diff --git a/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go b/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
index 5bfc4a4d91..6e496e8033 100644
--- a/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1/grpcroute_types.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ type GRPCRouteSpec struct {
 	//
 	// +optional
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Route name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Rule name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
 	Rules []GRPCRouteRule `json:"rules,omitempty"`
 }
 
diff --git a/apis/v1/httproute_types.go b/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
index cf01deb5b9..611c348ca6 100644
--- a/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1/httproute_types.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ type HTTPRouteSpec struct {
 	// Rules are a list of HTTP matchers, filters and actions.
 	//
 	// +optional
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Route name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Rule name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
 	// +kubebuilder:default={{matches: {{path: {type: "PathPrefix", value: "/"}}}}}
 	Rules []HTTPRouteRule `json:"rules,omitempty"`
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
index 3178558623..65231a8285 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/tcproute_types.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ type TCPRouteSpec struct {
 	//
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinItems=1
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Route name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Rule name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
 	Rules []TCPRouteRule `json:"rules"`
 }
 
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
index d6d2b25e73..bce70a74b7 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/tlsroute_types.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ type TLSRouteSpec struct {
 	//
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinItems=1
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Route name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Rule name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
 	Rules []TLSRouteRule `json:"rules"`
 }
 
diff --git a/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go b/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
index 05ac7a20ac..b05f5503c7 100644
--- a/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
+++ b/apis/v1alpha2/udproute_types.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ type UDPRouteSpec struct {
 	//
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MinItems=1
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Route name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:message="Rule name must be unique within the route",rule="self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name) && l1.name == l2.name))"
 	Rules []UDPRouteRule `json:"rules"`
 }
 
diff --git a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
index 6cd6a741fd..f3b70090a6 100644
--- a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
@@ -2041,7 +2041,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
@@ -4382,7 +4382,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
diff --git a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
index 1dc0acbf7b..f8c14041ff 100644
--- a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
@@ -2939,7 +2939,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
@@ -6184,7 +6184,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
diff --git a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tcproutes.yaml b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tcproutes.yaml
index a0db2b6541..8b27455fd7 100644
--- a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tcproutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tcproutes.yaml
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ spec:
                 minItems: 1
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             required:
diff --git a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tlsroutes.yaml b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tlsroutes.yaml
index 69266d4858..3327952868 100644
--- a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tlsroutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_tlsroutes.yaml
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ spec:
                 minItems: 1
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             required:
diff --git a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_udproutes.yaml b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_udproutes.yaml
index ad23d65661..34e7ea595d 100644
--- a/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_udproutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/experimental/gateway.networking.k8s.io_udproutes.yaml
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ spec:
                 minItems: 1
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             required:
diff --git a/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml b/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
index 969780ddc3..c1221879d0 100644
--- a/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_grpcroutes.yaml
@@ -1912,7 +1912,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
@@ -4109,7 +4109,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
diff --git a/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml b/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
index 4d3e4d9ef0..afe6b2a7d7 100644
--- a/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/standard/gateway.networking.k8s.io_httproutes.yaml
@@ -2739,7 +2739,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
@@ -5769,7 +5769,7 @@ spec:
                 maxItems: 16
                 type: array
                 x-kubernetes-validations:
-                - message: Route name must be unique within the route
+                - message: Rule name must be unique within the route
                   rule: self.all(l1, !has(l1.name) || self.exists_one(l2, has(l2.name)
                     && l1.name == l2.name))
             type: object
diff --git a/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go b/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
index c8e82d735c..407fc73f44 100644
--- a/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
+++ b/pkg/test/cel/httproute_test.go
@@ -1211,7 +1211,7 @@ func TestHTTPRouteRule(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 		{
 			name:       "invalid because multiple names are repeated",
-			wantErrors: []string{"Route name must be unique within the route"},
+			wantErrors: []string{"Rule name must be unique within the route"},
 			rules: []gatewayv1.HTTPRouteRule{
 				{
 					Name: ptrTo(gatewayv1.SectionName("name1")),
@@ -1221,6 +1221,17 @@ func TestHTTPRouteRule(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name:       "valid because names are unique",
+			wantErrors: nil,
+			rules: []gatewayv1.HTTPRouteRule{
+				// Ok to have multiple nil
+				{Name: nil},
+				{Name: nil},
+				{Name: ptrTo(gatewayv1.SectionName("name1"))},
+				{Name: ptrTo(gatewayv1.SectionName("name2"))},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range tests {