diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 2e1df0c..7cbebd6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -479,6 +479,14 @@ version = "2.7.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "78ca9ab1a0babb1e7d5695e3530886289c18cf2f87ec19a575a0abdce112e3a3"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "name_mangling_serde"
+version = "0.1.0"
+dependencies = [
+ "serde",
+ "serde_json",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "num-bigint"
 version = "0.4.6"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 5f7aded..94355a7 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ rust-version = "1.82.0"
 
 [workspace.dependencies]
 fayalite = { git = "https://git.libre-chip.org/libre-chip/fayalite.git", version = "0.3.0", branch = "master" }
+serde = { version = "1.0.202", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = { version = "1.0.117", features = ["preserve_order"] }
 
 [profile.dev]
 opt-level = 1
diff --git a/crates/name_mangling_serde/Cargo.toml b/crates/name_mangling_serde/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c69574d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/name_mangling_serde/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-or-later
+# See Notices.txt for copyright information
+[package]
+name = "name_mangling_serde"
+description = "serde serializer/deserializer for name mangling"
+workspace = "../.."
+readme = "README.md"
+publish = false
+edition.workspace = true
+license.workspace = true
+repository.workspace = true
+rust-version.workspace = true
+version.workspace = true
+
+[dependencies]
+serde.workspace = true
+serde_json.workspace = true
+
+[lints.rust]
+unexpected_cfgs = { level = "warn", check-cfg = ['cfg(todo)'] }
diff --git a/crates/name_mangling_serde/LICENSE.md b/crates/name_mangling_serde/LICENSE.md
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..f0608a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/name_mangling_serde/LICENSE.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../LICENSE.md
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/name_mangling_serde/Notices.txt b/crates/name_mangling_serde/Notices.txt
new file mode 120000
index 0000000..9f3a306
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/name_mangling_serde/Notices.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../Notices.txt
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/name_mangling_serde/src/lib.rs b/crates/name_mangling_serde/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6667da7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/name_mangling_serde/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,470 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-3.0-or-later
+// See Notices.txt for copyright information
+
+use serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Serialize};
+use serde_json::{Map, Number, Value};
+use std::{
+    fmt::{self, Write},
+    num::ParseIntError,
+};
+
+macro_rules! byte_enum {
+    (
+        #[repr(u8)]
+        $(#[$meta:meta])*
+        $vis:vis enum $enum:ident {
+            $($Variant:ident = $value:expr,)*
+        }
+    ) => {
+        #[repr(u8)]
+        $(#[$meta])*
+        $vis enum $enum {
+            $($Variant = $value,)*
+        }
+
+        impl $enum {
+            $vis fn new(v: u8) -> Option<Self> {
+                struct Values;
+                #[allow(non_upper_case_globals)]
+                impl Values {
+                    $(const $Variant: u8 = $enum::$Variant as u8;)*
+                }
+                match v {
+                    $(Values::$Variant => Some(Self::$Variant),)*
+                    _ => None,
+                }
+            }
+            #[allow(dead_code)]
+            $vis fn as_char(self) -> char {
+                const {
+                    $(assert!((Self::$Variant as u8).is_ascii());)*
+                };
+                self as u8 as char
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+macro_rules! string_escapes {
+    (
+        $key_vis:vis enum $StringEscapeKey:ident {}
+        $value_vis:vis enum $StringEscapeValue:ident {
+            $(
+                #[key = $key:expr]
+                $Variant:ident = $value:expr,
+            )*
+        }
+    ) => {
+        byte_enum! {
+            #[repr(u8)]
+            #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+            $key_vis enum $StringEscapeKey {
+                $($Variant = $key,)*
+            }
+        }
+
+        byte_enum! {
+            #[repr(u8)]
+            #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+            $value_vis enum $StringEscapeValue {
+                $($Variant = $value,)*
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl From<$StringEscapeKey> for $StringEscapeValue {
+            fn from(v: $StringEscapeKey) -> Self {
+                match v {
+                    $($StringEscapeKey::$Variant => Self::$Variant,)*
