("Expression"),
       optional: true,
     },
   }