diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
index 5278b51..957e7a1 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferences.h
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ public:
   bool isShowFrameNumberWithLettersEnabled() const {
     return getBoolValue(showFrameNumberWithLetters);
   }
+  bool isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() const {
+    return getBoolValue(linkColumnNameWithLevel);
+  }
 
   // Animation  tab
   int getKeyframeType() const { return getIntValue(keyframeType); }
diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
index 70ce829..1dd6454 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/preferencesitemids.h
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ enum PreferencesItemId {
   currentColumnColor,
   levelNameDisplayType,
   showFrameNumberWithLetters,
+  linkColumnNameWithLevel,
 
   //----------
   // Animation
diff --git a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/txshlevelcolumn.h b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/txshlevelcolumn.h
index e519264..6b50090 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/include/toonz/txshlevelcolumn.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/include/toonz/txshlevelcolumn.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 // forward declarations
 class TLevelColumnFx;
 class TXshCell;
+class TXshLevel;
 
 //=============================================================================
 //! The TXshLevelColumn class provides a column of levels in xsheet and allows
@@ -86,7 +87,8 @@ Return \b TFx.
   TFx *getFx() const override;
 
   // Used in TCellData::getNumbers
-  bool setNumbers(int row, int rowCount, const TXshCell cells[]);
+  bool setNumbers(int row, int rowCount, const TXshCell cells[],
+                  TXshLevel *reservedLevel);
 
 private:
   // not implemented
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
index 709f2fd..bee5fc1 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/celldata.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@
 #include "toonz/tcolumnfx.h"
 #include "toonz/fxdag.h"
 #include "toonz/txshlevelcolumn.h"
+#include "toonz/preferences.h"
+#include "toonz/tstageobject.h"
+#include "tapp.h"
+#include "toonz/tscenehandle.h"
+#include "toonz/toonzscene.h"
+#include "toonz/levelset.h"
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -106,15 +112,35 @@ bool TCellData::getCells(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1, int &c1,
 
 bool TCellData::getNumbers(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1,
                            int &c1) const {
-  r1                  = r0 + m_rowCount - 1;
-  bool oneToMulti     = m_colCount == 1 && c0 < c1;
+  r1              = r0 + m_rowCount - 1;
+  bool oneToMulti = m_colCount == 1 && c0 < c1;
   if (!oneToMulti) c1 = c0 + m_colCount - 1;
 
   bool cellSet = false;
 
   for (int c = c0; c <= c1; c++) {
-    TXshColumn *column = xsh->getColumn(c);
-    if (!column || column->isEmpty()) continue;
+    TXshColumn *column       = xsh->getColumn(c);
+    TXshLevel *reservedLevel = nullptr;
+    if (!column) continue;
+    if (column->isEmpty()) {
+      if (Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() &&
+          xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))
+              ->hasSpecifiedName()) {
+        std::string columnName =
+            xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))->getName();
+        ToonzScene *scene   = TApp::instance()->getCurrentScene()->getScene();
+        TLevelSet *levelSet = scene->getLevelSet();
+        reservedLevel       = levelSet->getLevel(to_wstring(columnName));
+        if (!reservedLevel) continue;
+        // connect to xsheet
+        if (!column->getPaletteColumn()) {
+          TFx *fx = column->getFx();
+          if (fx) xsh->getFxDag()->addToXsheet(fx);
+        }
+
+      } else
+        continue;
+    }
     TXshLevelColumn *levelColumn = column->getLevelColumn();
     if (!levelColumn) continue;
 
@@ -125,8 +151,8 @@ bool TCellData::getNumbers(TXsheet *xsh, int r0, int c0, int &r1,
 
     if (!canChange(column, sourceColIndex)) continue;
 