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        impl From<$StringEscapeValue> for $StringEscapeKey {
+            fn from(v: $StringEscapeValue) -> Self {
+                match v {
+                    $($StringEscapeValue::$Variant => Self::$Variant,)*
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    };
+}
+
+string_escapes! {
+    enum StringEscapeKey {}
+    enum StringEscapeValue {
+        #[key = b's']
+        Space = b' ',
+        #[key = b't']
+        Tab = b'\t',
+        #[key = b'r']
+        CR = b'\r',
+        #[key = b'n']
+        NewLine = b'\n',
+        #[key = b'_']
+        Underline = b'_',
+    }
+}
+
+fn json_string_to_name_part(value: &str, out: &mut String) {
+    out.push(ValuePrefix::String.as_char());
+    write!(out, "{}_", value.len()).unwrap();
+    for b in value.bytes() {
+        if let Some(v) = StringEscapeValue::new(b) {
+            out.push('_');
+            out.push(StringEscapeKey::from(v).as_char());
+        } else if b.is_ascii_alphanumeric() {
+            out.push(b as char);
+        } else {
+            write!(out, "_{b:02x}").unwrap()
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+byte_enum! {
+    #[repr(u8)]
+    #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+    enum ValuePrefix {
+        Null = b'z',
+        False = b'f',
+        True = b't',
+        Number = b'n',
+        String = b's',
+        Array = b'a',
+        Object = b'o',
+    }
+}
+
+fn json_value_to_name_part(value: &Value, out: &mut String) {
+    match value {
+        Value::Null => out.push(ValuePrefix::Null.as_char()),
+        Value::Bool(false) => out.push(ValuePrefix::False.as_char()),
+        Value::Bool(true) => out.push(ValuePrefix::True.as_char()),
+        Value::Number(number) => {
+            out.push(ValuePrefix::Number.as_char());
+            let start = out.len();
+            write!(out, "{number}").unwrap();
+            for i in start..out.len() {
+                out.replace_range(
+                    i..=i,
+                    match out.as_bytes()[i] {
+                        b'0'..=b'9' => continue,
+                        b'+' => "",
+                        b'-' => "n",
+                        b'.' => "p",
+                        b'e' | b'E' => "e",
+                        _ => unreachable!("invalid character in JSON number"),
+                    },
+                );
+            }
+        }
+        Value::String(string) => json_string_to_name_part(string, out),
+        Value::Array(array) => {
+            out.push(ValuePrefix::Array.as_char());
+            write!(out, "{}", array.len()).unwrap();
+            for element in array {
+                json_value_to_name_part(element, out);
+            }
+        }
+        Value::Object(object) => {
+            out.push(ValuePrefix::Object.as_char());
+            write!(out, "{}", object.len()).unwrap();
+            for (k, v) in object {
+                json_string_to_name_part(k, out);
+                json_value_to_name_part(v, out);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+pub const NAME_PREFIX: &str = "__HDL";
+
+pub fn json_value_to_name(value: &Value) -> String {
+    let mut retval = NAME_PREFIX.into();
+    json_value_to_name_part(value, &mut retval);
+    retval
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum Error {
+    Serde(serde_json::Error),
+    NameDoesNotStartWithKnownPrefix,
+    UnknownValuePrefix,
+    MissingValuePrefix,
+    InvalidLength(ParseIntError),
+    TrailingCharacters,
+    KeyMustBeAString,
+    StringMissingUnderline,
+    StringTruncated,
+    InvalidEscape,
+    InvalidString,
+}
+
+impl From<serde_json::Error> for Error {
+    fn from(value: serde_json::Error) -> Self {
+        Self::Serde(value)
+    }
+}
+
+impl fmt::Display for Error {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            Self::Serde(e) => e.fmt(f),
+            Self::NameDoesNotStartWithKnownPrefix => {
+                f.write_str("name does not start with the known prefix")
+            }
+            Self::UnknownValuePrefix => f.write_str("unknown value prefix"),
+            Self::MissingValuePrefix => f.write_str("missing value prefix"),
+            Self::InvalidLength(_) => f.write_str("invalid length"),
+            Self::TrailingCharacters => f.write_str("trailing characters"),
+            Self::KeyMustBeAString => f.write_str("key must be a string"),
+            Self::StringMissingUnderline => f.write_str("string missing `_` after length"),
+            Self::StringTruncated => f.write_str("string truncated"),
+            Self::InvalidEscape => f.write_str("invalid escape"),
+            Self::InvalidString => f.write_str("invalid string"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::error::Error for Error {
+    fn source(&self) -> Option<&(dyn std::error::Error + 'static)> {
+        match self {
