Index: DefaultNameFormatter.java
===================================================================
--- DefaultNameFormatter.java	(revision 4195)
+++ DefaultNameFormatter.java	(working copy)
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 
@@ -33,6 +35,8 @@
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.history.HistoryOsmPrimitive;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.history.HistoryRelation;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.history.HistoryWay;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.preferences.StringProperty;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.plugins.PluginHandler;
 
 /**
  * This is the default implementation of a {@see NameFormatter} for names of {@see OsmPrimitive}s.
@@ -42,6 +46,8 @@
 
     static private DefaultNameFormatter instance;
 
+    public static final StringProperty PREF_KEY_FORMATTER_CLASS_NAME = new StringProperty("gui.formatter-class-name", null);
+
     /**
      * Replies the unique instance of this formatter
      *
@@ -49,7 +55,37 @@
      */
     static public DefaultNameFormatter getInstance() {
         if (instance == null) {
-            instance = new DefaultNameFormatter();
+            final String formatterClassName = PREF_KEY_FORMATTER_CLASS_NAME.get();
+            final Collection<ClassLoader> classLoaders = PluginHandler.getResourceClassLoaders();
+            
+            Class<?> formatterClass = null;
+            
+            // Find the preferred class in the right ClassLoader
+            for (Iterator<ClassLoader> i = classLoaders.iterator(); i.hasNext() && formatterClass == null; ) {
+                try {
+                    formatterClass = Class.forName(formatterClassName, true, i.next());
+                } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
+                    // Do nothing and try next ClassLoader
+                }
+            }
+            
+            // If found, instantiate the preffered Name formatter
+            if (formatterClass != null) {
+                try {
+                    instance = (DefaultNameFormatter) formatterClass.newInstance();
+                } catch (InstantiationException e) {
+                    e.printStackTrace();
+                } catch (IllegalAccessException e) {
+                    e.printStackTrace();
+                } catch (ClassCastException e) {
+                    e.printStackTrace();
+                }
+            }
+
+            // If not found, or if something went wrong, create the default name formatter
+            if (instance == null) {
+                instance = new DefaultNameFormatter();
+            }
         }
         return instance;
     }
@@ -331,7 +367,7 @@
         return s.substring(0, i);
     }
 
-    private String getRelationTypeName(IRelation relation) {
+    protected String getRelationTypeName(IRelation relation) {
         String name = trc("Relation type", relation.get("type"));
         if (name == null) {
             name = (relation.get("public_transport") != null) ? tr("public transport") : null;