diff --git a/backend/src/main/resources/i18n/messages.properties b/backend/src/main/resources/i18n/messages.properties
index 537fca217..ee6ab56ed 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/resources/i18n/messages.properties
+++ b/backend/src/main/resources/i18n/messages.properties
@@ -494,6 +494,7 @@ message.uri-valid-format=URI must be valid format.
 message.id-unique=ID must be unique.
 message.array-items-must-be-unique=Items in list must be unique.
 message.valid-duration=Must be a valid duration.
+message.valid-name=No special characters or whitespace allowed.
 message.required=Missing required property.
 
 message.org-name-required=Organization Name is required.
diff --git a/ui/public/assets/schema/attribute/attribute.schema.json b/ui/public/assets/schema/attribute/attribute.schema.json
index f3c51f504..0514703f0 100644
--- a/ui/public/assets/schema/attribute/attribute.schema.json
+++ b/ui/public/assets/schema/attribute/attribute.schema.json
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
             "description": "tooltip.entity-attribute-name",
             "type": "string",
             "minLength": 1,
-            "maxLength": 255
+            "maxLength": 255,
+            "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z0-9:]*$"
         },
         "attributeType": {
             "title": "label.entity-attribute-type",
diff --git a/ui/src/app/metadata/domain/transform.js b/ui/src/app/metadata/domain/transform.js
index 1a3f3f973..83ea61746 100644
--- a/ui/src/app/metadata/domain/transform.js
+++ b/ui/src/app/metadata/domain/transform.js
@@ -8,8 +8,10 @@ export const transformErrors = (errors) => {
         if (e.name === 'pattern') {
             if (e.property.includes('email')) {
                 e.message = 'message.valid-email';
+            } else if (e.property.includes('name')) {
+                e.message = 'message.valid-name';
             } else {
-                e.message = 'message.valid-duration';
+                e.message = 'message.duration';
             }
         }