+            Self::Serde(e) => e.source(),
+            Self::NameDoesNotStartWithKnownPrefix => None,
+            Self::UnknownValuePrefix => None,
+            Self::MissingValuePrefix => None,
+            Self::InvalidLength(e) => Some(e),
+            Self::TrailingCharacters => None,
+            Self::KeyMustBeAString => None,
+            Self::StringMissingUnderline => None,
+            Self::StringTruncated => None,
+            Self::InvalidEscape => None,
+            Self::InvalidString => None,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+struct NameParser<'a> {
+    name_part: &'a str,
+    number_buf: String,
+}
+
+impl NameParser<'_> {
+    fn parse_len(&mut self) -> Result<usize, Error> {
+        let len_end = self
+            .name_part
+            .bytes()
+            .position(|b| !b.is_ascii_digit())
+            .unwrap_or(self.name_part.len());
+        let (len, rest) = self.name_part.split_at(len_end);
+        self.name_part = rest;
+        len.parse().map_err(Error::InvalidLength)
+    }
+    fn parse_string_without_prefix(&mut self) -> Result<String, Error> {
+        let len = self.parse_len()?;
+        let Some(rest) = self.name_part.strip_prefix("_") else {
+            return Err(Error::StringMissingUnderline);
+        };
+        self.name_part = rest;
+        let mut bytes = Vec::new();
+        for _ in 0..len {
+            let b = self
+                .name_part
+                .bytes()
+                .next()
+                .ok_or(Error::StringTruncated)?;
+            if b.is_ascii_alphanumeric() {
+                bytes.push(b);
+                self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+            } else if b == b'_' {
+                self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+                let escape = self.name_part.bytes().next().ok_or(Error::InvalidEscape)?;
+                self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+                if let Some(high) = (escape as char).to_digit(16) {
+                    let low = self
+                        .name_part
+                        .bytes()
+                        .next()
+                        .ok_or(Error::StringTruncated)?;
+                    let low = (low as char).to_digit(16).ok_or(Error::InvalidString)?;
+                    self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+                    bytes.push((high * 16 + low) as u8);
+                } else {
+                    let escape = StringEscapeKey::new(escape).ok_or(Error::InvalidEscape)?;
+                    bytes.push(StringEscapeValue::from(escape) as u8);
+                }
+            } else if let Some(high) = (b as char).to_digit(16) {
+                self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+                let low = self
+                    .name_part
+                    .bytes()
+                    .next()
+                    .ok_or(Error::StringTruncated)?;
+                let low = (low as char).to_digit(16).ok_or(Error::InvalidString)?;
+                self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+                bytes.push((high * 16 + low) as u8);
+            } else {
+                return Err(Error::InvalidString);
+            }
+        }
+        String::from_utf8(bytes).map_err(|_| Error::InvalidString)
+    }
+    fn parse_string(&mut self) -> Result<String, Error> {
+        if let ValuePrefix::String = self.parse_value_prefix()? {
+            self.parse_string_without_prefix()
+        } else {
+            Err(Error::KeyMustBeAString)
+        }
+    }
+    fn parse_number_without_prefix(&mut self) -> Result<Number, Error> {
+        let mut bytes = self.name_part.as_bytes().iter();
+        self.number_buf.clear();
+        if let Some(b'n') = bytes.clone().next() {
+            bytes.next();
+            self.number_buf.push('-');
+        }
+        while let Some(&b @ b'0'..=b'9') = bytes.clone().next() {
+            bytes.next();
+            self.number_buf.push(b as char);
+        }
+        if let Some(b'p') = bytes.clone().next() {
+            bytes.next();
+            self.number_buf.push('.');
+            while let Some(&b @ b'0'..=b'9') = bytes.clone().next() {
+                bytes.next();
+                self.number_buf.push(b as char);
+            }
+        }
+        if let Some(b'e') = bytes.clone().next() {
+            bytes.next();
+            self.number_buf.push('e');
+            if let Some(b'n') = bytes.clone().next() {
+                bytes.next();
+                self.number_buf.push('-');
+            }
+            while let Some(&b @ b'0'..=b'9') = bytes.clone().next() {
+                bytes.next();
+                self.number_buf.push(b as char);
+            }
+        }
+        self.name_part = &self.name_part[self.name_part.len() - bytes.len()..];
+        Ok(self.number_buf.parse()?)
