diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10 2010.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10 2010.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..000677a94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10 2010.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Visual Studio 10 2010
+---------------------
+
+Generates Visual Studio 10 (VS 2010) project files.
+
+It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
+create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.
+"Visual Studio 10 2010 Win64" will create project files for the
+x64 processor; "Visual Studio 10 2010 IA64" for Itanium.
+
+For compatibility with CMake versions prior to 3.0, one may specify this
+generator using the name "Visual Studio 10" without the year component.
diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 9ea797064..000000000
--- a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 10.rst	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-Visual Studio 10
-----------------
-
-Generates Visual Studio 10 (2010) project files.
-
-It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
-create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.  "Visual
-Studio 10 Win64" will create project files for the x64 processor;
-"Visual Studio 10 IA64" for Itanium.
diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11 2012.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11 2012.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..42f6f9160
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11 2012.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Visual Studio 11 2012
+---------------------
+
+Generates Visual Studio 11 (VS 2012) project files.
+
+It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
+create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.
+"Visual Studio 11 2012 Win64" will create project files for the
+x64 processor; "Visual Studio 11 2012 ARM" for ARM.
+
+For compatibility with CMake versions prior to 3.0, one may specify this
+generator using the name "Visual Studio 11" without the year component.
diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 4115c8d96..000000000
--- a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 11.rst	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-Visual Studio 11
-----------------
-
-Generates Visual Studio 11 (2012) project files.
-
-It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
-create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.  "Visual
-Studio 11 Win64" will create project files for the x64 processor;
-"Visual Studio 11 ARM" for ARM.
diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12 2013.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12 2013.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2f491202
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12 2013.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Visual Studio 12 2013
+---------------------
+
+Generates Visual Studio 12 (VS 2013) project files.
+
+It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
+create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.
+"Visual Studio 12 2013 Win64" will create project files for the
+x64 processor; "Visual Studio 12 2013 ARM" for ARM.
+
+For compatibility with CMake versions prior to 3.0, one may specify this
+generator using the name "Visual Studio 12" without the year component.
diff --git a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12.rst b/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 51bcab71f..000000000
--- a/Help/generator/Visual Studio 12.rst	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-Visual Studio 12
-----------------
-
-Generates Visual Studio 12 (2013) project files.
-
-It is possible to append a space followed by the platform name to
-create project files for a specific target platform.  E.g.  "Visual
-Studio 12 Win64" will create project files for the x64 processor;
-"Visual Studio 12 ARM" for ARM.
diff --git a/Help/manual/cmake-generators.7.rst b/Help/manual/cmake-generators.7.rst
index 4f0d9c3b8..a290d1aad 100644
--- a/Help/manual/cmake-generators.7.rst
+++ b/Help/manual/cmake-generators.7.rst
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ All Generators
    /generator/Sublime Text 2 - NMake Makefiles
    /generator/Sublime Text 2 - Unix Makefiles
    /generator/Unix Makefiles
-   /generator/Visual Studio 10
-   /generator/Visual Studio 11
-   /generator/Visual Studio 12
+   /generator/Visual Studio 10 2010
+   /generator/Visual Studio 11 2012
+   /generator/Visual Studio 12 2013
    /generator/Visual Studio 6
    /generator/Visual Studio 7 .NET 2003
    /generator/Visual Studio 7
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
index df434b34c..4d6e10f0e 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ public:
   ///! Get the name for this generator
   virtual const char *GetName() const { return "Generic"; };
 
+  /** Check whether the given name matches the current generator.  */
+  virtual bool MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const
+  { return strcmp(this->GetName(), name) == 0; }
+
   /** Set the generator-specific toolset name.  Returns true if toolset
       is supported and false otherwise.  */
   virtual bool SetGeneratorToolset(std::string const& ts);
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
index 07ccc33c0..5e29fd762 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.cxx
@@ -18,42 +18,65 @@
 #include "cmVisualStudioSlnParser.h"
 #include "cmake.h"
 
-static const char vs10Win32generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 10";
-static const char vs10Win64generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 10 Win64";
-static const char vs10IA64generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 10 IA64";
+static const char vs10generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 10 2010";
+
+// Map generator name without year to name with year.
+static const char* cmVS10GenName(const char* name, std::string& genName)
+{
+  if(strncmp(name, vs10generatorName, sizeof(vs10generatorName)-6) != 0)
+    {
+    return 0;
+    }
+  const char* p = name + sizeof(vs10generatorName) - 6;
+  if(strncmp(p, " 2010", 5) == 0)
+    {
+    p += 5;
+    }
+  genName = std::string(vs10generatorName) + p;
+  return p;
+}
 
