diff --git a/Documentation/config.txt b/Documentation/config.txt
index bf706b950e..025ca4df11 100644
--- a/Documentation/config.txt
+++ b/Documentation/config.txt
@@ -334,6 +334,8 @@ include::config/checkout.txt[]
 
 include::config/clean.txt[]
 
+include::config/clone.txt[]
+
 include::config/color.txt[]
 
 include::config/column.txt[]
diff --git a/Documentation/config/clone.txt b/Documentation/config/clone.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47de36a5fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/config/clone.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+clone.defaultRemoteName::
+	The name of the remote to create when cloning a repository.  Defaults to
+	`origin`, and can be overridden by passing the `--origin` command-line
+	option to linkgit:git-clone[1].
diff --git a/Documentation/git-clone.txt b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
index 097e6a86c5..876aedcd47 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-clone.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-clone.txt
@@ -183,8 +183,9 @@ objects from the source repository into a pack in the cloned repository.
 
 -o <name>::
 --origin <name>::
-	Instead of using the remote name `origin` to keep track
-	of the upstream repository, use `<name>`.
+	Instead of using the remote name `origin` to keep track of the upstream
+	repository, use `<name>`.  Overrides `clone.defaultRemoteName` from the
+	config.
 
 -b <name>::
 --branch <name>::
diff --git a/builtin/clone.c b/builtin/clone.c
index 391aa41075..a0841923cf 100644
--- a/builtin/clone.c
+++ b/builtin/clone.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ static int option_shallow_submodules;
 static int deepen;
 static char *option_template, *option_depth, *option_since;
 static char *option_origin = NULL;
+static char *remote_name = NULL;
 static char *option_branch = NULL;
 static struct string_list option_not = STRING_LIST_INIT_NODUP;
 static const char *real_git_dir;
@@ -721,7 +722,7 @@ static void update_head(const struct ref *our, const struct ref *remote,
 		if (!option_bare) {
 			update_ref(msg, "HEAD", &our->old_oid, NULL, 0,
 				   UPDATE_REFS_DIE_ON_ERR);
-			install_branch_config(0, head, option_origin, our->name);
+			install_branch_config(0, head, remote_name, our->name);
 		}
 	} else if (our) {
 		struct commit *c = lookup_commit_reference(the_repository,
@@ -851,8 +852,26 @@ static int checkout(int submodule_progress)
 	return err;
 }
 
+static int git_clone_config(const char *k, const char *v, void *cb)
+{
+	if (!strcmp(k, "clone.defaultremotename")) {
+		free(remote_name);
+		remote_name = xstrdup(v);
+	}
+	return git_default_config(k, v, cb);
+}
+
 static int write_one_config(const char *key, const char *value, void *data)
 {
+	/*
+	 * give git_clone_config a chance to write config values back to the
+	 * environment, since git_config_set_multivar_gently only deals with
+	 * config-file writes
+	 */
+	int apply_failed = git_clone_config(key, value, data);
+	if (apply_failed)
+		return apply_failed;
+
 	return git_config_set_multivar_gently(key,
 					      value ? value : "true",
 					      CONFIG_REGEX_NONE, 0);
@@ -905,12 +924,12 @@ static void write_refspec_config(const char *src_ref_prefix,
 		}
 		/* Configure the remote */
 		if (value.len) {
-			strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.fetch", option_origin);
+			strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.fetch", remote_name);
 			git_config_set_multivar(key.buf, value.buf, "^$", 0);
 			strbuf_reset(&key);
 
 			if (option_mirror) {
-				strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.mirror", option_origin);
+				strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.mirror", remote_name);
 				git_config_set(key.buf, "true");
 				strbuf_reset(&key);
 			}
@@ -963,6 +982,9 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	struct strvec ref_prefixes = STRVEC_INIT;
 
 	packet_trace_identity("clone");
+
+	git_config(git_clone_config, NULL);
+
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, prefix, builtin_clone_options,
 			     builtin_clone_usage, 0);
 
@@ -991,9 +1013,6 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		option_no_checkout = 1;
 	}
 
-	if (!option_origin)
-		option_origin = "origin";
-
 	repo_name = argv[0];
 
 	path = get_repo_path(repo_name, &is_bundle);
@@ -1124,9 +1143,30 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (real_git_dir)
 		git_dir = real_git_dir;
 
+	/*
+	 * additional config can be injected with -c, make sure it's included
+	 * after init_db, which clears the entire config environment.
+	 */
 	write_config(&option_config);
 
