diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal.ql b/cpp/ql/src/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal.ql
index 4c1935627d52..b20e0271db87 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/src/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal.ql	
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal.ql	
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ import semmle.code.cpp.ConfigurationTestFile
 from GlobalVariable gv
 where
   gv.getName().length() <= 3 and
+  // We will give an alert for the TemplateVariable, so we don't
+  // need to also give one for each instantiation
+  not gv instanceof VariableTemplateInstantiation and
   not gv.isStatic() and
   not gv.getFile() instanceof ConfigurationTestFile // variables in files generated during configuration are likely false positives
 select gv,
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2025-08-15-short-global-name-template-instantiations.md b/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2025-08-15-short-global-name-template-instantiations.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8a8f54c73372
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/change-notes/2025-08-15-short-global-name-template-instantiations.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+category: minorAnalysis
+---
+* The `cpp/short-global-name` query will no longer give alerts for instantiations of template variables, only for the template itself.
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/SloppyGlobal.expected b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/SloppyGlobal.expected
index 692f7d81cd6c..ceccd95ea3c4 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/SloppyGlobal.expected	
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/SloppyGlobal.expected	
@@ -1,2 +1,7 @@
 | main.cpp:3:5:3:5 | x | Poor global variable name 'x'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
 | main.cpp:4:5:4:6 | ys | Poor global variable name 'ys'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
+| main.cpp:9:5:9:6 | v1 | Poor global variable name 'v1'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
+| main.cpp:10:5:10:6 | v2 | Poor global variable name 'v2'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
+| main.cpp:12:5:12:5 | v3 | Poor global variable name 'v3'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
+| main.cpp:14:5:14:5 | v4 | Poor global variable name 'v4'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
+| main.cpp:16:5:16:5 | v5 | Poor global variable name 'v5'. Prefer longer, descriptive names for globals (eg. kMyGlobalConstant, not foo). |
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/main.cpp b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/main.cpp
index 1b1b7ee0280b..e279fbf02579 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/main.cpp	
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/query-tests/Best Practices/SloppyGlobal/main.cpp	
@@ -5,3 +5,19 @@ int ys[1000000]; // BAD: too short
 int descriptive_name; // GOOD: sufficient
 
 static int z; // GOOD: not a global
+
+int v1; // BAD: too short
+int v2; // BAD: too short
+template <typename T>
+T v3; // BAD: too short
+template <typename T>
+T v4; // BAD: too short
+template <typename T>
+T v5; // BAD: too short
+
+void use_some_fs() {
+    v2 = 100;
+    v4<int> = 200;
+    v5<int> = 300;
+    v5<const char *> = "string";
+}