 class cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::Factory
   : public cmGlobalGeneratorFactory
 {
 public:
-  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const {
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs10Win32generatorName))
+  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const
+    {
+    std::string genName;
+    const char* p = cmVS10GenName(name, genName);
+    if(!p)
+      { return 0; }
+    name = genName.c_str();
+    if(strcmp(p, "") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator(
         name, NULL, NULL);
       }
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs10Win64generatorName))
+    if(strcmp(p, " Win64") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator(
         name, "x64", "CMAKE_FORCE_WIN64");
       }
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs10IA64generatorName))
+    if(strcmp(p, " IA64") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator(
         name, "Itanium", "CMAKE_FORCE_IA64");
       }
     return 0;
-  }
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const {
-    entry.Name = "Visual Studio 10";
-    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 10 (2010) project files.";
-  }
+  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const
+    {
+    entry.Name = vs10generatorName;
+    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 10 (VS 2010) project files.";
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const {
-    names.push_back(vs10Win32generatorName);
-    names.push_back(vs10Win64generatorName);
-    names.push_back(vs10IA64generatorName); }
+  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const
+    {
+    names.push_back(vs10generatorName);
+    names.push_back(vs10generatorName + std::string(" IA64"));
+    names.push_back(vs10generatorName + std::string(" Win64"));
+    }
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -77,6 +100,18 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator(
   this->MasmEnabled = false;
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool
+cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const
+{
+  std::string genName;
+  if(cmVS10GenName(name, genName))
+    {
+    return genName == this->GetName();
+    }
+  return false;
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool
 cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator::SetGeneratorToolset(std::string const& ts)
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
index 31e122efe..e9e7cb11d 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Generator.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ public:
     const char* platformName, const char* additionalPlatformDefinition);
   static cmGlobalGeneratorFactory* NewFactory();
 
+  virtual bool MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const;
+
   virtual bool SetGeneratorToolset(std::string const& ts);
 
   virtual std::string
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.cxx
index 41a349e1b..d968c6de7 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.cxx
@@ -13,42 +13,54 @@
 #include "cmLocalVisualStudio10Generator.h"
 #include "cmMakefile.h"
 
-static const char vs11generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 11";
+static const char vs11generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 11 2012";
+
+// Map generator name without year to name with year.
+static const char* cmVS11GenName(const char* name, std::string& genName)
+{
+  if(strncmp(name, vs11generatorName, sizeof(vs11generatorName)-6) != 0)
+    {
+    return 0;
+    }
+  const char* p = name + sizeof(vs11generatorName) - 6;
+  if(strncmp(p, " 2012", 5) == 0)
+    {
+    p += 5;
+    }
+  genName = std::string(vs11generatorName) + p;
+  return p;
+}
 
 class cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator::Factory
   : public cmGlobalGeneratorFactory
 {
 public:
-  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const {
-    if(strstr(name, vs11generatorName) != name)
-      {
-      return 0;
-      }
-
-    const char* p = name + sizeof(vs11generatorName) - 1;
-    if(p[0] == '\0')
+  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const
+    {
+    std::string genName;
+    const char* p = cmVS11GenName(name, genName);
+    if(!p)
+      { return 0; }
+    name = genName.c_str();
+    if(strcmp(p, "") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(
         name, NULL, NULL);
       }
-
-    if(p[0] != ' ')
+    if(strcmp(p, " Win64") == 0)
       {
-      return 0;
+      return new cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(
+        name, "x64", "CMAKE_FORCE_WIN64");
       }
-
-    ++p;
-
-    if(!strcmp(p, "ARM"))
+    if(strcmp(p, " ARM") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(
         name, "ARM", NULL);
       }
 
-    if(!strcmp(p, "Win64"))
+    if(*p++ != ' ')
       {
-      return new cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(
-        name, "x64", "CMAKE_FORCE_WIN64");
+      return 0;
       }
 
     std::set<std::string> installedSDKs =
@@ -63,14 +75,16 @@ public:
       new cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(name, p, NULL);
     ret->WindowsCEVersion = "8.00";
     return ret;
-  }
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const {
-    entry.Name = "Visual Studio 11";
-    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 11 (2012) project files.";
-  }
+  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const
+    {
+    entry.Name = vs11generatorName;
+    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 11 (VS 2012) project files.";
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const {
+  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const
+    {
     names.push_back(vs11generatorName);
     names.push_back(vs11generatorName + std::string(" ARM"));
     names.push_back(vs11generatorName + std::string(" Win64"));
@@ -80,9 +94,9 @@ public:
     for(std::set<std::string>::const_iterator i =
         installedSDKs.begin(); i != installedSDKs.end(); ++i)
       {
-      names.push_back("Visual Studio 11 " + *i);
+      names.push_back(std::string(vs11generatorName) + " " + *i);
       }
-  }
+    }
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -106,6 +120,18 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator::cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator(
   this->PlatformToolset = "v110";
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool
+cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator::MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const
+{
+  std::string genName;
+  if(cmVS11GenName(name, genName))
+    {
+    return genName == this->GetName();
+    }
+  return false;
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator::WriteSLNHeader(std::ostream& fout)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.h
index 7cc7e69d9..7ef77e7cc 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Generator.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ public:
     const char* platformName, const char* additionalPlatformDefinition);
   static cmGlobalGeneratorFactory* NewFactory();
 
