diff --git src/wp-admin/css/forms.css src/wp-admin/css/forms.css
index 0e499cfc4a..08a1f9a133 100644
--- src/wp-admin/css/forms.css
+++ src/wp-admin/css/forms.css
@@ -237,9 +237,9 @@ textarea[readonly] {
 }
 
 .form-invalid input, .form-invalid input:focus,
-.form-invalid select, .form-invalid select:focus {
+.form-invalid select, .form-invalid select:focus, input.invalid {
 	border-color: #dc3232 !important;
- box-shadow: 0 0 2px rgba( 204, 0, 0, 0.8 );
+    box-shadow: 0 0 2px rgba( 204, 0, 0, 0.8 );
 }
 
 .form-table .form-required.form-invalid td:after {
diff --git src/wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js src/wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js
index 79a8556dbe..5756d5fa09 100644
--- src/wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js
+++ src/wp-admin/js/nav-menu.js
@@ -829,6 +829,20 @@ var wpNavMenu;
 					}
 				}
 			});
+
+			$( '#menu-name' ).on('keyup', _.debounce( function (e) {
+				var menuName = $( document.getElementById( 'menu-name' ) ),
+					menuNameVal = menuName.val();
+
+				if ( ! menuNameVal || menuNameVal === menuName.attr( 'title' ) || ! menuNameVal.replace( /\s+/, '' ) ) {
+					// Add warning for invalid menu name
+					menuName.addClass( 'invalid' );
+				} else {
+					// Remove warning for valid menu name
+					menuName.removeClass( 'invalid' );
+				}
+			}, 500 ));
+
 			$('#add-custom-links input[type="text"]').keypress(function(e){
 				$('#customlinkdiv').removeClass('form-invalid');
 
@@ -1172,8 +1186,8 @@ var wpNavMenu;
 			menuName = $('#menu-name'),
 			menuNameVal = menuName.val();
 			// Cancel and warn if invalid menu name
-			if( !menuNameVal || menuNameVal == menuName.attr('title') || !menuNameVal.replace(/\s+/, '') ) {
-				menuName.parent().addClass('form-invalid');
+			if( !menuNameVal || menuNameVal === menuName.attr('title') || !menuNameVal.replace(/\s+/, '') ) {
+				menuName.addClass('invalid');
 				return false;
 			}
 			// Copy menu theme locations
diff --git src/wp-includes/script-loader.php src/wp-includes/script-loader.php
index e5204a7aa0..091ab3db2f 100644
--- src/wp-includes/script-loader.php
+++ src/wp-includes/script-loader.php
@@ -877,7 +877,14 @@ function wp_default_scripts( &$scripts ) {
 		) );
 
 		// Navigation Menus
-		$scripts->add( 'nav-menu', "/wp-admin/js/nav-menu$suffix.js", array( 'jquery-ui-sortable', 'jquery-ui-draggable', 'jquery-ui-droppable', 'wp-lists', 'postbox', 'json2' ) );
+		/**
+		 * Adding underscore as a dependency to utilize _.debounce
+		 *
+		 * @since 4.9.1
+		 *
+		 * @see https://core.trac.wordpress.org/attachment/ticket/42321/
+		 */
+		$scripts->add( 'nav-menu', "/wp-admin/js/nav-menu$suffix.js", array( 'jquery-ui-sortable', 'jquery-ui-draggable', 'jquery-ui-droppable', 'wp-lists', 'postbox', 'json2', 'underscore' ) );
 		did_action( 'init' ) && $scripts->localize( 'nav-menu', 'navMenuL10n', array(
 			'noResultsFound' => __( 'No results found.' ),
 			'warnDeleteMenu' => __( "You are about to permanently delete this menu. \n 'Cancel' to stop, 'OK' to delete." ),