diff --git a/doc/configuration.rst b/doc/configuration.rst
index 6af2ccc..1c3ec2e 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/configuration.rst
@@ -948,6 +948,15 @@ instead of its default: case-insensitive.
 Defaults to: ``False``
 
 
+PROJECT_NAME_REGEX
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This configuration key allows to customize the regular expression used to
+validate new project name.
+
+Defaults to: ``^[a-zA-z0-9_][a-zA-Z0-9-_]*$``
+
+
 Deprecated configuration keys
 -----------------------------
 
diff --git a/pagure/forms.py b/pagure/forms.py
index 2f35243..e784597 100644
--- a/pagure/forms.py
+++ b/pagure/forms.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import pagure.lib
 
 STRICT_REGEX = '^[a-zA-Z0-9-_]+$'
 TAGS_REGEX = '^[a-zA-Z0-9-_, .]+$'
-PROJECT_NAME_REGEX = '^[a-zA-z0-9_][a-zA-Z0-9-_]*$'
 FALSE_VALUES = ('false', '', False, 'False', 0, '0')
 
 
@@ -149,10 +148,6 @@ class ProjectForm(ProjectFormSimplified):
     ''' Form to create or edit project. '''
     name = wtforms.TextField(
         'Project name <span class="error">*</span>',
-        [
-            wtforms.validators.Required(),
-            wtforms.validators.Regexp(PROJECT_NAME_REGEX, flags=re.IGNORECASE)
-        ]
     )
     create_readme = wtforms.BooleanField(
         'Create README',
@@ -172,6 +167,14 @@ class ProjectForm(ProjectFormSimplified):
         drop-down list.
         """
         super(ProjectForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
+        # set the name validator
+        regex = pagure.APP.config.get(
+            'PROJECT_NAME_REGEX', '^[a-zA-z0-9_][a-zA-Z0-9-_]*$')
+        self.name.validators = [
+            wtforms.validators.Required(),
+            wtforms.validators.Regexp(regex, flags=re.IGNORECASE)
+        ]
+        # Set the list of namespace
         if 'namespaces' in kwargs:
             self.namespace.choices = [
                 (namespace, namespace) for namespace in kwargs['namespaces']
diff --git a/tests/test_pagure_flask_ui_app.py b/tests/test_pagure_flask_ui_app.py
index c7adf7f..70faf68 100644
--- a/tests/test_pagure_flask_ui_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_pagure_flask_ui_app.py
@@ -315,6 +315,38 @@ class PagureFlaskApptests(tests.Modeltests):
         self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(
             os.path.join(self.path, 'requests', 'project-1.git')))
 
+    @patch.dict('pagure.APP.config', {'PROJECT_NAME_REGEX': '^1[a-z]*$'})
+    def test_new_project_diff_regex(self):
+        """ Test the new_project endpoint with a different regex. """
+        # Before
+        projects = pagure.lib.search_projects(self.session)
+        self.assertEqual(len(projects), 0)
+
+        user = tests.FakeUser(username='foo')
+        with tests.user_set(pagure.APP, user):
+            output = self.app.get('/new/')
+            self.assertEqual(output.status_code, 200)
+            self.assertIn(
+                u'<strong>Create new Project</strong>', output.data)
+
+            csrf_token = self.get_csrf(output=output)
+
+            data = {
+                'description': 'Project #1',
+                'name': 'project-1',
+                'csrf_token':  csrf_token,
+            }
+
+            output = self.app.post('/new/', data=data, follow_redirects=True)
+            self.assertEqual(output.status_code, 200)
+            self.assertIn(
+                u'<title>New project - Pagure</title>', output.data)
+            self.assertIn(
+                u'<strong>Create new Project</strong>', output.data)
+            self.assertIn(
+                u'<small>\n            Invalid input.&nbsp;\n'
+                u'          </small>', output.data)
+
     @patch.dict('pagure.APP.config', {'PRIVATE_PROJECTS': True})
     def test_new_project_private(self):
         """ Test the new_project endpoint for a private project. """