+  virtual bool MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const;
+
   virtual void WriteSLNHeader(std::ostream& fout);
 
   ///! create the correct local generator
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.cxx
index c2cdc0bdf..f3806df1b 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.cxx
@@ -13,42 +13,65 @@
 #include "cmLocalVisualStudio10Generator.h"
 #include "cmMakefile.h"
 
-static const char vs12Win32generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 12";
-static const char vs12Win64generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 12 Win64";
-static const char vs12ARMgeneratorName[] = "Visual Studio 12 ARM";
+static const char vs12generatorName[] = "Visual Studio 12 2013";
+
+// Map generator name without year to name with year.
+static const char* cmVS12GenName(const char* name, std::string& genName)
+{
+  if(strncmp(name, vs12generatorName, sizeof(vs12generatorName)-6) != 0)
+    {
+    return 0;
+    }
+  const char* p = name + sizeof(vs12generatorName) - 6;
+  if(strncmp(p, " 2013", 5) == 0)
+    {
+    p += 5;
+    }
+  genName = std::string(vs12generatorName) + p;
+  return p;
+}
 
 class cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator::Factory
   : public cmGlobalGeneratorFactory
 {
 public:
-  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const {
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs12Win32generatorName))
+  virtual cmGlobalGenerator* CreateGlobalGenerator(const char* name) const
+    {
+    std::string genName;
+    const char* p = cmVS12GenName(name, genName);
+    if(!p)
+      { return 0; }
+    name = genName.c_str();
+    if(strcmp(p, "") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator(
         name, NULL, NULL);
       }
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs12Win64generatorName))
+    if(strcmp(p, " Win64") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator(
         name, "x64", "CMAKE_FORCE_WIN64");
       }
-    if(!strcmp(name, vs12ARMgeneratorName))
+    if(strcmp(p, " ARM") == 0)
       {
       return new cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator(
         name, "ARM", NULL);
       }
     return 0;
-  }
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const {
-    entry.Name = "Visual Studio 12";
-    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 12 (2013) project files.";
-  }
+  virtual void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry) const
+    {
+    entry.Name = vs12generatorName;
+    entry.Brief = "Generates Visual Studio 12 (VS 2013) project files.";
+    }
 
-  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const {
-    names.push_back(vs12Win32generatorName);
-    names.push_back(vs12Win64generatorName);
-    names.push_back(vs12ARMgeneratorName); }
+  virtual void GetGenerators(std::vector<std::string>& names) const
+    {
+    names.push_back(vs12generatorName);
+    names.push_back(vs12generatorName + std::string(" ARM"));
+    names.push_back(vs12generatorName + std::string(" Win64"));
+    }
 };
 
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -72,6 +95,18 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator::cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator(
   this->PlatformToolset = "v120";
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+bool
+cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator::MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const
+{
+  std::string genName;
+  if(cmVS12GenName(name, genName))
+    {
+    return genName == this->GetName();
+    }
+  return false;
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator::WriteSLNHeader(std::ostream& fout)
 {
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.h
index 8c8aeb1fd..5a4a78d0b 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio12Generator.h
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ public:
     const char* platformName, const char* additionalPlatformDefinition);
   static cmGlobalGeneratorFactory* NewFactory();
 
+  virtual bool MatchesGeneratorName(const char* name) const;
+
   virtual void WriteSLNHeader(std::ostream& fout);
 
   ///! create the correct local generator
diff --git a/Source/cmake.cxx b/Source/cmake.cxx
index 186d4e6ca..f786691d9 100644
--- a/Source/cmake.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmake.cxx
@@ -1468,9 +1468,9 @@ int cmake::ActualConfigure()
         {"7.1", "Visual Studio 7 .NET 2003"},
         {"8.0", "Visual Studio 8 2005"},
         {"9.0", "Visual Studio 9 2008"},
-        {"10.0", "Visual Studio 10"},
-        {"11.0", "Visual Studio 11"},
-        {"12.0", "Visual Studio 12"},
+        {"10.0", "Visual Studio 10 2010"},
+        {"11.0", "Visual Studio 11 2012"},
+        {"12.0", "Visual Studio 12 2013"},
         {0, 0}};
       for(int i=0; version[i].MSVersion != 0; i++)
         {
@@ -1509,7 +1509,7 @@ int cmake::ActualConfigure()
   const char* genName = this->CacheManager->GetCacheValue("CMAKE_GENERATOR");
   if(genName)
     {
-    if(strcmp(this->GlobalGenerator->GetName(), genName) != 0)
+    if(!this->GlobalGenerator->MatchesGeneratorName(genName))
       {
       std::string message = "Error: generator : ";
       message += this->GlobalGenerator->GetName();