diff --git a/lib/schema/array.js b/lib/schema/array.js
index 83455ed2dcf..a22a286f4ab 100644
--- a/lib/schema/array.js
+++ b/lib/schema/array.js
@@ -44,7 +44,15 @@ function SchemaArray (key, cast, options) {
       }
     }
 
-    var caster = cast.name in Types ? Types[cast.name] : cast;
+    // support { type: 'String' }
+    var name = 'string' == typeof cast
+      ? cast
+      : cast.name;
+
+    var caster = name in Types
+      ? Types[name]
+      : cast;
+
     this.casterConstructor = caster;
     this.caster = new caster(null, castOptions);
     if (!(this.caster instanceof EmbeddedDoc)) {