-    bool isSet = levelColumn->setNumbers(r0, m_rowCount,
-                                         &cells[sourceColIndex * m_rowCount]);
+    bool isSet = levelColumn->setNumbers(
+        r0, m_rowCount, &cells[sourceColIndex * m_rowCount], reservedLevel);
 
     cellSet = cellSet || isSet;
   }
@@ -194,7 +220,7 @@ void TCellData::cloneZeraryFx(int index, std::vector<TXshCell> &cells) const {
     newFxLevel->setColumn(newFxColumn);
     // replace the zerary fx cells by the new fx
     int r;
-    for (r     = firstNotEmptyIndex; r < (index + 1) * m_rowCount; r++)
+    for (r = firstNotEmptyIndex; r < (index + 1) * m_rowCount; r++)
       cells[r] = TXshCell(newFxLevel, m_cells[r].getFrameId());
   }
 }
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
index 73aa2ec..0f5c6f1 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/cellselection.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
 #include "tools/strokeselection.h"
 #include "toonz/sceneproperties.h"
 #include "toutputproperties.h"
+#include "toonz/tstageobjectcmd.h"
 
 // TnzCore includes
 #include "timagecache.h"
@@ -217,13 +218,17 @@ class PasteCellsUndo final : public TUndo {
   TCellData *m_data;
   std::vector<bool> m_areOldColumnsEmpty;
   bool m_containsSoundColumn;
+  std::map<int, std::string> m_oldEmptyColumnNames;
 
 public:
   PasteCellsUndo(int r0, int c0, int r1, int c1, int oldR0, int oldC0,
                  int oldR1, int oldC1, const std::vector<bool> &areColumnsEmpty,
-                 bool containsSoundColumn)
+                 bool containsSoundColumn,
+                 const std::map<int, std::string> &oldEmptyColumnNames =
+                     std::map<int, std::string>())
       : m_areOldColumnsEmpty(areColumnsEmpty)
-      , m_containsSoundColumn(containsSoundColumn) {
+      , m_containsSoundColumn(containsSoundColumn)
+      , m_oldEmptyColumnNames(oldEmptyColumnNames) {
     m_data       = new TCellData();
     TXsheet *xsh = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
     m_data->setCells(xsh, r0, c0, r1, c1);
@@ -246,13 +251,18 @@ public:
     int oldR0, oldC0, oldR1, oldC1;
     m_oldSelection->getSelectedCells(oldR0, oldC0, oldR1, oldC1);
 
+    TXsheet *xsh = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
+    for (const auto &item : m_oldEmptyColumnNames) {
+      xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(item.first))
+          ->setName(item.second);
+    }
+
     int c0BeforeCut = c0;
     int c1BeforeCut = c1;
     // Cut delle celle che sono in newSelection
     cutCellsWithoutUndo(r0, c0, r1, c1);
     // Se le colonne erano vuote le resetto (e' necessario farlo per le colonne
     // particolari, colonne sount o palette)
-    TXsheet *xsh = TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->getXsheet();
     assert(c1BeforeCut - c0BeforeCut + 1 == (int)m_areOldColumnsEmpty.size());
     int c;
     for (c = c0BeforeCut; c <= c1BeforeCut; c++) {
@@ -1868,6 +1878,23 @@ void TCellSelection::pasteCells() {
       return;
     }
 
+    // pasting cells may change empty column names. So keep old column names for
+    // undo
+    std::map<int, std::string> emptyColumnNames;
+    if (Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled()) {
+      for (int c = c0; c < c0 + cellData->getColCount(); c++) {
+        TXshColumn *column = xsh->getColumn(c);
+        if (!column || column->isEmpty()) {
+          if (!xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))
+                   ->hasSpecifiedName())
+            emptyColumnNames[c] = "";
+          else
+            emptyColumnNames[c] =
+                xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))->getName();
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     bool isPaste = pasteCellsWithoutUndo(cellData, r0, c0, r1, c1);
 
     // Se la selezione corrente e' TCellSelection selezione le celle copiate
@@ -1905,9 +1932,9 @@ void TCellSelection::pasteCells() {
     getLevelSetFromData(cellData, pastedLevels);
     LevelCmd::addMissingLevelsToCast(pastedLevels);
 
