diff --git a/src/application/services/folder_service.rs b/src/application/services/folder_service.rs
index f6fbf1e9..dd84e52f 100644
--- a/src/application/services/folder_service.rs
+++ b/src/application/services/folder_service.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::application::dtos::folder_dto::{
 use crate::application::ports::inbound::FolderUseCase;
 use crate::common::errors::{DomainError, ErrorKind};
 use crate::domain::repositories::folder_repository::FolderRepository;
-use crate::domain::services::path_service::StoragePath;
+use crate::domain::services::path_service::{StoragePath, validate_storage_name};
 use crate::infrastructure::repositories::pg::folder_db_repository::FolderDbRepository;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use uuid::Uuid;
@@ -136,12 +136,11 @@ impl FolderUseCase for FolderService {
     /// Creates a new folder
     async fn create_folder(&self, dto: CreateFolderDto) -> Result<FolderDto, DomainError> {
         // Input validation
-        if dto.name.is_empty() {
-            return Err(DomainError::new(
-                ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
-                "Folder",
-                "Folder name cannot be empty",
-            ));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&dto.name) {
+            return Err(DomainError::validation_error(format!(
+                "Invalid folder name '{}': {reason}",
+                dto.name
+            )));
         }
 
         // If a parent_id is provided, verify it exists
@@ -397,12 +396,11 @@ impl FolderUseCase for FolderService {
         caller_id: Uuid,
     ) -> Result<FolderDto, DomainError> {
         // Input validation
-        if dto.name.is_empty() {
-            return Err(DomainError::new(
-                ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
-                "Folder",
-                "New folder name cannot be empty",
-            ));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&dto.name) {
+            return Err(DomainError::validation_error(format!(
+                "Invalid folder name '{}': {reason}",
+                dto.name
+            )));
         }
 
         // Verify the folder exists and belongs to the caller
diff --git a/src/domain/entities/file.rs b/src/domain/entities/file.rs
index de54d0e6..57728d4d 100644
--- a/src/domain/entities/file.rs
+++ b/src/domain/entities/file.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
-use crate::domain::services::path_service::StoragePath;
+use crate::domain::services::path_service::{StoragePath, validate_storage_name};
 
 // Re-export entity errors from the centralized module
 pub use super::entity_errors::{FileError, FileResult};
@@ -100,9 +100,8 @@ impl File {
         mime_type: String,
         folder_id: Option<String>,
     ) -> FileResult<Self> {
-        // Validate file name
-        if name.is_empty() || name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&name) {
+            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(format!("{name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         let now = std::time::SystemTime::now()
@@ -137,9 +136,8 @@ impl File {
         created_at: u64,
         modified_at: u64,
     ) -> FileResult<Self> {
-        // Validate folder name
-        if name.is_empty() || name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&name) {
+            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(format!("{name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         // Store the path string for serialization compatibility
@@ -199,9 +197,8 @@ impl File {
         owner_id: Option<Uuid>,
         etag: String,
     ) -> FileResult<Self> {
-        // Validate file name
-        if name.is_empty() || name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&name) {
+            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(format!("{name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         // Store the path string for serialization compatibility
@@ -321,9 +318,8 @@ impl File {
 
     /// Creates a new version of the file with updated name
     pub fn with_name(&self, new_name: String) -> FileResult<Self> {
-        // Validate file name
-        if new_name.is_empty() || new_name.contains('/') || new_name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(new_name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&new_name) {
+            return Err(FileError::InvalidFileName(format!("{new_name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         // Update path based on name
diff --git a/src/domain/entities/folder.rs b/src/domain/entities/folder.rs
index fdf82bb4..d4ebe33c 100644
--- a/src/domain/entities/folder.rs
+++ b/src/domain/entities/folder.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use uuid::Uuid;
 
-use crate::domain::services::path_service::StoragePath;
+use crate::domain::services::path_service::{StoragePath, validate_storage_name};
 
 // Re-export entity errors from the centralized module
 pub use super::entity_errors::{FolderError, FolderResult};
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ impl Folder {
         owner_id: Option<Uuid>,
     ) -> FolderResult<Self> {
         // Validate folder name
-        if name.is_empty() || name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&name) {
+            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(format!("{name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         let now = std::time::SystemTime::now()
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ impl Folder {
         modified_at: u64,
     ) -> FolderResult<Self> {
         // Validate folder name
-        if name.is_empty() || name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&name) {
+            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(format!("{name}: {reason}")));
         }
 
         // Store the path string for serialization compatibility
@@ -208,9 +208,10 @@ impl Folder {
 
     /// Creates a new version of the folder with updated name
     pub fn with_name(&self, new_name: String) -> FolderResult<Self> {
-        // Validate folder name
-        if new_name.is_empty() || new_name.contains('/') || new_name.contains('\\') {
-            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(new_name));
+        if let Err(reason) = validate_storage_name(&new_name) {
+            return Err(FolderError::InvalidFolderName(format!(
+                "{new_name}: {reason}"
+            )));
         }
 
         // Update path based on the name
diff --git a/src/domain/services/path_service.rs b/src/domain/services/path_service.rs
index f3f54190..5c147ba7 100644
--- a/src/domain/services/path_service.rs
+++ b/src/domain/services/path_service.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,26 @@
 
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
+/// Validates a single file or folder name component.
+///
+/// Returns `Err` with a human-readable reason if the name is rejected.
+/// Callers should wrap the reason into their own error type.
+pub fn validate_storage_name(name: &str) -> Result<(), &'static str> {
+    if name.is_empty() {
+        return Err("name cannot be empty");
+    }
+    if name.contains('/') || name.contains('\\') {
+        return Err("name must not contain '/' or '\\'");
+    }
+    if name.contains('\0') {
+        return Err("name must not contain null bytes");
+    }
+    if name == "." || name == ".." {
+        return Err("'.' and '..' are not valid names");
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 /// Represents a storage path in the domain (Value Object)
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
 pub struct StoragePath {