+    }
+    fn parse_value_prefix(&mut self) -> Result<ValuePrefix, Error> {
+        let value_prefix = self
+            .name_part
+            .bytes()
+            .next()
+            .ok_or(Error::MissingValuePrefix)?;
+        let value_prefix = ValuePrefix::new(value_prefix).ok_or(Error::UnknownValuePrefix)?;
+        self.name_part = &self.name_part[1..];
+        Ok(value_prefix)
+    }
+    fn parse_value(&mut self) -> Result<Value, Error> {
+        Ok(match self.parse_value_prefix()? {
+            ValuePrefix::Null => Value::Null,
+            ValuePrefix::False => Value::Bool(false),
+            ValuePrefix::True => Value::Bool(true),
+            ValuePrefix::Number => Value::Number(self.parse_number_without_prefix()?),
+            ValuePrefix::String => Value::String(self.parse_string_without_prefix()?),
+            ValuePrefix::Array => {
+                let len = self.parse_len()?;
+                let mut array = Vec::new();
+                for _ in 0..len {
+                    array.push(self.parse_value()?);
+                }
+                Value::Array(array)
+            }
+            ValuePrefix::Object => {
+                let len = self.parse_len()?;
+                let mut object = Map::new();
+                for _ in 0..len {
+                    let key = self.parse_string()?;
+                    let value = self.parse_value()?;
+                    object.insert(key, value);
+                }
+                Value::Object(object)
+            }
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn name_to_json_value(name: &str) -> Result<Value, Error> {
+    let Some(name_part) = name.strip_prefix(NAME_PREFIX) else {
+        return Err(Error::NameDoesNotStartWithKnownPrefix);
+    };
+    let mut parser = NameParser {
+        name_part,
+        number_buf: String::new(),
+    };
+    let retval = parser.parse_value()?;
+    if !parser.name_part.is_empty() {
+        Err(Error::TrailingCharacters)
+    } else {
+        Ok(retval)
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn from_name<T: DeserializeOwned>(name: &str) -> Result<T, Error> {
+    Ok(serde_json::from_value(name_to_json_value(name)?)?)
+}
+
+pub fn to_name<T: Serialize>(value: T) -> Result<String, Error> {
+    Ok(json_value_to_name(&serde_json::to_value(value)?))
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use serde_json::json;
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_from_to_name() {
+        #[track_caller]
+        fn check_from_to_name(value: Value, name: &str) {
+            assert_eq!(name, json_value_to_name(&value));
+            assert_eq!(
+                Ok(value),
+                name_to_json_value(name).map_err(|e| e.to_string())
+            );
+        }
+
+        check_from_to_name(json! { null }, "__HDLz");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { false }, "__HDLf");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { true }, "__HDLt");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { 0 }, "__HDLn0");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { 0.1 }, "__HDLn0p1");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { -0.1 }, "__HDLnn0p1");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { 1234567 }, "__HDLn1234567");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { -1.2345678e-20 }, "__HDLnn1p2345678en20");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { -1.2345e300 }, "__HDLnn1p2345e300");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { -5 }, "__HDLnn5");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "" }, "__HDLs0_");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "a" }, "__HDLs1_a");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "A" }, "__HDLs1_A");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "z" }, "__HDLs1_z");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "Z" }, "__HDLs1_Z");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "0" }, "__HDLs1_0");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "9" }, "__HDLs1_9");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "_" }, "__HDLs1___");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { " " }, "__HDLs1__s");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\t" }, "__HDLs1__t");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\r" }, "__HDLs1__r");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\n" }, "__HDLs1__n");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\u{25}" }, "__HDLs1__25");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\u{100}" }, "__HDLs2__c4_80");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\u{1000}" }, "__HDLs3__e1_80_80");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "\u{10000}" }, "__HDLs4__f0_90_80_80");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { "foo" }, "__HDLs3_foo");
+        check_from_to_name(json! { { "foo": 123 } }, "__HDLo1s3_foon123");
+        check_from_to_name(
+            json! { { "foo": 123, "bar": null } },
+            "__HDLo2s3_foon123s3_barz",
+        );
+        check_from_to_name(json! { [1, 2, 3, 4] }, "__HDLa4n1n2n3n4");
+        check_from_to_name(
+            json! { { "a": [], "b": null, "c": 1234, "d": {} } },
+            "__HDLo4s1_aa0s1_bzs1_cn1234s1_do0",
+        );
+    }
+}