diff --git a/doc/Rules.md b/doc/Rules.md
index a0edafd0..45710027 100644
--- a/doc/Rules.md
+++ b/doc/Rules.md
@@ -1127,7 +1127,7 @@ Tags: spelling
 
 Aliases: proper-names
 
-Parameters: names (array of string; default `null` for disabled)
+Parameters: names, code_blocks (string array; default `null`, boolean; default `true`)
 
 This rule is triggered when any of the strings in the `names` array do not have
 the specified capitalization. It can be used to enforce a standard letter case
@@ -1140,3 +1140,5 @@ the proper capitalization, specify the desired letter case in the `names` array:
     [
         "JavaScript"
     ]
+
+Set the `code_blocks` parameter to `false` to disable this rule for code blocks.
diff --git a/lib/rules.js b/lib/rules.js
index cf09ff9e..5b545708 100644
--- a/lib/rules.js
+++ b/lib/rules.js
@@ -1124,6 +1124,8 @@ module.exports = [
     "regexp": null,
     "func": function MD044(params, errors) {
       var names = params.options.names || [];
+      var codeBlocks = params.options.code_blocks;
+      var includeCodeBlocks = (codeBlocks === undefined) ? true : !!codeBlocks;
       names.forEach(function forName(name) {
         var escapedName = escapeForRegExp(name);
         var namePattern = "\\S*\\b(" + escapedName + ")\\b\\S*";
@@ -1142,9 +1144,11 @@ module.exports = [
             });
         }
         forEachInlineChild(params, "text", forToken);
-        forEachInlineChild(params, "code_inline", forToken);
-        filterTokens(params, "code_block", forToken);
-        filterTokens(params, "fence", forToken);
+        if (includeCodeBlocks) {
+          forEachInlineChild(params, "code_inline", forToken);
+          filterTokens(params, "code_block", forToken);
+          filterTokens(params, "fence", forToken);
+        }
       });
     }
   }
diff --git a/schema/build-config-schema.js b/schema/build-config-schema.js
index 9d0c05f1..9250882c 100644
--- a/schema/build-config-schema.js
+++ b/schema/build-config-schema.js
@@ -226,6 +226,11 @@ rules.forEach(function forRule(rule) {
             "type": "string"
           },
           "default": null
+        },
+        "code_blocks": {
+          "description": "Include code blocks",
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": true
         }
       };
       break;
diff --git a/schema/markdownlint-config-schema.json b/schema/markdownlint-config-schema.json
index a83ee102..d7225e73 100644
--- a/schema/markdownlint-config-schema.json
+++ b/schema/markdownlint-config-schema.json
@@ -896,6 +896,11 @@
             "type": "string"
           },
           "default": null
+        },
+        "code_blocks": {
+          "description": "Include code blocks",
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": true
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
@@ -915,6 +920,11 @@
             "type": "string"
           },
           "default": null
+        },
+        "code_blocks": {
+          "description": "Include code blocks",
+          "type": "boolean",
+          "default": true
         }
       },
       "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/test/proper-names-no-code.json b/test/proper-names-no-code.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7b60da03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/proper-names-no-code.json
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+{
+  "default": true,
+  "MD044": {
+    "names": [
+      "markdownlint",
+      "JavaScript",
+      "Node.js",
+      "GitHub",
+      "npm",
+      "Internet Explorer"
+    ],
+    "code_blocks": false
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/proper-names-no-code.md b/test/proper-names-no-code.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..367c043a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/proper-names-no-code.md
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# markdownlint test file
+
+Markdownlint is a tool {MD044}
+
+JavaScript is a language
+
+JavaScript is not Java
+
+Nor is it Javascript. {MD044}
+
+Code in `javascript`
+
+Execute `via the node.js engine`
+
+    javascript is code
+    node.js is runtime
+
+```js
+javascript is code
+node.js is runtime
+```
+
+A short paragraph
+about node.js and {MD044}
+javascript. {MD044}