-    TUndoManager::manager()->add(
-        new PasteCellsUndo(r0, c0, r1, c1, oldR0, oldC0, oldR1, oldC1,
-                           areColumnsEmpty, containsSoundColumn));
+    TUndoManager::manager()->add(new PasteCellsUndo(
+        r0, c0, r1, c1, oldR0, oldC0, oldR1, oldC1, areColumnsEmpty,
+        containsSoundColumn, emptyColumnNames));
     TApp::instance()->getCurrentScene()->setDirtyFlag(true);
     if (containsSoundColumn)
       TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet()->notifyXsheetSoundChanged();
@@ -2530,8 +2557,20 @@ void TCellSelection::deleteCells(bool withShift) {
     TUndoManager::manager()->beginBlock();
     // remove, then insert empty column
     for (auto colId : removedColIds) {
+      // keep column name if specified
+      std::string columnName = "";
+      if (Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() &&
+          xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(colId))
+              ->hasSpecifiedName())
+        columnName =
+            xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(colId))->getName();
+
       ColumnCmd::deleteColumn(colId, true);
       ColumnCmd::insertEmptyColumn(colId);
+
+      if (!columnName.empty())
+        TStageObjectCmd::rename(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(colId), columnName,
+                                TApp::instance()->getCurrentXsheet());
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
index f9103db..1c5d256 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/preferencespopup.cpp
@@ -1306,6 +1306,7 @@ QString PreferencesPopup::getUIString(PreferencesItemId id) {
       {levelNameDisplayType, tr("Level Name Display:")},
       {showFrameNumberWithLetters,
        tr("Show \"ABC\" Appendix to the Frame Number in Xsheet Cell")},
+      {linkColumnNameWithLevel, tr("Link Column Name with Level")},
 
       // Animation
       {keyframeType, tr("Default Interpolation:")},
@@ -2013,6 +2014,7 @@ QWidget* PreferencesPopup::createXsheetPage() {
   insertUI(xsheetLayoutPreference, lay,
            getComboItemList(xsheetLayoutPreference));
   insertUI(levelNameDisplayType, lay, getComboItemList(levelNameDisplayType));
+  insertUI(linkColumnNameWithLevel, lay);
   insertUI(xsheetStep, lay);
   insertUI(xsheetAutopanEnabled, lay);
   insertUI(DragCellsBehaviour, lay, getComboItemList(DragCellsBehaviour));
@@ -2048,6 +2050,15 @@ QWidget* PreferencesPopup::createXsheetPage() {
       unifyColumnVisibilityToggles,
       &PreferencesPopup::onUnifyColumnVisibilityTogglesChanged);
 
+  QCheckBox* linkColumnNameWithLevelCheck =
+      getUI<QCheckBox*>(linkColumnNameWithLevel);
+  linkColumnNameWithLevelCheck->setToolTip(
+      tr("This option will do the following:\n"
+         "- When setting a cell in the empty column, level name will be copied "
+         "to the column name\n"
+         "- Typing the cell without level name in the empty column will try to "
+         "use a level with the same name as the column\n"
+         "The behavior may be changed in the future development."));
   return widget;
 }
 
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcellviewer.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcellviewer.cpp
index bf27a8b..9679993 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcellviewer.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcellviewer.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@
 
