diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f6a75c4..dbd0bbb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ A Terraform module that creates an IAM role.
 
 | Name | Version |
 |------|---------|
-| <a name="provider_aws"></a> [aws](#provider\_aws) | >= 4.0.0 |
+| <a name="provider_aws"></a> [aws](#provider\_aws) | 5.78.0 |
 
 ## Modules
 
@@ -33,12 +33,13 @@ No modules.
 
 | Name | Description | Type | Default | Required |
 |------|-------------|------|---------|:--------:|
-| <a name="input_name"></a> [name](#input\_name) | The name of the role | `string` | n/a | yes |
 | <a name="input_assume_policy"></a> [assume\_policy](#input\_assume\_policy) | The assume policy to attach to the role | `string` | `null` | no |
 | <a name="input_create_policy"></a> [create\_policy](#input\_create\_policy) | Overrule whether the IAM role policy has to be created | `bool` | `null` | no |
 | <a name="input_description"></a> [description](#input\_description) | The description of the role | `string` | `null` | no |
 | <a name="input_force_detach_policies"></a> [force\_detach\_policies](#input\_force\_detach\_policies) | Force detaching any policies the role has before destroying it | `bool` | `false` | no |
 | <a name="input_max_session_duration"></a> [max\_session\_duration](#input\_max\_session\_duration) | The maximum session duration (in seconds) for the role | `number` | `3600` | no |
+| <a name="input_name"></a> [name](#input\_name) | The name of the role.  Conflicts with `name_prefix`. | `string` | `null` | no |
+| <a name="input_name_prefix"></a> [name\_prefix](#input\_name\_prefix) | Creates a unique role and policy name beginning with the specified prefix. Conflicts with `name`. | `string` | `null` | no |
 | <a name="input_path"></a> [path](#input\_path) | Path to the role | `string` | `"/"` | no |
 | <a name="input_permissions_boundary"></a> [permissions\_boundary](#input\_permissions\_boundary) | The permissions boundary to set on the role | `string` | `null` | no |
 | <a name="input_policy_arns"></a> [policy\_arns](#input\_policy\_arns) | A set of policy ARNs to attach to the user | `set(string)` | `[]` | no |
@@ -56,4 +57,4 @@ No modules.
 | <a name="output_id"></a> [id](#output\_id) | ID of the role |
 | <a name="output_name"></a> [name](#output\_name) | The name of the role |
 | <a name="output_unique_id"></a> [unique\_id](#output\_unique\_id) | Unique ID of the role |
-<!-- END_TF_DOCS -->
\ No newline at end of file
+<!-- END_TF_DOCS -->
diff --git a/examples/basic/.terraform.lock.hcl b/examples/basic/.terraform.lock.hcl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d167e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/basic/.terraform.lock.hcl
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# This file is maintained automatically by "terraform init".
+# Manual edits may be lost in future updates.
+
+provider "registry.terraform.io/hashicorp/aws" {
+  version     = "5.78.0"
+  constraints = ">= 4.0.0"
+  hashes = [
+    "h1:o7jz+dFixEcwjfdubken5ldmDJm1tkvM2adPtNDei3g=",
+    "zh:0ae7d41b96441d0cf7ce2e1337657bdb2e1e5c9f1c2227b0642e1dcec2f9dfba",
+    "zh:21f8f1edf477681ea3b095c02cad6b8e85262e45015de58e84e0c7b2bfe9a1f6",
+    "zh:2bdc335e341bf98445255549ae93d66cfb9bca706e62b949da98fe467c182cad",
+    "zh:2fe4096e260367a225a9faf4a424d62b87e5498f12cb43bdb6f4e713d11b82c3",
+    "zh:3c63bb7a7925d65118d17461f4691a22dbb55ea39a7404e4d71f6ccca8765f8b",
+    "zh:6609a28a1c638a1901d8007b5386868ccfd313b4df2e98b35d9fdef436974e3b",
+    "zh:7ae3aef43bc4b365824cca4659cf92459d766800656e354bdbf83feabab835e8",
+    "zh:9b12af85486a96aedd8d7984b0ff811a4b42e3d88dad1a3fb4c0b580d04fa425",
+    "zh:c314efe454adc6ca483261c6906e64315aeb9db0c0332818714e9b81e07df0f0",
+    "zh:cd3e30396b554bbc1d260252db8a0f344065d619038fe60ea870689cd32c6aa9",
+    "zh:d1ba48fd9d8a1cb1daa927fb9e8bb708b857f2792d796e110460c6fdcd896a47",
+    "zh:d31c8abe75cb9cdc1c59ad9d356a1c3ae1ba8cd29ac15eb7e01b6cd01221ab04",
+    "zh:dc27c5c2116b4d9b404753f73bccaa635bce21f3bfb4bb7bc8e63225c36c98fe",
+    "zh:de491f0d05408378413187475c815d8cb2ac6bfa63d0b42a30ad5ee492e51c07",
+    "zh:eb44b45a40f80a309dd5b0eb7d7fcb2cbfe588fe2f18b173ef5851346898a662",
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/main.tf b/main.tf
index e45f29a..031ae6b 100644
--- a/main.tf
+++ b/main.tf
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ data "aws_iam_policy_document" "default" {
 
 resource "aws_iam_role" "default" {
   name                  = "${var.name}${var.postfix ? "Role" : ""}"
+  name_prefix           = var.name_prefix
   assume_role_policy    = local.assume_policy
   description           = var.description
   force_detach_policies = var.force_detach_policies
@@ -29,9 +30,10 @@ resource "aws_iam_role" "default" {
 resource "aws_iam_role_policy" "default" {
   count = local.create_policy ? 1 : 0
 
-  name   = "${var.name}${var.postfix ? "Policy" : ""}"
-  role   = aws_iam_role.default.id
-  policy = var.role_policy
+  name        = "${var.name}${var.postfix ? "Policy" : ""}"
+  name_prefix = var.name_prefix
+  role        = aws_iam_role.default.id
+  policy      = var.role_policy
 }
 
 resource "aws_iam_role_policy_attachment" "default" {
diff --git a/variables.tf b/variables.tf
index 5a8be95..953af9b 100644
--- a/variables.tf
+++ b/variables.tf
@@ -1,6 +1,23 @@
 variable "name" {
   type        = string
-  description = "The name of the role"
+  default     = null
+  description = "The name of the role.  Conflicts with `name_prefix`."
+
+  validation {
+    condition     = var.name != null ? length(var.name) <= 63 : true
+    error_message = "The name must be less than or equal to 63 characters in length"
+  }
+}
+
+variable "name_prefix" {
+  type        = string
+  default     = null
+  description = "Creates a unique role and policy name beginning with the specified prefix. Conflicts with `name`."
+
+  validation {
+    condition     = var.name_prefix != null ? length(var.name_prefix) <= 37 : true
+    error_message = "The name prefix must be less than or equal to 37 characters in length"
+  }
 }
 
 variable "assume_policy" {