diff --git a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/cdsl/instructions.rs b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/cdsl/instructions.rs
index b469e8b91f..9a4f961462 100644
--- a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/cdsl/instructions.rs
+++ b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/cdsl/instructions.rs
@@ -54,11 +54,11 @@ pub struct PolymorphicInfo {
 
 pub struct InstructionContent {
     /// Instruction mnemonic, also becomes opcode name.
-    pub name: &'static str,
+    pub name: String,
     pub camel_name: String,
 
     /// Documentation string.
-    doc: &'static str,
+    doc: String,
 
     /// Input operands. This can be a mix of SSA value operands and other operand kinds.
     pub operands_in: Vec<Operand>,
@@ -115,15 +115,15 @@ impl ops::Deref for Instruction {
 }
 
 impl Instruction {
-    pub fn snake_name(&self) -> &'static str {
+    pub fn snake_name(&self) -> &str {
         if self.name == "return" {
             "return_"
         } else {
-            self.name
+            &self.name
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn doc_comment_first_line(&self) -> &'static str {
+    pub fn doc_comment_first_line(&self) -> &str {
         for line in self.doc.split("\n") {
             let stripped = line.trim();
             if stripped.len() > 0 {
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for Instruction {
             fmt.write_str(" = ")?;
         }
 
-        fmt.write_str(self.name)?;
+        fmt.write_str(&self.name)?;
 
         if self.operands_in.len() > 0 {
             let operands_in = self
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ impl fmt::Display for Instruction {
 }
 
 pub struct InstructionBuilder {
-    name: &'static str,
-    doc: &'static str,
+    name: String,
+    doc: String,
     operands_in: Option<Vec<Operand>>,
     operands_out: Option<Vec<Operand>>,
     constraints: Option<Vec<Constraint>>,
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@ pub struct InstructionBuilder {
 }
 
 impl InstructionBuilder {
-    pub fn new(name: &'static str, doc: &'static str) -> Self {
+    pub fn new<S: Into<String>>(name: S, doc: S) -> Self {
         Self {
-            name,
-            doc,
+            name: name.into(),
+            doc: doc.into(),
             operands_in: None,
             operands_out: None,
             constraints: None,
@@ -310,10 +310,11 @@ impl InstructionBuilder {
         // Infer from output operands whether an instruciton clobbers CPU flags or not.
         let writes_cpu_flags = operands_out.iter().any(|op| op.is_cpu_flags());
 
+        let camel_name = camel_case(&self.name);
         Instruction {
             content: Rc::new(InstructionContent {
                 name: self.name,
-                camel_name: camel_case(self.name),
+                camel_name,
                 doc: self.doc,
                 operands_in,
                 operands_out,
diff --git a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_inst.rs b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_inst.rs
index a6158258fc..613987421b 100644
--- a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_inst.rs
+++ b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_inst.rs
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ fn gen_opcodes<'a>(
 
     // Generate an opcode hash table for looking up opcodes by name.
     let hash_table =
-        constant_hash::generate_table(&all_inst, |inst| constant_hash::simple_hash(inst.name));
+        constant_hash::generate_table(&all_inst, |inst| constant_hash::simple_hash(&inst.name));
     fmtln!(
         fmt,
         "const OPCODE_HASH_TABLE: [Option<Opcode>; {}] = [",
diff --git a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_legalizer.rs b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_legalizer.rs
index de7a8068b9..45221b1ffd 100644
--- a/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_legalizer.rs
+++ b/cranelift/codegen/meta/src/gen_legalizer.rs
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ fn emit_runtime_typecheck<'a, 'b>(
 /// Determine if `node` represents one of the value splitting instructions: `isplit` or `vsplit.
 /// These instructions are lowered specially by the `legalize::split` module.
 fn is_value_split(def: &Def) -> bool {
-    let name = def.apply.inst.name;
+    let name = &def.apply.inst.name;
     name == "isplit" || name == "vsplit"
 }