 namespace {
 
-const bool checkContainsSingleLevel(TXshColumn *column) {
+const bool checkContainsSingleLevel(TXshColumn *column,
+                                    const std::string &columnName) {
   TXshLevel *level           = nullptr;
   TXshCellColumn *cellColumn = column->getCellColumn();
   if (cellColumn) {
@@ -91,7 +92,9 @@ const bool checkContainsSingleLevel(TXshColumn *column) {
       else if (lvl != level)
         return false;
     }
-    return level != nullptr;
+    // column name should be unspecified or same as the content level
+    return level != nullptr &&
+           (columnName.empty() || level->getName() == to_wstring(columnName));
   }
   return false;
 }
@@ -856,6 +859,26 @@ void RenameCellField::renameCell() {
       // previous frames
       // (when editing not empty column)
       if (xsheet->isColumnEmpty(c)) {
+        // find a level with name same as the column (if the preferences option
+        // is set to do so)
+        if (Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() &&
+            xsheet->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))
+                ->hasSpecifiedName()) {
+          std::string columnName =
+              xsheet->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(c))->getName();
+          TLevelSet *levelSet = scene->getLevelSet();
+          TXshLevel *xl       = levelSet->getLevel(to_wstring(columnName));
+          TXshSimpleLevel *sl = (xl) ? xl->getSimpleLevel() : nullptr;
+          if (sl &&
+              (!sl->isEmpty() || sl->getFirstFid() != TFrameId::NO_FRAME)) {
+            sl->formatFId(fid, tmplFId);
+            cells.append(TXshCell(xl, fid));
+            changed      = true;
+            hasFrameZero = (fid.getNumber() == 0 && xl->getSimpleLevel() &&
+                            xl->getSimpleLevel()->isFid(fid));
+            continue;
+          }
+        }
         cells.append(TXshCell());
         continue;
       }
@@ -1270,10 +1293,16 @@ void CellArea::drawCells(QPainter &p, const QRect toBeUpdated) {
       isPaletteColumn   = column->getPaletteColumn() != 0;
       isSoundTextColumn = column->getSoundTextColumn() != 0;
       if (Preferences::instance()->getLevelNameDisplayType() ==
-          Preferences::ShowLevelNameOnColumnHeader)
+          Preferences::ShowLevelNameOnColumnHeader) {
+        std::string columnName = "";
+        if (col >= 0 && xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))
+                            ->hasSpecifiedName())
+          columnName =
+              xsh->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))->getName();
         showLevelName =
             (isSoundColumn || isPaletteColumn || isSoundTextColumn ||
-             !checkContainsSingleLevel(column));
+             !checkContainsSingleLevel(column, columnName));
+      }
     }
     // check if the column is reference
     bool isReference = true;
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.cpp
index bc153fa..c3b0416 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include "toonz/tfxhandle.h"
 #include "toonz/tcamera.h"
 #include "toonz/tcolumnhandle.h"
+#include "toonz/levelset.h"
 
 // TnzCore includes
 #include "tconvert.h"
@@ -707,12 +708,18 @@ void RenameColumnField::renameColumn() {
                                        : TStageObjectId::CameraId(cameraIndex);
   TXshColumn *column =
       m_xsheetHandle->getXsheet()->getColumn(columnId.getIndex());
+  if (!column && m_col >= 0) {
+    m_xsheetHandle->getXsheet()->insertColumn(m_col);
+    column = m_xsheetHandle->getXsheet()->getColumn(columnId.getIndex());
+  }
+
   TXshZeraryFxColumn *zColumn = dynamic_cast<TXshZeraryFxColumn *>(column);
   if (zColumn)
     TFxCommand::renameFx(zColumn->getZeraryColumnFx(), ::to_wstring(newName),
                          m_xsheetHandle);
   else
     TStageObjectCmd::rename(columnId, newName, m_xsheetHandle);
+
   m_xsheetHandle->notifyXsheetChanged();
   m_col = -1;
   setText("");
@@ -745,7 +752,7 @@ const bool ColumnArea::isControlPressed() { return isCtrlPressed; }
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ColumnArea::DrawHeader::DrawHeader(ColumnArea *nArea, QPainter &nP, int nCol)
-    : area(nArea), p(nP), col(nCol) {
+    : area(nArea), p(nP), col(nCol), reservedLevel(nullptr) {
   m_viewer = area->m_viewer;
   o        = m_viewer->orientation();
   app      = TApp::instance();
@@ -753,6 +760,18 @@ ColumnArea::DrawHeader::DrawHeader(ColumnArea *nArea, QPainter &nP, int nCol)
   column   = xsh->getColumn(col);
   isEmpty  = col >= 0 ? xsh->isColumnEmpty(col) : false;
 
