docs: disable ai session naming (#7194)

documentation/docs/guides/environment-variables.md

@@ -222,11 +222,12 @@ These variables control how goose manages conversation sessions and context.
 | `GOOSE_MAX_TURNS` | [Maximum number of turns](/docs/guides/sessions/smart-context-management#maximum-turns) allowed without user input | Integer (e.g., 10, 50, 100) | 1000 |
 | `GOOSE_SUBAGENT_MAX_TURNS` | Sets the maximum turns allowed for a [subagent](/docs/guides/subagents) to complete before timeout. Can be overridden by [`settings.max_turns`](/docs/guides/recipes/recipe-reference#settings) in recipes or subagent tool calls. | Integer (e.g., 25) | 25 |
 | `CONTEXT_FILE_NAMES` | Specifies custom filenames for [hint/context files](/docs/guides/context-engineering/using-goosehints#custom-context-files) | JSON array of strings (e.g., `["CLAUDE.md", ".goosehints"]`) | `[".goosehints"]` |
+| `GOOSE_DISABLE_SESSION_NAMING` | Disables automatic AI-generated session naming; avoids the background model call and keeps the default "CLI Session" (goose CLI) or "New Chat" (goose Desktop) | "1", "true" (case-insensitive) to enable | false |
 | `GOOSE_PROMPT_EDITOR` | [External editor](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#external-editor-mode) to use for composing prompts instead of CLI input | Editor command (e.g., "vim", "code --wait") | Unset (uses CLI input) |
 | `GOOSE_CLI_THEME` | [Theme](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#themes) for CLI response  markdown | "light", "dark", "ansi" | "dark" |
 | `GOOSE_CLI_NEWLINE_KEY` | Customize the keyboard shortcut for [inserting newlines in CLI input](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#keyboard-shortcuts) | Single character (e.g., "n", "m") | "j" (Ctrl+J) |
 | `GOOSE_RANDOM_THINKING_MESSAGES` | Controls whether to show amusing random messages during processing | "true", "false" | "true" |
-| `GOOSE_CLI_SHOW_COST` | Toggles display of model cost estimates in CLI output | "true", "1" (case-insensitive) to enable | false |
+| `GOOSE_CLI_SHOW_COST` | Toggles display of model cost estimates in CLI output | "1", "true" (case-insensitive) to enable | false |
 | `GOOSE_AUTO_COMPACT_THRESHOLD` | Set the percentage threshold at which goose [automatically summarizes your session](/docs/guides/sessions/smart-context-management#automatic-compaction). | Float between 0.0 and 1.0 (disabled at 0.0) | 0.8 |
 | `GOOSE_TOOL_CALL_CUTOFF` | Number of tool calls to keep in full detail before summarizing older tool outputs to help maintain efficient context usage  | Integer (e.g., 5, 10, 20) | 10 |
 
@@ -255,6 +256,9 @@ export GOOSE_SUBAGENT_MAX_TURNS=50
 # Use multiple context files
 export CONTEXT_FILE_NAMES='["CLAUDE.md", ".goosehints", ".cursorrules", "project_rules.txt"]'
 
+# Disable automatic AI-generated session naming (useful for CI/headless runs)
+export GOOSE_DISABLE_SESSION_NAMING=true
+
 # Use vim for composing prompts
 export GOOSE_PROMPT_EDITOR=vim
 

documentation/docs/guides/sessions/session-management.md

@@ -104,22 +104,35 @@ In your first session, goose prompts you to [set up an LLM (Large Language Model
 
     </TabItem>
     <TabItem value="cli" label="goose CLI">
-        By default, goose names your session using the current timestamp in the format `YYYYMMDD_<COUNT>`. If you'd like to provide a specific name, this is where you'd do so. For example to name your session `react-migration`, you would run:
+        goose sessions are given an auto-generated name based on the context of your initial prompt.
 
-        ```
+        If you'd like to provide a specific session name, you can do so when starting a session. For example, to name your session "react-migration", run:
-        goose session -n react-migration
+
+        ```sh
+        goose session --name react-migration
         ```
 
-        You'll know your session has started when your terminal looks similar to the following:
+        If you want to confirm the session name, run:
 
+        ```sh
+        goose session list -l 1
         ```
-        starting session | provider: openai model: gpt-4o
+
-        session id: react-migration
+        Example result:
-        working directory: /path/to/your/project
+        
+        ```text
+        Available sessions:
+        20260213_9 - react-migration - 2026-02-13 16:20:37 UTC
         ```
+
+        In the output above, `20260213_9` is the session ID. Session IDs use the format `YYYYMMDD_<COUNT>`. Many [goose CLI commands](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands) let you identify a session by name (`--name` / `-n`) as an alternative to `--session-id`.
     </TabItem>
 </Tabs>
 
+:::tip Disable AI-generated Session Naming
+Use [`GOOSE_DISABLE_SESSION_NAMING`](/docs/guides/environment-variables#session-management) to keep the default name instead of calling a model to generate one (useful in CI/headless workflows). The default name in goose Desktop is "New Chat" and the default name in goose CLI is "CLI Session".
+:::
+
 ## Exit Session
 Note that sessions are automatically saved when you exit.
 <Tabs groupId="interface">

documentation/docs/tutorials/headless-goose.md

@@ -120,9 +120,10 @@ Set up your environment variables to avoid some of the repetitive runtime decisi
 export GOOSE_CONTEXT_STRATEGY=summarize
 export GOOSE_MAX_TURNS=50
 export GOOSE_MODE=auto
+export GOOSE_DISABLE_SESSION_NAMING=true
 ```
 
-The `CONTEXT_STRATEGY` and `MAX_TURNS` settings help manage conversation limits, while `GOOSE_MODE` set to `auto` allows for non-interactive execution.
+The `CONTEXT_STRATEGY` and `MAX_TURNS` settings help manage conversation limits, while `GOOSE_MODE` set to `auto` allows for non-interactive execution. `GOOSE_DISABLE_SESSION_NAMING` avoids the extra background model call used to generate a session name and keeps the default "CLI Session" name.
 
 ### 3. **Implement Robust Error Handling**