Index: Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/src/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -r9e2f9f7fe2d7daf45c943fc446cd9edc4298290d -r1f93a84f1b02a111e18915ffb0ae2d46b54ed778
--- Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/src/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData.cs	(.../MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData.cs)	(revision 9e2f9f7fe2d7daf45c943fc446cd9edc4298290d)
+++ Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/src/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData.cs	(.../MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData.cs)	(revision 1f93a84f1b02a111e18915ffb0ae2d46b54ed778)
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
         private readonly VariationCoefficientLogNormalDistribution strengthIncreaseExponent;
         private readonly VariationCoefficientLogNormalDistribution shearStrengthRatio;
         private readonly VariationCoefficientLogNormalDistribution pop;
-        private string materialName = string.Empty;
+        private string materialName = "Material";
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Creates a new instance of <see cref="MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData"/>.
@@ -94,7 +94,13 @@
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the name of the material that was assigned to the layer.
         /// </summary>
-        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="value"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Thrown when <paramref name="value"/> is:
+        /// <list type="bullet">
+        /// <item><c>null</c>;</item>
+        /// <item>empty;</item>
+        /// <item>only containing white spaces.</item>
+        /// </list>
+        /// </exception>
         public string MaterialName
         {
             get
@@ -103,10 +109,11 @@
             }
             set
             {
-                if (value == null)
+                if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(value))
                 {
-                    throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(value));
+                    throw new ArgumentException("Material name must not be empty");
                 }
+
                 materialName = value;
             }
         }
Index: Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/test/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives.Test/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerDataTest.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -rd9005dfa3b398d70ada0cf03cf408f8bcfc384db -r1f93a84f1b02a111e18915ffb0ae2d46b54ed778
--- Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/test/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives.Test/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerDataTest.cs	(.../MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerDataTest.cs)	(revision d9005dfa3b398d70ada0cf03cf408f8bcfc384db)
+++ Ringtoets/MacroStabilityInwards/test/Ringtoets.MacroStabilityInwards.Primitives.Test/MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerDataTest.cs	(.../MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerDataTest.cs)	(revision 1f93a84f1b02a111e18915ffb0ae2d46b54ed778)
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
             // Assert
             Assert.IsFalse(data.IsAquifer);
-            Assert.IsEmpty(data.MaterialName);
+            Assert.AreEqual("Material", data.MaterialName);
             Assert.AreEqual(Color.Empty, data.Color);
 
             Assert.IsFalse(data.UsePop);
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
         }
 
         [Test]
-        public void MaterialName_Null_ThrowsArgumentNullException()
+        public void MaterialName_Null_ThrowsArgumentException()
         {
             // Setup
             var data = new MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData();
@@ -103,14 +103,42 @@
             TestDelegate test = () => data.MaterialName = null;
 
             // Assert
-            string paramName = Assert.Throws<ArgumentNullException>(test).ParamName;
-            Assert.AreEqual("value", paramName);
+            string message = Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(test).Message;
+            Assert.AreEqual("Material name must not be empty", message);
         }
 
         [Test]
-        [TestCase("")]
+        public void MaterialName_Empty_ThrowsArgumentException()
+        {
+            // Setup
+            var data = new MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData();
+
+            // Call
+            TestDelegate test = () => data.MaterialName = string.Empty;
+
+            // Assert
+            string message = Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(test).Message;
+            Assert.AreEqual("Material name must not be empty", message);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void MaterialName_WhiteSpace_ThrowsArgumentException()
+        {
+            // Setup
+            var data = new MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData();
+
+            // Call
+            TestDelegate test = () => data.MaterialName = "   ";
+
+            // Assert
+            string message = Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(test).Message;
+            Assert.AreEqual("Material name must not be empty", message);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
         [TestCase("A name")]
-        public void MaterialName_NotNullValue_ValueSet(string materialName)
+        [TestCase("123")]
+        public void MaterialName_ValidValue_ValueSet(string materialName)
         {
             // Setup
             var data = new MacroStabilityInwardsSoilLayerData();