diff --git a/masque/builder/builder.py b/masque/builder/builder.py
index 41511fd..9cfa207 100644
--- a/masque/builder/builder.py
+++ b/masque/builder/builder.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import numpy
 from numpy import pi
 from numpy.typing import ArrayLike
 
-from ..pattern import Pattern
+from ..pattern import Pattern, NamedPattern
 from ..ref import Ref
 from ..library import MutableLibrary
 from ..error import PortError, BuildError
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ class Builder(PortList):
 
     def plug(
             self: BB,
-            other: Union[Abstract, str],
+            other: Union[Abstract, str, NamedPattern],
             map_in: Dict[str, str],
             map_out: Optional[Dict[str, Optional[str]]] = None,
             *,
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ class Builder(PortList):
 
     def place(
             self: BB,
-            other: Union[Abstract, str],
+            other: Union[Abstract, str, NamedPattern],
             *,
             offset: ArrayLike = (0, 0),
             rotation: float = 0,
diff --git a/masque/library.py b/masque/library.py
index 2b085c0..72a4f60 100644
--- a/masque/library.py
+++ b/masque/library.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from .label import Label
 from .abstract import Abstract
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from .pattern import Pattern
+    from .pattern import Pattern, NamedPattern
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ class MutableLibrary(Library, MutableMapping[str, 'Pattern'], metaclass=ABCMeta)
         del self[old_name]
         return self
 
-    def create(self, base_name: str) -> Tuple[str, 'Pattern']:
+    def create(self, base_name: str) -> NamedPattern:
         """
         Convenience method to create an empty pattern, choose a name
         for it, add it with that name, and return both the pattern and name.
@@ -460,8 +460,9 @@ class MutableLibrary(Library, MutableMapping[str, 'Pattern'], metaclass=ABCMeta)
         """
         from .pattern import Pattern
         name = self.get_name(base_name)
-        pat = Pattern()
-        self[name] = value
+        npat = NamedPattern(name)
+        self[name] = npat
+        return npat
 
     def name_and_set(
             self,
@@ -748,6 +749,8 @@ class WrapLibrary(MutableLibrary):
 
         if callable(value):
             value = value()
+        elif hasattr(value, 'as_pattern'):
+            value = cast('NamedPattern', value).as_pattern()      # don't want to carry along NamedPattern instances
         else:
             value = value
         self.mapping[key] = value
diff --git a/masque/pattern.py b/masque/pattern.py
index f62a265..f624b73 100644
--- a/masque/pattern.py
+++ b/masque/pattern.py
@@ -665,3 +665,50 @@ class Pattern(PortList, AnnotatableImpl, Mirrorable):
             pyplot.ylabel('y')
             pyplot.show()
 
+
+class NamedPattern(Pattern):
+    """
+    TODO: Document NamedPattern
+    """
+    __slots__ = ('_name',)
+
+    _name: str
+    """ The pattern's name """
+
+    @property
+    def name(self) -> str:
+        return self._name
+
+    def __init__(self, name: str) -> None:
+        """
+        Creates an empty NamedPattern
+
+        Args:
+            name: The pattern's name. Immutable.
+
+        """
+        Pattern.__init__(self)
+        self._name = name
+
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        s = f'<NamedPattern "{self.name}":'
+        s += f' sh{len(self.shapes)} sp{len(self.refs)} la{len(self.labels)} ['
+        for name, port in self.ports.items():
+            s += f'\n\t{name}: {port}'
+        s += ']>'
+        return s
+
+    def __copy__(self) -> Pattern:
+        return Pattern.__copy__(self)
+
+    def __deepcopy__(self, memo: Optional[Dict] = None) -> Pattern:
+        return Pattern.__deepcopy__(self, memo)
+
+    def as_pattern(self) ->  Pattern:
+        return Pattern(
+            shapes=self.shapes,
+            labels=self.labels,
+            refs=self.refs,
+            annotations=self.annotations,
+            ports=self.ports,
+            )