diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/238-k8s-add-support-for-generate_name.yml b/changelogs/fragments/238-k8s-add-support-for-generate_name.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..771479e37e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/238-k8s-add-support-for-generate_name.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+  - k8s - allow resource definition using metadata.generateName (https://github.com/ansible-collections/kubernetes.core/issues/35).
diff --git a/molecule/default/converge.yml b/molecule/default/converge.yml
index 694357c99b9..032220b2896 100644
--- a/molecule/default/converge.yml
+++ b/molecule/default/converge.yml
@@ -197,6 +197,14 @@
       tags:
         - always
 
+    - name: Include generate_name.yml
+      include_tasks:
+        file: tasks/generate_name.yml
+        apply:
+          tags: [ generate_name, k8s ]
+      tags:
+        - always
+
   roles:
     - role: helm
       tags:
diff --git a/molecule/default/tasks/generate_name.yml b/molecule/default/tasks/generate_name.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..313747819b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/molecule/default/tasks/generate_name.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+- block:
+  - set_fact:
+      pod_00:
+        apiVersion: v1
+        kind: Pod
+        spec:
+          containers:
+          - name: py-container
+            image: python:3.7-alpine
+            imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+            command:
+            - /bin/sh
+            - -c
+            - while true;do date;sleep 5; done
+      pod_01:
+        apiVersion: v1
+        kind: Pod
+        metadata:
+          generateName: pod-
+        spec:
+          containers:
+          - args:
+            - /bin/sh
+            - -c
+            - while true; do echo $(date); sleep 10; done
+            image: python:3.7-alpine
+            imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
+            name: py-container
+
+  - name: Create namespace using generateName
+    k8s:
+      definition:
+        kind: Namespace
+        metadata:
+          generateName: test-
+          labels:
+            ansible: test
+    register: result
+
+  - set_fact:
+      namespace: "{{ result.result.metadata.name }}"
+
+  - name: Create Pod without name
+    k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition: '{{ pod_00 }}'
+    register: result
+    ignore_errors: true
+
+  - name: assert pod creation failed
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - result is failed
+      - "result.msg == 'At least one of metadata.name|metadata.generateName is required to create object.'"
+
+  - name: create pod using name parameter should succeed
+    k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition: '{{ pod_00 }}'
+      name: pod-01
+
+  - name: list Pod for namespace
+    k8s_info:
+      kind: Pod
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+    register: pods
+
+  - name: assert pod has been created
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - '{{ pods.resources | length == 1 }}'
+
+  - name: create pod using generate_name parameter should succeed
+    k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition: '{{ pod_00 }}'
+      generate_name: pod-
+
+  - name: list Pod for namespace
+    k8s_info:
+      kind: Pod
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+    register: pods
+
+  - name: assert pod has been created
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - '{{ pods.resources | length == 2 }}'
+
+  - name: create pod using metadata.generateName parameter should succeed
+    k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition: '{{ pod_01 }}'
+
+  - name: list Pod for namespace
+    k8s_info:
+      kind: Pod
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+    register: pods
+
+  - name: assert pod has been created
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - '{{ pods.resources | length == 3 }}'
+
+  - name: create object using metadata.generateName should support wait option
+    k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition:
+        apiVersion: apps/v1
+        kind: StatefulSet
+        metadata:
+          generateName: test-
+        spec:
+          selector:
+            matchLabels:
+              app: nginx
+          serviceName: "nginx"
+          replicas: 3
+          template:
+            metadata:
+              labels:
+                app: nginx
+            spec:
+              terminationGracePeriodSeconds: 10
+              containers:
+              - name: nginx
+                image: k8s.gcr.io/nginx-slim:0.8
+                ports:
+                - containerPort: 80
+                  name: web
+      wait: yes
+      wait_sleep: 3
+      wait_timeout: 180
+
+  - name: Create ConfigMap using generateName
+    kubernetes.core.k8s:
+      kind: ConfigMap
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      generate_name: cmap-
+      append_hash: yes
+    register: config
+
+  - name: assert that configmap has been created using generateName
+    assert:
+      that:
+      - "config.result.metadata.name.startswith('cmap-')"
+
+  - name: Create Pod with failing container
+    kubernetes.core.k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition:
+        apiVersion: v1
+        kind: Pod
+        metadata:
+          name: pod1
+        spec:
+          containers:
+          - image: adslfkjadslfkjadslkfjsadf
+            name: non-existent-container-image
+
+  - name: Create second Pod using wait (it should not wait for the first container)
+    kubernetes.core.k8s:
+      namespace: '{{ namespace }}'
+      definition:
+        apiVersion: v1
+        kind: Pod
+        metadata:
+          name: pod2
+        spec:
+          containers:
+          - args:
+            - /bin/sh
+            - -c
+            - while true; do echo $(date); sleep 10; done
+            image: python:3.7-alpine
+            imagePullPolicy: Always
+            name: c0
+      wait: yes
+      wait_timeout: 10
+
+  always:
+  - name: Delete namespace
+    k8s:
+      kind: Namespace
+      name: '{{ namespace }}'
+      state: absent
+    ignore_errors: true
diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/common.py b/plugins/module_utils/common.py
index 37884589666..2ce06d9cf20 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/common.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/common.py
@@ -612,17 +612,38 @@ def build_error_msg(kind, name, msg):
 