+  if (isEmpty && Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() &&
+      m_viewer->getXsheet()
+          ->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))
+          ->hasSpecifiedName()) {
+    std::string columnName = m_viewer->getXsheet()
+                                 ->getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))
+                                 ->getName();
+    ToonzScene *scene   = TApp::instance()->getCurrentScene()->getScene();
+    TLevelSet *levelSet = scene->getLevelSet();
+    reservedLevel       = levelSet->getLevel(to_wstring(columnName));
+  }
+
   TStageObjectId currentColumnId = app->getCurrentObject()->getObjectId();
 
   // check if the column is current
@@ -816,7 +835,11 @@ void ColumnArea::DrawHeader::levelColors(QColor &columnColor,
     if (column->isRendered() || column->getMeshColumn()) usage = Normal;
   }
 
-  if (usage == Reference) {
+  if (reservedLevel) {
+    int ltype;
+    m_viewer->getCellTypeAndColors(ltype, columnColor, dragColor,
+                                   TXshCell(reservedLevel, TFrameId()));
+  } else if (usage == Reference) {
     columnColor = m_viewer->getReferenceColumnColor();
     dragColor   = m_viewer->getReferenceColumnBorderColor();
   } else
@@ -859,15 +882,17 @@ void ColumnArea::DrawHeader::drawBaseFill(const QColor &columnColor,
 
   // Fill base color, in timeline view adjust it right upto thumbnail so column
   // head color doesn't show under icon switches.
-  if (isEmpty)
+  if (isEmpty && !reservedLevel)
     p.fillRect(o->isVerticalTimeline() ? rect : rect.adjusted(80, 0, 0, 0),
                m_viewer->getEmptyColumnHeadColor());
   else if (col < 0)
     p.fillRect(o->isVerticalTimeline() ? rect : rect.adjusted(80, 0, 0, 0),
                columnColor);
   else {
+    QBrush brush(columnColor,
+                 (reservedLevel) ? Qt::DiagCrossPattern : Qt::SolidPattern);
     p.fillRect(o->isVerticalTimeline() ? rect : rect.adjusted(80, 0, 0, 0),
-               columnColor);
+               brush);
 
     if (o->flag(PredefinedFlag::DRAG_LAYER_VISIBLE)) {
       // column handle
@@ -2787,7 +2812,10 @@ void ColumnArea::mouseDoubleClickEvent(QMouseEvent *event) {
   if (!nameRect.contains(mouseInCell)) return;
 
   TXsheet *xsh = m_viewer->getXsheet();
-  if (col >= 0 && xsh->isColumnEmpty(col)) return;
+  // enable to rename empty column when the column name is linked to the level
+  if (!Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled() &&
+      col >= 0 && xsh->isColumnEmpty(col))
+    return;
 
   QPoint fieldPos =
       (col < 0 && o->isVerticalTimeline()) ? nameRect.topLeft() : topLeft;
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.h b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.h
index cde5a22..ea091b6 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.h
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonz/xshcolumnviewer.h
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ class ColumnArea final : public QWidget {
     bool isEmpty, isCurrent;
     TXshColumn *column;
     QPoint orig;
+    TXshLevel *reservedLevel;
 
   public:
     DrawHeader(ColumnArea *area, QPainter &p, int col);
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
index cef5eae..fd28142 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/preferences.cpp
@@ -604,6 +604,14 @@ void Preferences::definePreferenceItems() {
          0);  // default
   define(showFrameNumberWithLetters, "showFrameNumberWithLetters",
          QMetaType::Bool, false);
+  // This option will do the following:
+  // - When setting a cell in the empty column, level name will be copied to the
+  // column name
+  // - Typing the cell without level name in the empty column will try to use a
+  // level with the same name as the column The behavior may be changed in the
+  // future development.
+  define(linkColumnNameWithLevel, "linkColumnNameWithLevel", QMetaType::Bool,
+         false);
 
