diff --git a/src/commands/sites/sites-create.js b/src/commands/sites/sites-create.js
index f2e0eec7b0e..e2f7689e34a 100644
--- a/src/commands/sites/sites-create.js
+++ b/src/commands/sites/sites-create.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // @ts-check
 
 const slugify = require('@sindresorhus/slugify')
+const { InvalidArgumentError } = require('commander')
 const inquirer = require('inquirer')
 const pick = require('lodash/pick')
 const sample = require('lodash/sample')
@@ -84,7 +85,6 @@ const sitesCreate = async (options, command) => {
     accountSlug = accountSlugInput
   }
 
-  const { name: nameFlag } = options
   let user
   let site
 
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ const sitesCreate = async (options, command) => {
       }
     }
   }
-  await inputSiteName(nameFlag)
+  await inputSiteName(options.name)
 
   log()
   log(chalk.greenBright.bold.underline(`Site Created`))
@@ -175,6 +175,16 @@ const sitesCreate = async (options, command) => {
   return site
 }
 
+const MAX_SITE_NAME_LENGTH = 63
+const validateName = function (value) {
+  // netlify sites:create --name <A string of more than 63 words>
+  if (typeof value === 'string' && value.length > MAX_SITE_NAME_LENGTH) {
+    throw new InvalidArgumentError(`--name should be less than 64 characters, input length: ${value.length}`)
+  }
+
+  return value
+}
+
 /**
  * Creates the `netlify sites:create` command
  * @param {import('../base-command').BaseCommand} program
@@ -187,8 +197,8 @@ const createSitesCreateCommand = (program) =>
       `Create an empty site (advanced)
 Create a blank site that isn't associated with any git remote. Will link the site to the current working directory.`,
     )
-    .option('-n, --name [name]', 'name of site')
-    .option('-a, --account-slug [slug]', 'account slug to create the site under')
+    .option('-n, --name <name>', 'name of site', validateName)
+    .option('-a, --account-slug <slug>', 'account slug to create the site under')
     .option('-c, --with-ci', 'initialize CI hooks during site creation')
     .option('-m, --manual', 'force manual CI setup.  Used --with-ci flag')
     .option('--disable-linking', 'create the site without linking it to current directory')
diff --git a/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js b/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
index c10907fa037..fc49110fbde 100644
--- a/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
+++ b/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ const validateTemplateStub = sinon.stub(templatesUtils, 'validateTemplate').call
 const jsonRenderSpy = sinon.spy(prettyjson, 'render')
 
 const { createSitesFromTemplateCommand, fetchTemplates } = require('../../src/commands/sites/sites-create-template')
+const { createSitesCreateCommand } = require('../../src/commands/sites/sites-create')
 
 /* eslint-enable import/order */
 const { withMockApi } = require('./utils/mock-api')
@@ -185,3 +186,27 @@ test.serial('should return an array of templates with name, source code url and
     ])
   })
 })
+
+test.serial('should throw error when name flag is incorrect', async (t) => {
+  await withMockApi(routes, async ({ apiUrl }) => {
+    Object.defineProperty(process, 'env', {
+      value: {
+        NETLIFY_API_URL: apiUrl,
+        NETLIFY_AUTH_TOKEN: 'fake-token',
+      },
+    })
+    const exitSpy = sinon.stub(process, 'exit')
+
+    const program = new BaseCommand('netlify')
+
+    createSitesCreateCommand(program)
+
+    const lengthError = await t.throwsAsync(async () => {
+      const LENGTH = 64
+      await program.parseAsync(['', '', 'sites:create', '--name', Array.from({ length: LENGTH }).fill('a').join('')])
+    })
+    t.truthy(lengthError.message.includes('--name should be less than 64 characters'))
+
+    exitSpy.restore()
+  })
+})