diff --git a/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault.go b/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault.go
index f2b4b52670f..d4abac30925 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault.go
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ func NewCmdSetDefault(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*SetDefaultOptions) error) *
 			# Set a repository explicitly
 			$ gh repo set-default owner/repo
 
+			# Set a repository using a git remote name
+			$ gh repo set-default origin
+
 			# View the current default repository
 			$ gh repo set-default --view
 
@@ -79,11 +82,26 @@ func NewCmdSetDefault(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*SetDefaultOptions) error) *
 		`),
 		Args: cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			if isLocal, err := opts.GitClient.IsLocalGitRepo(cmd.Context()); err != nil {
+				return err
+			} else if !isLocal {
+				return errors.New("must be run from inside a git repository")
+			}
+
 			if len(args) > 0 {
 				var err error
 				opts.Repo, err = ghrepo.FromFullName(args[0])
 				if err != nil {
-					return err
+					remotes, remoteErr := opts.Remotes()
+					if remoteErr != nil {
+						return remoteErr
+					}
+
+					remote, findErr := remotes.FindByName(args[0])
+					if findErr != nil {
+						return fmt.Errorf("given arg is not a valid repo or git remote: %w", err)
+					}
+					opts.Repo = remote.Repo
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -91,12 +109,6 @@ func NewCmdSetDefault(f *cmdutil.Factory, runF func(*SetDefaultOptions) error) *
 				return cmdutil.FlagErrorf("repository required when not running interactively")
 			}
 
-			if isLocal, err := opts.GitClient.IsLocalGitRepo(cmd.Context()); err != nil {
-				return err
-			} else if !isLocal {
-				return errors.New("must be run from inside a git repository")
-			}
-
 			if runF != nil {
 				return runF(opts)
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault_test.go b/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault_test.go
index 0d2e2ddaacc..5b2c4d6a30b 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/repo/setdefault/setdefault_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ func TestNewCmdSetDefault(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name     string
 		gitStubs func(*run.CommandStubber)
+		remotes  func() (context.Remotes, error)
 		input    string
 		output   SetDefaultOptions
 		wantErr  bool
@@ -43,11 +44,13 @@ func TestNewCmdSetDefault(t *testing.T) {
 			output: SetDefaultOptions{Repo: ghrepo.New("cli", "cli")},
 		},
 		{
-			name:     "invalid repo argument",
-			gitStubs: func(cs *run.CommandStubber) {},
-			input:    "some_invalid_format",
-			wantErr:  true,
-			errMsg:   `expected the "[HOST/]OWNER/REPO" format, got "some_invalid_format"`,
+			name: "invalid repo argument",
+			gitStubs: func(cs *run.CommandStubber) {
+				cs.Register(`git rev-parse --git-dir`, 0, ".git")
+			},
+			input:   "some_invalid_format",
+			wantErr: true,
+			errMsg:  `given arg is not a valid repo or git remote: expected the "[HOST/]OWNER/REPO" format, got "some_invalid_format"`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "view flag",
@@ -74,6 +77,38 @@ func TestNewCmdSetDefault(t *testing.T) {
 			wantErr: true,
 			errMsg:  "must be run from inside a git repository",
 		},
+		{
+			name: "remote name argument",
+			gitStubs: func(cs *run.CommandStubber) {
+				cs.Register(`git rev-parse --git-dir`, 0, ".git")
+			},
+			remotes: func() (context.Remotes, error) {
+				return context.Remotes{
+					{
+						Remote: &git.Remote{Name: "origin"},
+						Repo:   ghrepo.New("OWNER", "REPO"),
+					},
+				}, nil
+			},
+			input:  "origin",
+			output: SetDefaultOptions{Repo: ghrepo.New("OWNER", "REPO")},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "repo argument despite remote name matching owner/repo",
+			gitStubs: func(cs *run.CommandStubber) {
+				cs.Register(`git rev-parse --git-dir`, 0, ".git")
+			},
+			remotes: func() (context.Remotes, error) {
+				return context.Remotes{
+					{
+						Remote: &git.Remote{Name: "OWNER/REPO"},
+						Repo:   ghrepo.New("OTHER", "REPO"),
+					},
+				}, nil
+			},
+			input:  "OWNER/REPO",
+			output: SetDefaultOptions{Repo: ghrepo.New("OWNER", "REPO")},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
@@ -81,9 +116,17 @@ func TestNewCmdSetDefault(t *testing.T) {
 		io.SetStdoutTTY(true)
 		io.SetStdinTTY(true)
 		io.SetStderrTTY(true)
+		remotesFunc := tt.remotes
+		if remotesFunc == nil {
+			remotesFunc = func() (context.Remotes, error) {
+				return context.Remotes{}, nil
+			}
+		}
+
 		f := &cmdutil.Factory{
 			IOStreams: io,
 			GitClient: &git.Client{GitPath: "/fake/path/to/git"},
+			Remotes:   remotesFunc,
 		}
 
 		var gotOpts *SetDefaultOptions