-	git_config(git_default_config, NULL);
+	/*
+	 * re-read config after init_db and write_config to pick up any config
+	 * injected by --template and --config, respectively.
+	 */
+	git_config(git_clone_config, NULL);
+
+	/*
+	 * apply the remote name provided by --origin only after this second
+	 * call to git_config, to ensure it overrides all config-based values.
+	 */
+	if (option_origin != NULL)
+		remote_name = xstrdup(option_origin);
+
+	if (remote_name == NULL)
+		remote_name = xstrdup("origin");
+
+	if (!valid_remote_name(remote_name))
+		die(_("'%s' is not a valid remote name"), remote_name);
 
 	if (option_bare) {
 		if (option_mirror)
@@ -1135,15 +1175,15 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 		git_config_set("core.bare", "true");
 	} else {
-		strbuf_addf(&branch_top, "refs/remotes/%s/", option_origin);
+		strbuf_addf(&branch_top, "refs/remotes/%s/", remote_name);
 	}
 
-	strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.url", option_origin);
+	strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.url", remote_name);
 	git_config_set(key.buf, repo);
 	strbuf_reset(&key);
 
 	if (option_no_tags) {
-		strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.tagOpt", option_origin);
+		strbuf_addf(&key, "remote.%s.tagOpt", remote_name);
 		git_config_set(key.buf, "--no-tags");
 		strbuf_reset(&key);
 	}
@@ -1154,7 +1194,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	if (option_sparse_checkout && git_sparse_checkout_init(dir))
 		return 1;
 
-	remote = remote_get(option_origin);
+	remote = remote_get(remote_name);
 
 	refspec_appendf(&remote->fetch, "+%s*:%s*", src_ref_prefix,
 			branch_top.buf);
@@ -1266,7 +1306,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 
 			if (!our_head_points_at)
 				die(_("Remote branch %s not found in upstream %s"),
-				    option_branch, option_origin);
+				    option_branch, remote_name);
 		}
 		else
 			our_head_points_at = remote_head_points_at;
@@ -1274,7 +1314,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	else {
 		if (option_branch)
 			die(_("Remote branch %s not found in upstream %s"),
-					option_branch, option_origin);
+					option_branch, remote_name);
 
 		warning(_("You appear to have cloned an empty repository."));
 		mapped_refs = NULL;
@@ -1286,7 +1326,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			const char *branch = git_default_branch_name();
 			char *ref = xstrfmt("refs/heads/%s", branch);
 
-			install_branch_config(0, branch, option_origin, ref);
+			install_branch_config(0, branch, remote_name, ref);
 			free(ref);
 		}
 	}
@@ -1295,7 +1335,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 			remote_head_points_at, &branch_top);
 
 	if (filter_options.choice)
-		partial_clone_register(option_origin, &filter_options);
+		partial_clone_register(remote_name, &filter_options);
 
 	if (is_local)
 		clone_local(path, git_dir);
@@ -1327,6 +1367,7 @@ int cmd_clone(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 	junk_mode = JUNK_LEAVE_REPO;
 	err = checkout(submodule_progress);
 
+	free(remote_name);
 	strbuf_release(&reflog_msg);
 	strbuf_release(&branch_top);
 	strbuf_release(&key);
diff --git a/builtin/remote.c b/builtin/remote.c
index 64b4b551eb..63f2b46c3d 100644
--- a/builtin/remote.c
+++ b/builtin/remote.c
@@ -194,8 +194,7 @@ static int add(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (remote_is_configured(remote, 1))
 		die(_("remote %s already exists."), name);
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf2, "refs/heads/test:refs/remotes/%s/test", name);
-	if (!valid_fetch_refspec(buf2.buf))
+	if (!valid_remote_name(name))
 		die(_("'%s' is not a valid remote name"), name);
 
 	strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s.url", name);
@@ -696,11 +695,9 @@ static int mv(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (remote_is_configured(newremote, 1))
 		die(_("remote %s already exists."), rename.new_name);
 
-	strbuf_addf(&buf, "refs/heads/test:refs/remotes/%s/test", rename.new_name);
-	if (!valid_fetch_refspec(buf.buf))
+	if (!valid_remote_name(rename.new_name))
 		die(_("'%s' is not a valid remote name"), rename.new_name);
 