         self.remove_aliases()
 
+        def _test_metadata(definition, key="name"):
+            return key in definition['metadata'] and definition['metadata'].get(key)
+
         try:
             # ignore append_hash for resources other than ConfigMap and Secret
             if append_hash and definition['kind'] in ['ConfigMap', 'Secret']:
-                name = '%s-%s' % (name, generate_hash(definition))
-                definition['metadata']['name'] = name
-            params = dict(name=name)
+                if name:
+                    name = '%s-%s' % (name, generate_hash(definition))
+                    definition['metadata']['name'] = name
+                elif self.generate_name or _test_metadata(definition, key='generateName'):
+                    gen_name = self.generate_name or definition.get('metadata', {}).get('generateName')
+                    definition['metadata']['generateName'] = '%s-%s' % (gen_name, generate_hash(definition))
+            params = {}
+            required_fields = False
+            if _test_metadata(definition):
+                required_fields = True
+                params['name'] = name
             if namespace:
                 params['namespace'] = namespace
             if label_selectors:
+                required_fields = True
                 params['label_selector'] = ','.join(label_selectors)
-            existing = resource.get(**params)
+
+            if required_fields:
+                existing = resource.get(**params)
+            elif state == 'absent':
+                msg = "At least one of name|label_selectors is required to delete object."
+                if continue_on_error:
+                    result['error'] = dict(msg=msg)
+                    return result
+                else:
+                    self.fail_json(msg=msg)
         except (NotFoundError, MethodNotAllowedError):
             # Remove traceback so that it doesn't show up in later failures
             try:
@@ -761,6 +782,15 @@ def _empty_resource_list():
                     k8s_obj = _encode_stringdata(definition)
                 else:
                     try:
+                        if not _test_metadata(definition, key="name") and not _test_metadata(definition, key="generateName") and self.generate_name is not None:
+                            definition['metadata'].update({'generateName': self.generate_name})
+                        if not _test_metadata(definition, key="name") and not _test_metadata(definition, key="generateName"):
+                            msg = "At least one of metadata.name|metadata.generateName is required to create object."
+                            if continue_on_error:
+                                result['error'] = dict(msg=msg)
+                                return result
+                            else:
+                                self.fail_json(msg=msg)
                         k8s_obj = resource.create(definition, namespace=namespace).to_dict()
                     except ConflictError:
                         # Some resources, like ProjectRequests, can't be created multiple times,
@@ -791,6 +821,7 @@ def _empty_resource_list():
                 success = True
                 result['result'] = k8s_obj
                 if wait and not self.check_mode:
+                    definition['metadata'].update({'name': k8s_obj['metadata']['name']})
                     success, result['result'], result['duration'] = self.wait(resource, definition, wait_sleep, wait_timeout, condition=wait_condition)
                 result['changed'] = True
                 result['method'] = 'create'
diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/hashes.py b/plugins/module_utils/hashes.py
index 5edbc6d94b5..6af6bc1be6f 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/hashes.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/hashes.py
@@ -44,14 +44,21 @@ def sorted_dict(unsorted_dict):
 
