diff --git a/latch_cli/snakemake/config/parser.py b/latch_cli/snakemake/config/parser.py
index 42878b60..37b83b8b 100644
--- a/latch_cli/snakemake/config/parser.py
+++ b/latch_cli/snakemake/config/parser.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from latch_cli.snakemake.workflow import reindent
 from latch_cli.utils import identifier_from_str
 
+from ..serialize_utils import best_effort_display_name
 from .utils import JSONValue, get_preamble, parse_type, parse_value, type_repr
 
 T = TypeVar("T")
@@ -81,10 +82,11 @@ def generate_metadata(
 
         is_file = typ in {LatchFile, LatchDir}
         param_typ = "SnakemakeFileParameter" if is_file else "SnakemakeParameter"
+
         param_str = reindent(
             f"""\
             {repr(identifier_from_str(k))}: {param_typ}(
-                display_name={repr(k)},
+                display_name={repr(best_effort_display_name(k))},
                 type={type_repr(typ)},
             __config____default__),""",
             0,
@@ -126,14 +128,19 @@ def generate_metadata(
             old_metadata_path.rename(metadata_path)
     elif old_metadata_path.exists() and metadata_path.exists():
         click.secho(
-            "Warning: Found both `latch_metadata.py` and"
-            " `latch_metadata/__init__.py` in current directory."
-            " `latch_metadata.py` will be ignored.",
+            (
+                "Warning: Found both `latch_metadata.py` and"
+                " `latch_metadata/__init__.py` in current directory."
+                " `latch_metadata.py` will be ignored."
+            ),
             fg="yellow",
         )
 
     if not metadata_path.exists() and click.confirm(
-        "Could not find an `__init__.py` file in `latch_metadata`. Generate one?"
+        "Could not find an `__init__.py` file in `latch_metadata`. This file"
+        "defines the metadata object that configures your interface and "
+        "uses parameters imported from `parameters.py`"
+        "Generate one?"
     ):
         metadata_path.write_text(
             reindent(
@@ -182,7 +189,7 @@ def generate_metadata(
             # Import these into your `__init__.py` file:
             #
             # from .parameters import generated_parameters
-            #
+
             generated_parameters = {
             __params__
             }
diff --git a/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize.py b/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize.py
index 63354480..473c9c30 100644
--- a/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize.py
+++ b/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize.py
@@ -426,7 +426,8 @@ def generate_jit_register_code(
         from functools import partial
         from pathlib import Path
         import shutil
-        from typing import List, NamedTuple, Optional, TypedDict, Dict
+        import typing
+        from typing import NamedTuple, Optional, TypedDict, Dict
         import hashlib
         from urllib.parse import urljoin
         from dataclasses import is_dataclass, asdict
diff --git a/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize_utils.py b/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize_utils.py
index 4064c1a1..9d793cfa 100644
--- a/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize_utils.py
+++ b/latch_cli/snakemake/serialize_utils.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import re
 from typing import Dict, Union
 
 from flytekit import LaunchPlan
@@ -210,3 +211,8 @@ def get_serializable_workflow(
     admin_wf = admin_workflow_models.WorkflowSpec(template=wf_t, sub_workflows=[])
     cache[entity] = admin_wf
     return admin_wf
+
+
+def best_effort_display_name(x: str):
+    expr = re.compile(r"_+")
+    return expr.sub(" ", x).title().strip()