diff --git a/plugins/hifiSpacemouse/src/SpacemouseManager.h b/plugins/hifiSpacemouse/src/SpacemouseManager.h
index a9933902e5..361a1fad2d 100644
--- a/plugins/hifiSpacemouse/src/SpacemouseManager.h
+++ b/plugins/hifiSpacemouse/src/SpacemouseManager.h
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ class SpacemouseManager : public InputPlugin, public QAbstractNativeEventFilter
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
     bool isSupported() const override;
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
-    const QString& getID() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getID() const override { return NAME; }
 
     bool activate() override;
     void deactivate() override;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ private:
     // use to calculate distance traveled since last event
     DWORD fLast3dmouseInputTime;
 
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
     friend class SpacemouseDevice;
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.cpp
index f0edc5a465..c9c964ec9d 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.cpp
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 Q_DECLARE_LOGGING_CATEGORY(oculus)
 
 
-static const QString MENU_PARENT = "Avatar";
-static const QString MENU_NAME = "Oculus Touch Controllers";
-static const QString MENU_PATH = MENU_PARENT + ">" + MENU_NAME;
+static const char* MENU_PARENT = "Avatar";
+static const char* MENU_NAME = "Oculus Touch Controllers";
+static const char* MENU_PATH = MENU_PARENT + ">" + MENU_NAME;
 
 const QString OculusControllerManager::NAME = "Oculus";
 
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.h
index 1ca9e0f47e..98e0e3d650 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusControllerManager.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class OculusControllerManager : public InputPlugin {
 public:
     // Plugin functions
     bool isSupported() const override;
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
     bool isHandController() const override { return _touch != nullptr; }
     QStringList getSubdeviceNames() override;
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ private:
     ovrInputState _inputState {};
     RemoteDevice::Pointer _remote;
     TouchDevice::Pointer _touch;
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi__OculusControllerManager
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.cpp b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.cpp
index f1d22f3ceb..429d3ecd16 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.cpp
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.h"
 #include <QtCore/QProcessEnvironment>
 
-const QString OculusDebugDisplayPlugin::NAME("Oculus Rift (Simulator)");
+const char* OculusDebugDisplayPlugin::NAME { "Oculus Rift (Simulator)" };
 
 static const QString DEBUG_FLAG("HIFI_DEBUG_OCULUS");
 static bool enableDebugOculus = true || QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment().contains("HIFI_DEBUG_OCULUS");
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.h
index 983511ba01..ec05cd92e2 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDebugDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 class OculusDebugDisplayPlugin : public OculusBaseDisplayPlugin {
 public:
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
     grouping getGrouping() const override { return DEVELOPER; }
     bool isSupported() const override;
 
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ protected:
     bool isHmdMounted() const override { return true; }
 
 private:
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.h
index 0c7d57c4f4..fce8e9e6ce 100644
--- a/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculus/src/OculusDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class OculusDisplayPlugin : public OculusBaseDisplayPlugin {
     using Parent = OculusBaseDisplayPlugin;
 public:
     ~OculusDisplayPlugin();
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
     void init() override;
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ protected:
     void cycleDebugOutput() override;
 
 private:
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
     ovrTextureSwapChain _textureSwapChain;
     gpu::FramebufferPointer _outputFramebuffer;
     bool _customized { false };
diff --git a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
index 6ffc1a7f44..20345467df 100644
--- a/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/oculusLegacy/src/OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin : public HmdDisplayPlugin {
 public:
     OculusLegacyDisplayPlugin();
     bool isSupported() const override;
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
     void init() override;
 
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ protected:
     void uncustomizeContext() override;
     void hmdPresent() override;
     bool isHmdMounted() const override { return true; }
-    
+
 private:
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
 
     GLWindow* _hmdWindow{ nullptr };
     ovrHmd _hmd;
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
index 3403bae27c..a60c21a606 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/OpenVrDisplayPlugin.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class OpenVrDisplayPlugin : public HmdDisplayPlugin {
     using Parent = HmdDisplayPlugin;
 public:
     bool isSupported() const override;
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
     void init() override;
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ private:
     vr::IVRSystem* _system { nullptr };
     std::atomic<vr::EDeviceActivityLevel> _hmdActivityLevel { vr::k_EDeviceActivityLevel_Unknown };
     std::atomic<uint32_t> _keyboardSupressionCount{ 0 };
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
 
     vr::HmdMatrix34_t _lastGoodHMDPose;
     mat4 _sensorResetMat;
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
index ff8fc64474..449bf1b85e 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.cpp
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ void releaseOpenVrSystem();
 
 static const char* CONTROLLER_MODEL_STRING = "vr_controller_05_wireless_b";
 
-static const QString MENU_PARENT = "Avatar";
-static const QString MENU_NAME = "Vive Controllers";
-static const QString MENU_PATH = MENU_PARENT + ">" + MENU_NAME;
-static const QString RENDER_CONTROLLERS = "Render Hand Controllers";
+static const char* MENU_PARENT = "Avatar";
+static const char* MENU_NAME = "Vive Controllers";
+static const char* MENU_PATH = "Avatar" ">" "Vive Controllers";
+static const char* RENDER_CONTROLLERS = "Render Hand Controllers";
 
 const QString ViveControllerManager::NAME = "OpenVR";
 
diff --git a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
index 5f34d70ba8..3fb166c842 100644
--- a/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
+++ b/plugins/openvr/src/ViveControllerManager.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class ViveControllerManager : public InputPlugin {
 public:
     // Plugin functions
     bool isSupported() const override;
-    const QString& getName() const override { return NAME; }
+    const QString getName() const override { return NAME; }
 
     bool isHandController() const override { return true; }
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ private:
     vr::IVRSystem* _system { nullptr };
     std::shared_ptr<InputDevice> _inputDevice { std::make_shared<InputDevice>(_system) };
 
-    static const QString NAME;
+    static const char* NAME;
 };
 
 #endif // hifi__ViveControllerManager