diff --git a/tests/test_decoder.py b/tests/test_decoder.py
index ec10f91..cf28683 100644
--- a/tests/test_decoder.py
+++ b/tests/test_decoder.py
@@ -88,6 +88,23 @@ def test_decode_array_delimiters():
     assert decode('numbers: [1|2|3]') == {'numbers': [1, 2, 3]}
 
 
+def test_decode_delimiter_name_normalization():
+    """Test that delimiter names ('comma', 'tab', 'pipe') are normalized like the encoder does."""
+    toon = """products[2]{id,name,price}:
+  101,Laptop Pro,1299
+  102,Magic Mouse,79"""
+    expected = {
+        'products': [
+            {'id': 101, 'name': 'Laptop Pro', 'price': 1299},
+            {'id': 102, 'name': 'Magic Mouse', 'price': 79},
+        ]
+    }
+
+    # Named delimiter (as passed by the CLI) must behave like the character form
+    assert decode(toon, {'default_delimiter': 'comma'}) == expected
+    assert decode(toon, {'default_delimiter': ','}) == expected
+
+
 def test_decode_tabular_array():
     """Test decoding of tabular arrays."""
     toon = """users[2]{id,name,role}:
diff --git a/toon/decoder.py b/toon/decoder.py
index 28f4e22..798e480 100644
--- a/toon/decoder.py
+++ b/toon/decoder.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     COMMA, TAB, PIPE, COLON, QUOTE, NEWLINE, SPACE,
     DEFAULT_DELIMITER, DEFAULT_STRICT,
     EXPAND_PATHS_OFF, EXPAND_PATHS_SAFE,
+    DELIMITER_TAB, DELIMITER_PIPE, DELIMITER_COMMA,
     LEFT_BRACKET, RIGHT_BRACKET, LEFT_BRACE, RIGHT_BRACE
 )
 from .utils import unescape_string, parse_literal
@@ -60,8 +61,16 @@ def __init__(
         Args:
             strict: Validate structure strictly
             expand_paths: Path expansion mode ('off' | 'safe')
-            default_delimiter: Default delimiter for arrays
+            default_delimiter: Default delimiter for arrays (',' | 'tab' | 'pipe')
         """
+        # Normalize delimiter names to their character form
+        if default_delimiter == DELIMITER_TAB:
+            default_delimiter = TAB
+        elif default_delimiter == DELIMITER_PIPE:
+            default_delimiter = PIPE
+        elif default_delimiter == DELIMITER_COMMA:
+            default_delimiter = COMMA
+
         self.strict = strict
         self.expand_paths = expand_paths
         self.default_delimiter = default_delimiter