diff --git a/mdwn/table.go b/mdwn/table.go
index 038d752..05614d3 100644
--- a/mdwn/table.go
+++ b/mdwn/table.go
@@ -188,9 +188,9 @@ func (t *Table) BuildMaxWidth(maxWidth int) (*Builder, error) {
 	}
 	budget := maxWidth - separatorOverhead - nonElasticSum
 
-	// Elastic column final width: floor at max(budget, 3, MinWidth).
+	// Elastic column final width: floor at max(budget, 3, MinWidth, len(Name)).
 	elasticCol := t.cols[elasticIdx]
-	w := max(budget, 3, elasticCol.MinWidth)
+	w := max(budget, 3, elasticCol.MinWidth, len(elasticCol.Name))
 	// Apply MaxWidth ceiling if set.
 	if elasticCol.MaxWidth > 0 && w > elasticCol.MaxWidth {
 		w = elasticCol.MaxWidth
diff --git a/mdwn/table_test.go b/mdwn/table_test.go
index 4d75509..cd7bf01 100644
--- a/mdwn/table_test.go
+++ b/mdwn/table_test.go
@@ -355,6 +355,23 @@ func TestTableBuildMaxWidth(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.True(t, innerWidth >= 15)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("elastic column name length overrides budget", func(t *testing.T) {
+		cols := []Column{
+			{Name: "Long"},
+			{Name: "Even longer", Elastic: true},
+		}
+		rows := [][]string{{"longvalue", "x"}}
+		got, err := buildMaxWidth(t, 10, cols, rows)
+		assert.NotError(t, err)
+		lines := strings.Split(strings.TrimRight(got, "\n"), "\n")
+		assert.True(t, len(lines) >= 3)
+		parts := strings.Split(lines[0], "|")
+		assert.True(t, len(parts) >= 3)
+		// inner cell width = len(parts[2]) - 2 (surrounding spaces)
+		innerWidth := utf8.RuneCountInString(parts[2]) - 2
+		assert.True(t, innerWidth >= 10)
+	})
+
 	t.Run("custom TruncMarker", func(t *testing.T) {
 		// Custom marker "…" (single rune) on elastic column.
 		cols := []Column{