diff --git a/cmd/helm/install.go b/cmd/helm/install.go
index db429b5f3..ed2f11da8 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/install.go
@@ -185,8 +185,8 @@ func newInstallCmd(c helm.Interface, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 
 	f := cmd.Flags()
 	f.VarP(&inst.valueFiles, "values", "f", "specify values in a YAML file or a URL(can specify multiple)")
-	f.StringVarP(&inst.name, "name", "n", "", "release name. If unspecified, it will autogenerate one for you")
-	f.StringVar(&inst.namespace, "namespace", "", "namespace to install the release into. Defaults to the current kube config namespace.")
+	f.StringVarP(&inst.name, "name", "", "", "release name. If unspecified, it will autogenerate one for you")
+	f.StringVar(&inst.namespace, "namespace", "n", "namespace to install the release into. Defaults to the current kube config namespace.")
 	f.BoolVar(&inst.dryRun, "dry-run", false, "simulate an install")
 	f.BoolVar(&inst.disableHooks, "no-hooks", false, "prevent hooks from running during install")
 	f.BoolVar(&inst.replace, "replace", false, "re-use the given name, even if that name is already used. This is unsafe in production")
diff --git a/cmd/helm/list.go b/cmd/helm/list.go
index 7cc42eec4..08650fecf 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/list.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/list.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func newListCmd(client helm.Interface, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	f.BoolVar(&list.deployed, "deployed", false, "show deployed releases. If no other is specified, this will be automatically enabled")
 	f.BoolVar(&list.failed, "failed", false, "show failed releases")
 	f.BoolVar(&list.pending, "pending", false, "show pending releases")
-	f.StringVar(&list.namespace, "namespace", "", "show releases within a specific namespace")
+	f.StringVar(&list.namespace, "namespace", "n", "show releases within a specific namespace")
 	f.UintVar(&list.colWidth, "col-width", 60, "specifies the max column width of output")
 
 	// TODO: Do we want this as a feature of 'helm list'?
diff --git a/cmd/helm/template.go b/cmd/helm/template.go
index 2e81d8a8f..d35701ba3 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/template.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/template.go
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ func newTemplateCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 
 	f := cmd.Flags()
 	f.BoolVar(&t.showNotes, "notes", false, "show the computed NOTES.txt file as well")
-	f.StringVarP(&t.releaseName, "name", "n", "RELEASE-NAME", "release name")
+	f.StringVarP(&t.releaseName, "name", "", "RELEASE-NAME", "release name")
 	f.StringArrayVarP(&t.renderFiles, "execute", "x", []string{}, "only execute the given templates")
 	f.VarP(&t.valueFiles, "values", "f", "specify values in a YAML file (can specify multiple)")
-	f.StringVar(&t.namespace, "namespace", "", "namespace to install the release into")
+	f.StringVar(&t.namespace, "namespace", "n", "namespace to install the release into")
 	f.StringArrayVar(&t.values, "set", []string{}, "set values on the command line (can specify multiple or separate values with commas: key1=val1,key2=val2)")
 	f.StringArrayVar(&t.stringValues, "set-string", []string{}, "set STRING values on the command line (can specify multiple or separate values with commas: key1=val1,key2=val2)")
 	f.StringVar(&t.nameTemplate, "name-template", "", "specify template used to name the release")
diff --git a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
index 455b0a58c..8415ab21e 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func newUpgradeCmd(client helm.Interface, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	f.BoolVar(&upgrade.verify, "verify", false, "verify the provenance of the chart before upgrading")
 	f.StringVar(&upgrade.keyring, "keyring", defaultKeyring(), "path to the keyring that contains public signing keys")
 	f.BoolVarP(&upgrade.install, "install", "i", false, "if a release by this name doesn't already exist, run an install")
-	f.StringVar(&upgrade.namespace, "namespace", "", "namespace to install the release into (only used if --install is set). Defaults to the current kube config namespace")
+	f.StringVar(&upgrade.namespace, "namespace", "n", "namespace to install the release into (only used if --install is set). Defaults to the current kube config namespace")
 	f.StringVar(&upgrade.version, "version", "", "specify the exact chart version to use. If this is not specified, the latest version is used")
 	f.Int64Var(&upgrade.timeout, "timeout", 300, "time in seconds to wait for any individual Kubernetes operation (like Jobs for hooks)")
 	f.BoolVar(&upgrade.resetValues, "reset-values", false, "when upgrading, reset the values to the ones built into the chart")