diff --git a/pubs/bibstruct.py b/pubs/bibstruct.py
index a8312b0..66f6ae6 100644
--- a/pubs/bibstruct.py
+++ b/pubs/bibstruct.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def valid_citekey(citekey):
     return not '/' in citekey
 
 
-def generate_citekey(bibdata):
+def generate_citekey(bibdata, format_string='%A%Y'):
     """ Generate a citekey from bib_data.
 
         :raise ValueError:  if no author nor editor is defined.
@@ -72,8 +72,16 @@ def generate_citekey(bibdata):
     try:
         year = entry['year']
     except KeyError:
-        year = ''
-    citekey = '{}{}'.format(''.join(author_last(first_author)), year)
+        raise ValueError(
+            "No author or editor defined: cannot generate a citekey.")
+    try:
+        first_word = entry['title'].split(' ')[0]
+    except KeyError:
+        first_word = ''
+    author_last_name = author_last(first_author)
+    citekey = format_string.replace('%Y', year).replace('%y', year[-2:]) \
+            .replace('%A', author_last_name).replace('%a', author_last_name.lower()) \
+            .replace('%W', first_word).replace('%w', first_word.lower())
 
     return str2citekey(citekey)
 
diff --git a/pubs/commands/add_cmd.py b/pubs/commands/add_cmd.py
index b932a08..cf67fa9 100644
--- a/pubs/commands/add_cmd.py
+++ b/pubs/commands/add_cmd.py
@@ -119,7 +119,10 @@ def command(conf, args):
 
     citekey = args.citekey
     if citekey is None:
-        base_key = bibstruct.generate_citekey(bibentry)
+        if conf['main']['normalize_citekey']:
+            base_key = bibstruct.generate_citekey(bibentry, conf['main']['citekey_format'])
+        else:
+            base_key = bibstruct.extract_citekey(bibentry)
         citekey = rp.unique_citekey(base_key, bibentry)
     elif citekey in rp:
         ui.error('citekey already exist {}.'.format(citekey))
diff --git a/pubs/config/spec.py b/pubs/config/spec.py
index 4c50f4c..a067ed4 100644
--- a/pubs/config/spec.py
+++ b/pubs/config/spec.py
@@ -31,6 +31,17 @@ note_extension = string(default='txt')
 # the full python stack is printed.
 debug = boolean(default=False)
 
+# If true the citekey is normalized using the 'citekey_format' on adding new publications.
+normalize_citekey = boolean(default=False)
+
+# String specifying how to format the citekey. The following
+# substitutions are used:
+#    %a: last name of the first author in lowercase
+#    %A: last name of the first author in PascalCase
+#    %Y: four letter year of release (e.g. 2019)
+#    %y: two last letters of release year (e.g. 19)
+citekey_format = string(default='%a%Y')
+
 [formating]
 
 # Enable bold formatting, if the terminal supports it.
diff --git a/pubs/version.py b/pubs/version.py
index b4e3540..21320a8 100644
--- a/pubs/version.py
+++ b/pubs/version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = '0.8.3'
+__version__ = '0.8.4'