diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 340c50361..05fbd3e04 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ repos:
 #     hooks:
 #     -   id: black
 -   repo: https://github.com/astral-sh/ruff-pre-commit
-    rev: v0.8.4
+    rev: v0.8.6
     hooks:
     -   id: ruff
 # -   repo: https://github.com/econchick/interrogate
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3bdaabe86..ce3fb48a3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 - Importing from hdmf.build.map is no longer supported. Import from hdmf.build instead. @rly [#1221](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1221)
 - Python 3.8 has reached end of life. Drop support for Python 3.8 and add support for Python 3.13. @mavaylon1 [#1209](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1209)
 
+### Bug fixes
+- Added checks to ensure that group and dataset spec names and default names do not contain slashes. @bendichter [#1219](https://github.com/hdmf-dev/hdmf/pull/1219)
+
 ## HDMF 3.14.6 (December 20, 2024)
 
 ### Enhancements
diff --git a/src/hdmf/spec/spec.py b/src/hdmf/spec/spec.py
index d5adf6b5e..bbd97b592 100644
--- a/src/hdmf/spec/spec.py
+++ b/src/hdmf/spec/spec.py
@@ -310,12 +310,18 @@ class BaseStorageSpec(Spec):
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         name, doc, quantity, attributes, linkable, data_type_def, data_type_inc = \
             getargs('name', 'doc', 'quantity', 'attributes', 'linkable', 'data_type_def', 'data_type_inc', kwargs)
+        if name is not None and "/" in name:
+            raise ValueError(f"Name '{name}' is invalid. Names of Groups and Datasets cannot contain '/'")
         if name is None and data_type_def is None and data_type_inc is None:
             raise ValueError("Cannot create Group or Dataset spec with no name "
                              "without specifying '%s' and/or '%s'." % (self.def_key(), self.inc_key()))
         super().__init__(doc, name=name)
         default_name = getargs('default_name', kwargs)
         if default_name:
+            if "/" in default_name:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"Default name '{default_name}' is invalid. Names of Groups and Datasets cannot contain '/'"
+                )
             if name is not None:
                 warn("found 'default_name' with 'name' - ignoring 'default_name'")
             else:
diff --git a/tests/unit/spec_tests/test_dataset_spec.py b/tests/unit/spec_tests/test_dataset_spec.py
index c9db14635..60025fd7e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/spec_tests/test_dataset_spec.py
+++ b/tests/unit/spec_tests/test_dataset_spec.py
@@ -261,3 +261,17 @@ def test_build_warn_extra_args(self):
                "'dtype': 'int', 'required': True}")
         with self.assertWarnsWith(UserWarning, msg):
             DatasetSpec.build_spec(spec_dict)
+
+    def test_constructor_validates_name(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesWith(
+                ValueError,
+                "Name 'one/two' is invalid. Names of Groups and Datasets cannot contain '/'",
+        ):
+            DatasetSpec(doc='my first dataset', dtype='int', name='one/two')
+
+    def test_constructor_validates_default_name(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesWith(
+                ValueError,
+                "Default name 'one/two' is invalid. Names of Groups and Datasets cannot contain '/'",
+        ):
+            DatasetSpec(doc='my first dataset', dtype='int', default_name='one/two', data_type_def='test')