diff --git a/system/database/DB_forge.php b/system/database/DB_forge.php
index f40eac8..ce505f4 100644
--- a/system/database/DB_forge.php
+++ b/system/database/DB_forge.php
@@ -333,6 +333,12 @@
 
 		foreach ($field as $k => $v)
 		{
+			// If no name provided, use the current name
+			if ( ! isset($field[$k]['name']))
+			{
+				$field[$k]['name'] = $k;
+			}
+
 			$this->add_field(array($k => $field[$k]));
 
 			if (count($this->fields) == 0)
diff --git a/user_guide/database/forge.html b/user_guide/database/forge.html
index 28b32d9..b9e0442 100644
--- a/user_guide/database/forge.html
+++ b/user_guide/database/forge.html
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@
 <p>Used to remove a column from a table. </p>
 <p><code>$this-&gt;dbforge-&gt;drop_column('table_name', 'column_to_drop');</code></p>
 <h2>$this-&gt;dbforge-&gt;modify_column()</h2>
-<p>The usage of this function is identical to add_column(), except it alters an existing column rather than adding a new one. In order to use it you must add a &quot;name&quot; key into the field defining array.</p>
+<p>The usage of this function is identical to add_column(), except it alters an existing column rather than adding a new one. In order to change the name you can add a &quot;name&quot; key into the field defining array.</p>
 <p><code>$fields = array(<br />
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'old_name' =&gt; array(<br />
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'name' =&gt; 'new_name',<br />