diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/__init__.py b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/__init__.py
index 36b1851cb..43a16da5a 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/__init__.py
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ def _add_fvar(font, axes, instances: List[InstanceDescriptor]):
     fvar = newTable("fvar")
     nameTable = font["name"]
 
+    # if there are not currently any mac names don't add them here, that's inconsistent
+    # https://github.com/fonttools/fonttools/issues/683
+    macNames = any(nr.platformID == 1 for nr in getattr(nameTable, "names", ()))
+
+    # we have all the best ways to express mac names
+    platforms = ((3, 1, 0x409),)
+    if macNames:
+        platforms = ((1, 0, 0),) + platforms
+
     for a in axes.values():
         axis = Axis()
         axis.axisTag = Tag(a.tag)
@@ -95,7 +104,7 @@ def _add_fvar(font, axes, instances: List[InstanceDescriptor]):
             a.maximum,
         )
         axis.axisNameID = nameTable.addMultilingualName(
-            a.labelNames, font, minNameID=256
+            a.labelNames, font, minNameID=256, mac=macNames
         )
         axis.flags = int(a.hidden)
         fvar.axes.append(axis)
@@ -121,10 +130,12 @@ def _add_fvar(font, axes, instances: List[InstanceDescriptor]):
         psname = instance.postScriptFontName
 
         inst = NamedInstance()
-        inst.subfamilyNameID = nameTable.addMultilingualName(localisedStyleName)
+        inst.subfamilyNameID = nameTable.addMultilingualName(
+            localisedStyleName, mac=macNames
+        )
         if psname is not None:
             psname = tostr(psname)
-            inst.postscriptNameID = nameTable.addName(psname)
+            inst.postscriptNameID = nameTable.addName(psname, platforms=platforms)
         inst.coordinates = {
             axes[k].tag: axes[k].map_backward(v) for k, v in coordinates.items()
         }
diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/mutator.py b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/mutator.py
index 80e46bb24..f9f937902 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/mutator.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/mutator.py
@@ -408,7 +408,9 @@ def instantiateVariableFont(varfont, location, inplace=False, overlap=True):
             if set(excludedUnicodeLangIDs) == set(range(len((varfont["ltag"].tags)))):
                 del varfont["ltag"]
         varfont["name"].names[:] = [
-            n for n in varfont["name"].names if n.nameID not in exclude
+            n
+            for n in varfont["name"].names
+            if n.nameID < 256 or n.nameID not in exclude
         ]
 
     if "wght" in location and "OS/2" in varfont:
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/Build.ttx b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/Build.ttx
index 144cca5e7..f4fa0ae48 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/Build.ttx
+++ b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/Build.ttx
@@ -161,42 +161,42 @@
 
     <!-- Regular -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Regular -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="263" subfamilyNameID="262">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="262" subfamilyNameID="2">
       <coord axis="wght" value="394.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Semibold -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Semibold -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="265" subfamilyNameID="264">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="264" subfamilyNameID="263">
       <coord axis="wght" value="600.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Bold -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Bold -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="267" subfamilyNameID="266">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="266" subfamilyNameID="265">
       <coord axis="wght" value="824.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Black -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="269" subfamilyNameID="268">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="268" subfamilyNameID="267">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black Medium Contrast -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-BlackMediumContrast -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="271" subfamilyNameID="270">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="270" subfamilyNameID="269">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="50.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black High Contrast -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-BlackHighContrast -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="273" subfamilyNameID="272">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="272" subfamilyNameID="271">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="100.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/BuildMain.ttx b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/BuildMain.ttx
index 3a1bcfd37..1c2c1fa8d 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/BuildMain.ttx
+++ b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/BuildMain.ttx
@@ -443,63 +443,6 @@
     <namerecord nameID="257" platformID="0" platEncID="4" langID="0x0">
       کنتراست
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="256" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Weight
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="257" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Contrast
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="258" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      ExtraLight
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="259" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-ExtraLight
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="260" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Light
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="261" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-Light
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="262" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Regular
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="263" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-Regular
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="264" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Semibold
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="265" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-Semibold
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="266" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Bold
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="267" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-Bold
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="268" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Black
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="269" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-Black
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="270" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Black Medium Contrast
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="271" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-BlackMediumContrast
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="272" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Black High Contrast
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="273" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      TestFamily-BlackHighContrast
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="257" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x2" unicode="True">
-      Kontrast
-    </namerecord>
     <namerecord nameID="257" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x407">
       Kontrast
     </namerecord>
@@ -546,39 +489,36 @@
       TestFamily-Light
     </namerecord>
     <namerecord nameID="262" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
-      Regular
-    </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="263" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-Regular
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="264" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="263" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Semibold
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="265" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="264" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-Semibold
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="266" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="265" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Bold
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="267" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="266" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-Bold
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="268" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="267" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Black
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="269" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="268" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-Black
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="270" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="269" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Black Medium Contrast
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="271" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="270" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-BlackMediumContrast
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="272" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="271" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Black High Contrast
     </namerecord>
-    <namerecord nameID="273" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
+    <namerecord nameID="272" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       TestFamily-BlackHighContrast
     </namerecord>
   </name>
@@ -807,42 +747,42 @@
 
     <!-- Regular -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Regular -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="263" subfamilyNameID="262">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="262" subfamilyNameID="2">
       <coord axis="wght" value="394.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Semibold -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Semibold -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="265" subfamilyNameID="264">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="264" subfamilyNameID="263">
       <coord axis="wght" value="600.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Bold -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Bold -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="267" subfamilyNameID="266">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="266" subfamilyNameID="265">
       <coord axis="wght" value="824.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-Black -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="269" subfamilyNameID="268">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="268" subfamilyNameID="267">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="0.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black Medium Contrast -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-BlackMediumContrast -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="271" subfamilyNameID="270">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="270" subfamilyNameID="269">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="50.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
 
     <!-- Black High Contrast -->
     <!-- PostScript: TestFamily-BlackHighContrast -->
-    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="273" subfamilyNameID="272">
+    <NamedInstance flags="0x0" postscriptNameID="272" subfamilyNameID="271">
       <coord axis="wght" value="1000.0"/>
       <coord axis="cntr" value="100.0"/>
     </NamedInstance>
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/DropOnCurves.ttx b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/DropOnCurves.ttx
index 4bfd36ad0..58a830f3c 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/DropOnCurves.ttx
+++ b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/DropOnCurves.ttx
@@ -228,9 +228,6 @@
   </glyf>
 
   <name>
-    <namerecord nameID="256" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Weight
-    </namerecord>
     <namerecord nameID="1" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Test Family
     </namerecord>
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SingleMaster.ttx b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SingleMaster.ttx
index 02cfe32bd..47f957743 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SingleMaster.ttx
+++ b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SingleMaster.ttx
@@ -68,9 +68,6 @@
   </gvar>
 
   <name>
-    <namerecord nameID="256" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Weight
-    </namerecord>
     <namerecord nameID="1" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Test Family
     </namerecord>
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SparseMasters.ttx b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SparseMasters.ttx
index 2871e24fb..a35260029 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SparseMasters.ttx
+++ b/Tests/varLib/data/test_results/SparseMasters.ttx
@@ -236,9 +236,6 @@
   </glyf>
 
   <name>
-    <namerecord nameID="256" platformID="1" platEncID="0" langID="0x0" unicode="True">
-      Weight
-    </namerecord>
     <namerecord nameID="1" platformID="3" platEncID="1" langID="0x409">
       Layer Font
     </namerecord>