diff --git a/telegram/ext/filters.py b/telegram/ext/filters.py
index 1942fa859..1cf51ea8e 100644
--- a/telegram/ext/filters.py
+++ b/telegram/ext/filters.py
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ class BaseFilter(object):
     (so remember to initialize your filter classes).
     """
 
+    def __init__(self, *, name=None):
+        self.name = name
+
     def __call__(self, message):
         return self.filter(message)
 
@@ -65,6 +68,15 @@ class BaseFilter(object):
     def __invert__(self):
         return InvertedFilter(self)
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        # Do not rely on classes overwriting __init__ to set a name
+        # so we can keep backwards compatibility
+        if not hasattr(self, 'name') or self.name is None:
+            self.name = self.__class__.__name__
+        return self.name
+
+    __repr__ = __str__
+
     def filter(self, message):
         raise NotImplementedError
 
@@ -77,13 +89,14 @@ class InvertedFilter(BaseFilter):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, f):
+        super().__init__()
         self.f = f
 
     def filter(self, message):
         return not self.f(message)
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return "<telegram.ext.filters.InvertedFilter inverting {}>".format(self.f)
+        return "<inverted {}>".format(self.f)
 
     __repr__ = __str__
 
@@ -98,6 +111,7 @@ class MergedFilter(BaseFilter):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, base_filter, and_filter=None, or_filter=None):
+        super().__init__()
         self.base_filter = base_filter
         self.and_filter = and_filter
         self.or_filter = or_filter
@@ -109,9 +123,8 @@ class MergedFilter(BaseFilter):
             return self.base_filter(message) or self.or_filter(message)
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return ("<telegram.ext.filters.MergedFilter consisting of"
-                " {} {} {}>").format(self.base_filter, "and" if self.and_filter else "or",
-                                     self.and_filter or self.or_filter)
+        return "<{} {} {}>".format(self.base_filter, "and" if self.and_filter else "or",
+                                   self.and_filter or self.or_filter)
 
     __repr__ = __str__
 
@@ -126,91 +139,91 @@ class Filters(object):
         def filter(self, message):
             return True
 
-    all = _All()
+    all = _All(name='Filters.all')
 
     class _Text(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.text and not message.text.startswith('/'))
 
-    text = _Text()
+    text = _Text(name='Filters.text')
 
     class _Command(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.text and message.text.startswith('/'))
 
+    command = _Command(name='Filters.command')
+
     class _Reply(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.reply_to_message)
 
-    reply = _Reply()
-
-    command = _Command()
+    reply = _Reply(name='Filters.reply')
 
     class _Audio(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.audio)
 
-    audio = _Audio()
+    audio = _Audio(name='Filters.audio')
 
     class _Document(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.document)
 
-    document = _Document()
+    document = _Document(name='Filters.document')
 
     class _Photo(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.photo)
 
-    photo = _Photo()
+    photo = _Photo(name='Filters.photo')
 
     class _Sticker(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.sticker)
 
-    sticker = _Sticker()
+    sticker = _Sticker(name='Filters.sticker')
 
     class _Video(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.video)
 
-    video = _Video()
+    video = _Video(name='Filters.video')
 
     class _Voice(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.voice)
 
-    voice = _Voice()
+    voice = _Voice(name='Filters.voice')
 
     class _Contact(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.contact)
 
-    contact = _Contact()
+    contact = _Contact(name='Filters.contact')
 
     class _Location(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.location)
 
-    location = _Location()
+    location = _Location(name='Filters.location')
 
     class _Venue(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.venue)
 
-    venue = _Venue()
+    venue = _Venue(name='Filters.venue')
 
     class _StatusUpdate(BaseFilter):
 
@@ -219,35 +232,35 @@ class Filters(object):
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.new_chat_members)
 
-        new_chat_members = _NewChatMembers()
+        new_chat_members = _NewChatMembers(name='Filters.status_update.new_chat_members')
 
         class _LeftChatMember(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.left_chat_member)
 
-        left_chat_member = _LeftChatMember()
+        left_chat_member = _LeftChatMember(name='Filters.status_update.left_chat_member')
 
         class _NewChatTitle(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.new_chat_title)
 
-        new_chat_title = _NewChatTitle()
+        new_chat_title = _NewChatTitle(name='Filters.status_update.new_chat_title')
 
         class _NewChatPhoto(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.new_chat_photo)
 
-        new_chat_photo = _NewChatPhoto()
+        new_chat_photo = _NewChatPhoto(name='Filters.status_update.new_chat_photo')
 
         class _DeleteChatPhoto(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.delete_chat_photo)
 
-        delete_chat_photo = _DeleteChatPhoto()
+        delete_chat_photo = _DeleteChatPhoto(name='Filters.status_update.delete_chat_photo')
 
         class _ChatCreated(BaseFilter):
 
@@ -255,21 +268,21 @@ class Filters(object):
                 return bool(message.group_chat_created or message.supergroup_chat_created or
                             message.channel_chat_created)
 
-        chat_created = _ChatCreated()
+        chat_created = _ChatCreated(name='Filters.status_update.chat_created')
 
         class _Migrate(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.migrate_from_chat_id or message.migrate_to_chat_id)
 
-        migrate = _Migrate()
+        migrate = _Migrate(name='Filters.status_update.migrate')
 
         class _PinnedMessage(BaseFilter):
 
             def filter(self, message):
                 return bool(message.pinned_message)
 
-        pinned_message = _PinnedMessage()
+        pinned_message = _PinnedMessage(name='Filters.status_update.pinned_message')
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(self.new_chat_members(message) or self.left_chat_member(message) or
@@ -277,21 +290,21 @@ class Filters(object):
                         self.delete_chat_photo(message) or self.chat_created(message) or
                         self.migrate(message) or self.pinned_message(message))
 
-    status_update = _StatusUpdate()
+    status_update = _StatusUpdate(name='Filters.status_update')
 
     class _Forwarded(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.forward_date)
 
-    forwarded = _Forwarded()
+    forwarded = _Forwarded(name='Filters.forwarded')
 
     class _Game(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.game)
 
-    game = _Game()
+    game = _Game(name='Filters.game')
 
     class entity(BaseFilter):
         """Filters messages to only allow those which have a :class:`telegram.MessageEntity`
@@ -306,6 +319,7 @@ class Filters(object):
 
         def __init__(self, entity_type):
             self.entity_type = entity_type
+            super().__init__(name='Filters.entity({})'.format(self.entity_type))
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return any([entity.type == self.entity_type for entity in message.entities])
@@ -315,28 +329,28 @@ class Filters(object):
         def filter(self, message):
             return message.chat.type == Chat.PRIVATE
 
-    private = _Private()
+    private = _Private(name='Filters.private')
 
     class _Group(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return message.chat.type in [Chat.GROUP, Chat.SUPERGROUP]
 
-    group = _Group()
+    group = _Group(name='Filters.group')
 
     class _Invoice(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.invoice)
 
-    invoice = _Invoice()
+    invoice = _Invoice(name='Filters.invoice')
 
     class _SuccessfulPayment(BaseFilter):
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return bool(message.successful_payment)
 
-    successful_payment = _SuccessfulPayment()
+    successful_payment = _SuccessfulPayment(name='Filters.successful_payment')
 
     class language(BaseFilter):
         """
@@ -354,6 +368,7 @@ class Filters(object):
                 self.lang = [lang]
             else:
                 self.lang = lang
+            super().__init__(name='Filters.language({})'.format(self.lang))
 
         def filter(self, message):
             return message.from_user.language_code and any(