   // Animation
   define(keyframeType, "keyframeType", QMetaType::Int, 2);  // Linear
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txsheet.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txsheet.cpp
index 4484322..79f139e 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txsheet.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txsheet.cpp
@@ -302,6 +302,13 @@ bool TXsheet::setCell(int row, int col, const TXshCell &cell) {
   else if (row >= m_imp->m_frameCount)
     m_imp->m_frameCount = row + 1;
 
+  // set the level name to the column
+  if (wasColumnEmpty && cellColumn && !cell.isEmpty() &&
+      Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled()) {
+    getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))
+        ->setName(to_string(cell.m_level->getName()));
+  }
+
   TNotifier::instance()->notify(TXsheetChange());
 
   return true;
@@ -386,6 +393,14 @@ bool TXsheet::setCells(int row, int col, int rowCount, const TXshCell cells[]) {
         newColRowCount < m_imp->m_frameCount)
       updateFrameCount();
   }
+  row + 1;
+
+  // set the level name to the column
+  if (wasColumnEmpty && i < rowCount &&
+      Preferences::instance()->isLinkColumnNameWithLevelEnabled()) {
+    getStageObject(TStageObjectId::ColumnId(col))
+        ->setName(to_string(cells[i].m_level->getName()));
+  }
 
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txshlevelcolumn.cpp b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txshlevelcolumn.cpp
index 7774465..da2a46f 100644
--- a/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txshlevelcolumn.cpp
+++ b/toonz/sources/toonzlib/txshlevelcolumn.cpp
@@ -209,9 +209,12 @@ void TXshLevelColumn::saveData(TOStream &os) {
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Used in TCellData::getNumbers
-bool TXshLevelColumn::setNumbers(int row, int rowCount,
-                                 const TXshCell cells[]) {
-  if (m_cells.empty()) return false;
+// reservedLevel can be nonzero if the preferences option
+// "LinkColumnNameWithLevel" is ON and the column name is the same as some level
+// in the scene cast.
+bool TXshLevelColumn::setNumbers(int row, int rowCount, const TXshCell cells[],
+                                 TXshLevel *reservedLevel) {
+  if (m_cells.empty() && !reservedLevel) return false;
   // Check availability.
   // - if source cells are all empty, do nothing
   // - also, if source or target cells contain NO_FRAME, do nothing
@@ -236,16 +239,18 @@ bool TXshLevelColumn::setNumbers(int row, int rowCount,
   // Find a level to input.
   // If the first target cell is empty, search the upper cells, and lower cells
   // and use a level of firsty-found occupied neighbor cell.
-  TXshLevelP currentLevel;
-  int tmpIndex = std::min(row - m_first, (int)m_cells.size() - 1);
+  TXshLevelP currentLevel = reservedLevel;
+  int tmpIndex            = std::min(row - m_first, (int)m_cells.size() - 1);
   // search upper cells
-  while (tmpIndex >= 0) {
-    TXshCell tmpCell = m_cells[tmpIndex];
-    if (!tmpCell.isEmpty() && tmpCell.m_frameId != TFrameId::NO_FRAME) {
-      currentLevel = tmpCell.m_level;
-      break;
+  if (!currentLevel) {
+    while (tmpIndex >= 0) {
+      TXshCell tmpCell = m_cells[tmpIndex];
+      if (!tmpCell.isEmpty() && tmpCell.m_frameId != TFrameId::NO_FRAME) {
+        currentLevel = tmpCell.m_level;
+        break;
+      }
+      tmpIndex--;
     }
-    tmpIndex--;
   }
   // if not found any level in upper cells, then search the lower cells
   if (!currentLevel) {