diff --git a/src/vivarium/framework/results/context.py b/src/vivarium/framework/results/context.py
index 78f933af7..2fff1980f 100644
--- a/src/vivarium/framework/results/context.py
+++ b/src/vivarium/framework/results/context.py
@@ -103,6 +103,45 @@ def register_observation(
         when: str,
         **kwargs,
     ) -> None:
+        """Add an observation to the context.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        observation_type
+            Class type of the observation to register.
+        name
+            Name of the metric to observe and result file.
+        pop_filter
+            A Pandas query filter string to filter the population down to the
+            simulants who should be considered for the observation.
+        when
+            String name of the phase of a time-step the observation should happen.
+            Valid values are: `"time_step__prepare"`, `"time_step"`,
+            `"time_step__cleanup"`, `"collect_metrics"`.
+        kwargs
+            Additional keyword arguments to pass to the observation constructor.
+
+
+        Returns
+        ------
+        None
+
+        """
+        already_used = None
+        if self.observations:
+            # NOTE: self.observations is a list where each item is a dictionary
+            # of the form {event_name: {(pop_filter, stratifications): List[Observation]}}.
+            # We use a triple-nested for loop to iterate over only the list of Observations
+            # (i.e. we do not need the event_name, pop_filter, or stratifications).
+            for observation_details in self.observations.values():
+                for observations in observation_details.values():
+                    for observation in observations:
+                        if observation.name == name:
+                            already_used = observation
+        if already_used:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Observation name '{name}' is already used: {str(already_used)}."
+            )
         observation = observation_type(name=name, pop_filter=pop_filter, when=when, **kwargs)
         self.observations[observation.when][
             (observation.pop_filter, observation.stratifications)
diff --git a/src/vivarium/framework/results/manager.py b/src/vivarium/framework/results/manager.py
index aafe6b03d..3ceafd244 100644
--- a/src/vivarium/framework/results/manager.py
+++ b/src/vivarium/framework/results/manager.py
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ def get_results(self) -> Dict[str, pd.DataFrame]:
 
         NOTE: self._results_context.observations is a list where each item is a dictionary
         of the form {event_name: {(pop_filter, stratifications): List[Observation]}}.
-        We use a triple-nested for loop to iterative over only the list of Observations
+        We use a triple-nested for loop to iterate over only the list of Observations
         (i.e. we do not need the event_name, pop_filter, or stratifications).
         """
         formatted = {}
diff --git a/tests/framework/results/test_context.py b/tests/framework/results/test_context.py
index 19b8280cf..dbbcae2cd 100644
--- a/tests/framework/results/test_context.py
+++ b/tests/framework/results/test_context.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def _aggregate_state_person_time(x: pd.DataFrame) -> float:
     ],
     ids=["valid_on_collect_metrics", "valid_on_time_step__prepare"],
 )
-def test_add_observation(kwargs):
+def test_register_observation(kwargs):
     ctx = ResultsContext()
     assert len(ctx.observations) == 0
     kwargs["results_formatter"] = lambda: None
@@ -123,29 +123,28 @@ def test_add_observation(kwargs):
     assert len(ctx.observations) == 1
 
 
-def test_double_add_observation():
-    """Tests a double add of the same stratification, this should result in one
-    additional observation being added to the context."""
+def test_register_observation_duplicate_name_raises():
     ctx = ResultsContext()
-    assert len(ctx.observations) == 0
-    kwargs = {
-        "name": "living_person_time",
-        "pop_filter": 'alive == "alive" and undead == False',
-        "when": "collect_metrics",
-        "results_formatter": lambda: None,
-        "stratifications": tuple(),
-        "aggregator_sources": [],
-        "aggregator": len,
-    }
-    ctx.register_observation(
-        observation_type=AddingObservation,
-        **kwargs,
-    )
     ctx.register_observation(
         observation_type=AddingObservation,
-        **kwargs,
+        name="some-observation-name",
+        pop_filter="some-pop-filter",
+        when="some-when",
+        results_formatter=lambda df: df,
+        stratifications=(),
+        aggregator_sources=[],
+        aggregator=len,
     )
-    assert len(ctx.observations) == 1
+    with pytest.raises(
+        ValueError, match="Observation name 'some-observation-name' is already used: "
+    ):
+        # register a different observation but w/ the same name
+        ctx.register_observation(
+            observation_type=ConcatenatingObservation,
+            name="some-observation-name",
+            pop_filter="some-other-pop-filter",
+            when="some-other-when",
+        )
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/tests/helpers.py b/tests/helpers.py
index ba7e90ff9..a342e0803 100644
--- a/tests/helpers.py
+++ b/tests/helpers.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def setup(self, builder: Builder) -> None:
         self.builder_used_for_setup = builder
 
     def register_observations(self, builder):
-        builder.results.register_adding_observation("test", aggregator=self.counter)
+        builder.results.register_adding_observation(self.name, aggregator=self.counter)
 
     def create_lookup_tables(self, builder):
         return {}