 def generate_hash(resource):
     # Get name from metadata
-    resource['name'] = resource.get('metadata', {}).get('name', '')
-    if resource['kind'] == 'ConfigMap':
-        marshalled = marshal(sorted_dict(resource), ['data', 'kind', 'name'])
+    metada = resource.get('metadata', {})
+    key = 'name'
+    resource['name'] = metada.get('name', '')
+    generate_name = metada.get('generateName', '')
+    if resource['name'] == '' and generate_name:
         del(resource['name'])
+        key = 'generateName'
+        resource['generateName'] = generate_name
+    if resource['kind'] == 'ConfigMap':
+        marshalled = marshal(sorted_dict(resource), ['data', 'kind', key])
+        del(resource[key])
         return encode(marshalled)
     if resource['kind'] == 'Secret':
-        marshalled = marshal(sorted_dict(resource), ['data', 'kind', 'name', 'type'])
-        del(resource['name'])
+        marshalled = marshal(sorted_dict(resource), ['data', 'kind', key, 'type'])
+        del(resource[key])
         return encode(marshalled)
     raise NotImplementedError
 
diff --git a/plugins/modules/k8s.py b/plugins/modules/k8s.py
index e7bbd7e46ec..ced9c016cce 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/k8s.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/k8s.py
@@ -142,6 +142,16 @@
     type: list
     elements: str
     version_added: 2.2.0
+  generate_name:
+    description:
+    - Use to specify the basis of an object name and random characters will be added automatically on server to generate a unique name.
+    - This option is ignored when I(state) is not set to C(present) or when I(apply) is set to C(yes).
+    - If I(resource definition) is provided, the I(metadata.generateName) value from the I(resource_definition)
+      will override this option.
+    - If I(resource definition) is provided, and contains I(metadata.name), this option is ignored.
+    - mutually exclusive with C(name).
+    type: str
+    version_added: 2.3.0
 
 requirements:
   - "python >= 3.6"
@@ -278,6 +288,20 @@
       metadata:
         labels:
           support: patch
+
+# Create object using generateName
+- name: create resource using name generated by the server
+  kubernetes.core.k8s:
+    state: present
+    generate_name: pod-
+    definition:
+      apiVersion: v1
+      kind: Pod
+      spec:
+        containers:
+        - name: py
+          image: python:3.7-alpine
+          imagePullPolicy: IfNotPresent
 '''
 
 RETURN = r'''
@@ -352,6 +376,7 @@ def argspec():
     argument_spec['state'] = dict(default='present', choices=['present', 'absent', 'patched'])
     argument_spec['force'] = dict(type='bool', default=False)
     argument_spec['label_selectors'] = dict(type='list', elements='str')
+    argument_spec['generate_name'] = dict()
 
     return argument_spec
 
@@ -370,6 +395,7 @@ def execute_module(module, k8s_ansible_mixin):
     k8s_ansible_mixin.kind = k8s_ansible_mixin.params.get('kind')
     k8s_ansible_mixin.api_version = k8s_ansible_mixin.params.get('api_version')
     k8s_ansible_mixin.name = k8s_ansible_mixin.params.get('name')
+    k8s_ansible_mixin.generate_name = k8s_ansible_mixin.params.get('generate_name')
     k8s_ansible_mixin.namespace = k8s_ansible_mixin.params.get('namespace')
 
     k8s_ansible_mixin.check_library_version()
@@ -383,6 +409,7 @@ def main():
         ('merge_type', 'apply'),
         ('template', 'resource_definition'),
         ('template', 'src'),
+        ('name', 'generate_name'),
     ]
     module = AnsibleModule(argument_spec=argspec(), mutually_exclusive=mutually_exclusive, supports_check_mode=True)
     from ansible_collections.kubernetes.core.plugins.module_utils.common import (