diff --git a/server/sandbox.go b/server/sandbox.go
index 1a4dd775..f24dd5b2 100644
--- a/server/sandbox.go
+++ b/server/sandbox.go
@@ -312,6 +312,8 @@ func (s *Server) RemovePodSandbox(ctx context.Context, req *pb.RemovePodSandboxR
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to remove sandbox %s directory: %v", sandboxID, err)
 	}
 
+	s.releasePodName(sb.name)
+
 	return &pb.RemovePodSandboxResponse{}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index f4c1a0c4..6876ac01 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -95,13 +95,17 @@ func (s *Server) reservePodName(id, name string) (string, error) {
 				logrus.Warnf("name %s already reserved for %s", name, id)
 				return "", err
 			}
-			return "", fmt.Errorf("conflict, name %s already reserver", name)
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("conflict, name %s already reserved", name)
 		}
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("error reserving name %s", name)
 	}
 	return name, nil
 }
 
+func (s *Server) releasePodName(name string) {
+	s.podNameIndex.Release(name)
+}
+
 // New creates a new Server with options provided
 func New(runtimePath, root, sandboxDir, containerDir string) (*Server, error) {
 	// TODO: This will go away later when we have wrapper process or systemd acting as