-	strbuf_reset(&buf);
 	strbuf_addf(&buf, "remote.%s", rename.old_name);
 	strbuf_addf(&buf2, "remote.%s", rename.new_name);
 	if (git_config_rename_section(buf.buf, buf2.buf) < 1)
diff --git a/refspec.c b/refspec.c
index 8af357a0a3..c49347c2d7 100644
--- a/refspec.c
+++ b/refspec.c
@@ -245,6 +245,16 @@ int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *fetch_refspec_str)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+int valid_remote_name(const char *name)
+{
+	int result;
+	struct strbuf refspec = STRBUF_INIT;
+	strbuf_addf(&refspec, "refs/heads/test:refs/remotes/%s/test", name);
+	result = valid_fetch_refspec(refspec.buf);
+	strbuf_release(&refspec);
+	return result;
+}
+
 void refspec_ref_prefixes(const struct refspec *rs,
 			  struct strvec *ref_prefixes)
 {
diff --git a/refspec.h b/refspec.h
index 9551832399..8b79891d32 100644
--- a/refspec.h
+++ b/refspec.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ void refspec_appendn(struct refspec *rs, const char **refspecs, int nr);
 void refspec_clear(struct refspec *rs);
 
 int valid_fetch_refspec(const char *refspec);
+int valid_remote_name(const char *name);
 
 struct strvec;
 /*
diff --git a/t/t5505-remote.sh b/t/t5505-remote.sh
index 8d62edd98b..1156f52069 100755
--- a/t/t5505-remote.sh
+++ b/t/t5505-remote.sh
@@ -179,6 +179,13 @@ test_expect_success 'rename errors out early when deleting non-existent branch'
 	)
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'rename errors out early when when new name is invalid' '
+	test_config remote.foo.vcs bar &&
+	echo "fatal: '\''invalid...name'\'' is not a valid remote name" >expect &&
+	test_must_fail git remote rename foo invalid...name 2>actual &&
+	test_i18ncmp expect actual
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'add existing foreign_vcs remote' '
 	test_config remote.foo.vcs bar &&
 	echo "fatal: remote foo already exists." >expect &&
@@ -194,6 +201,12 @@ test_expect_success 'add existing foreign_vcs remote' '
 	test_i18ncmp expect actual
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'add invalid foreign_vcs remote' '
+	echo "fatal: '\''invalid...name'\'' is not a valid remote name" >expect &&
+	test_must_fail git remote add invalid...name bar 2>actual &&
+	test_i18ncmp expect actual
+'
+
 cat >test/expect <<EOF
 * remote origin
   Fetch URL: $(pwd)/one
diff --git a/t/t5606-clone-options.sh b/t/t5606-clone-options.sh
index e69427f881..5e201e7d85 100755
--- a/t/t5606-clone-options.sh
+++ b/t/t5606-clone-options.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,73 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 test_expect_success 'clone -o' '
 
 	git clone -o foo parent clone-o &&
-	(cd clone-o && git rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/foo/master)
+	git -C clone-o rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/foo/master
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rejects invalid -o/--origin' '
+
+	test_must_fail git clone -o "bad...name" parent clone-bad-name 2>err &&
+	test_i18ngrep "'\''bad...name'\'' is not a valid remote name" err
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'disallows --bare with --origin' '
+
+	test_must_fail git clone -o foo --bare parent clone-bare-o 2>err &&
+	test_debug "cat err" &&
+	test_i18ngrep -e "--bare and --origin foo options are incompatible" err
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'disallows --bare with --separate-git-dir' '
+
+	test_must_fail git clone --bare --separate-git-dir dot-git-destiation parent clone-bare-sgd 2>err &&
+	test_debug "cat err" &&
+	test_i18ngrep -e "--bare and --separate-git-dir are incompatible" err
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'uses "origin" for default remote name' '
+
+	git clone parent clone-default-origin &&
+	git -C clone-default-origin rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/origin/master
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'prefers --template config over normal config' '
+
+	template="$TRASH_DIRECTORY/template-with-config" &&
+	mkdir "$template" &&
+	git config --file "$template/config" foo.bar from_template &&
+	test_config_global foo.bar from_global &&
+	git clone "--template=$template" parent clone-template-config &&
+	test "$(git -C clone-template-config config --local foo.bar)" = "from_template"
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'prefers -c config over --template config' '
+
+	template="$TRASH_DIRECTORY/template-with-ignored-config" &&
+	mkdir "$template" &&
+	git config --file "$template/config" foo.bar from_template &&
+	git clone "--template=$template" -c foo.bar=inline parent clone-template-inline-config &&
+	test "$(git -C clone-template-inline-config config --local foo.bar)" = "inline"
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'prefers config "clone.defaultRemoteName" over default' '
+
+	test_config_global clone.defaultRemoteName from_config &&
+	git clone parent clone-config-origin &&
+	git -C clone-config-origin rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/from_config/master
+
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'prefers --origin over -c config' '
+
+	git clone -c clone.defaultRemoteName=inline --origin from_option parent clone-o-and-inline-config &&
+	git -C clone-o-and-inline-config rev-parse --verify refs/remotes/from_option/master
 
 '