diff --git a/apps/examples/src/components/App.js b/apps/examples/src/components/App.js
index 311de906..ea7af984 100644
--- a/apps/examples/src/components/App.js
+++ b/apps/examples/src/components/App.js
@@ -654,14 +654,14 @@ const animateSequence = css.keyframes({
 });
 
 const themedTokens = css.createTheme(tokens, {
-  squareColor: 'purple',
+  '--square-color': 'purple',
   textColor: 'purple',
   inputColor: 'purple',
   inputPlaceholderColor: 'mediumpurple'
 });
 
 const themedTokensAlt = css.createTheme(tokens, {
-  squareColor: 'darkorange',
+  '--square-color': 'darkorange',
   textColor: 'darkorange',
   inputColor: 'orangered',
   inputPlaceholderColor: 'orange'
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ const styles = css.create({
   square: {
     height: 100,
     width: 100,
-    backgroundColor: tokens.squareColor
+    backgroundColor: 'var(--square-color)' // check global vars work too
   },
   pseudoStates: {
     height: 50,
diff --git a/apps/examples/src/components/tokens.stylex.js b/apps/examples/src/components/tokens.stylex.js
index 3e5d7820..8856cae2 100644
--- a/apps/examples/src/components/tokens.stylex.js
+++ b/apps/examples/src/components/tokens.stylex.js
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@ import { css } from 'react-strict-dom';
 
 export const tokens: StyleVars<
   $ReadOnly<{
-    squareColor: string,
+    '--square-color': string,
     textColor: string,
     inputColor: string,
     inputPlaceholderColor: string
   }>
 > = css.defineVars({
-  squareColor: 'red',
+  '--square-color': 'red', // '--' prefix makes this is a global var
   textColor: {
     default: 'darkred',
     '@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)': 'lightred'
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/customProperties.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/customProperties.js
index c59b5a90..65a60d87 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/customProperties.js
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/customProperties.js
@@ -13,27 +13,16 @@ import { CSSUnparsedValue } from './typed-om/CSSUnparsedValue';
 import { CSSVariableReferenceValue } from './typed-om/CSSVariableReferenceValue';
 import { warnMsg } from '../../shared/logUtils';
 
-const memoizedValues = new Map<string, string>();
-
-function camelize(s: string): string {
-  const memoizedValue = memoizedValues.get(s);
-  if (memoizedValue != null) {
-    return memoizedValue;
-  }
-  const result = s.replace(/-./g, (x) => x.toUpperCase()[1]);
-  memoizedValues.set(s, result);
-  return result;
-}
-
 function normalizeVariableName(name: string): string {
   if (__DEV__) {
     if (!name.startsWith('--')) {
       throw new Error("Invalid variable name, must begin with '--'");
     }
   }
-  // TODO: remove camelize
-  // https://github.com/facebook/react-strict-dom/pull/73
-  return camelize(name.substring(2));
+  // Scoped vars created by defineVars all start with __var__.
+  // But global vars manually created with '--' prefixed keys don't.
+  const varName = name.startsWith('--__var__') ? name.substring(2) : name;
+  return varName;
 }
 
 export function stringContainsVariables(input: string): boolean {
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/index.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/index.js
index 4d2e5f38..7734871a 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/index.js
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/stylex/index.js
@@ -448,8 +448,12 @@ export const createTheme = (
   const result: MutableCustomProperties = { $$theme: 'theme' };
   for (const key in baseTokens) {
     const varName: string = baseTokens[key];
-    const normalizedKey = varName.replace(RE_CAPTURE_VAR_NAME, '$1');
-    result[normalizedKey] = overrides[key];
+    const match = varName.match(RE_CAPTURE_VAR_NAME);
+    if (match) {
+      const x = match[1];
+      const normalizedKey = x.startsWith('__var__') ? x : `--${x}`;
+      result[normalizedKey] = overrides[key];
+    }
   }
   return result;
 };
@@ -466,8 +470,11 @@ export const defineVars = (tokens: CustomProperties): Tokens => {
   const result: Tokens = {};
   for (const key in tokens) {
     const value = tokens[key];
-    const customPropName = `${key}__id__${defineVarsCount++}`;
-    result[key] = `var(--${customPropName})`;
+    const isGlobalVar = key.startsWith('--');
+    const customPropName = isGlobalVar
+      ? key
+      : `__var__${defineVarsCount++}_${key}`;
+    result[key] = isGlobalVar ? `var(${key})` : `var(--${customPropName})`;
     // NOTE: it's generally not a good idea to mutate the default context,
     // but defineVars is always called before any component body is evaluated,
     // and so it's safe to do so here.
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/__snapshots__/css-test.native.js.snap-native b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/__snapshots__/css-test.native.js.snap-native
index 610def8d..46541ec8 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/__snapshots__/css-test.native.js.snap-native
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/__snapshots__/css-test.native.js.snap-native
@@ -2,19 +2,20 @@
 
 exports[`properties: custom property css.createTheme: css.__customProperties 1`] = `
 {
-  "rootColor__id__1": "red",
-  "rootColor__id__3": "red",
-  "themeAwareColor__id__2": {
+  "--pass-through": "purple",
+  "__var__1_rootColor": "red",
+  "__var__2_themeAwareColor": {
     "@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)": "green",
     "default": "blue",
   },
+  "__var__3_rootColor": "red",
 }
 `;
 
 exports[`properties: custom property css.createTheme: theme 1`] = `
 {
   "$$theme": "theme",
-  "rootColor__id__3": "green",
+  "__var__3_rootColor": "green",
 }
 `;
 
@@ -27,8 +28,9 @@ exports[`properties: custom property css.defineConsts: constants 1`] = `
 
 exports[`properties: custom property css.defineVars: css.__customProperties 1`] = `
 {
-  "rootColor__id__1": "red",
-  "themeAwareColor__id__2": {
+  "--pass-through": "purple",
+  "__var__1_rootColor": "red",
+  "__var__2_themeAwareColor": {
     "@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)": "green",
     "default": "blue",
   },
@@ -37,8 +39,9 @@ exports[`properties: custom property css.defineVars: css.__customProperties 1`]
 
 exports[`properties: custom property css.defineVars: tokens 1`] = `
 {
-  "rootColor": "var(--rootColor__id__1)",
-  "themeAwareColor": "var(--themeAwareColor__id__2)",
+  "--pass-through": "var(--pass-through)",
+  "rootColor": "var(--__var__1_rootColor)",
+  "themeAwareColor": "var(--__var__2_themeAwareColor)",
 }
 `;
 
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css-test.native.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css-test.native.js
index 21e6e654..42721732 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css-test.native.js
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css-test.native.js
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('legacy strings', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        rootColor: 'red'
+        '--rootColor': 'red'
       }
     };
     expect(
@@ -1183,7 +1183,8 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
       themeAwareColor: {
         default: 'blue',
         '@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)': 'green'
-      }
+      },
+      '--pass-through': 'purple'
     });
     expect(tokens).toMatchSnapshot('tokens');
     expect(css.__customProperties).toMatchSnapshot('css.__customProperties');
@@ -1193,6 +1194,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', tokens.themeAwareColor])
     ).toEqual('blue');
+    expect(
+      resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--pass-through)'])
+    ).toEqual('purple');
     // dark theme
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue({ colorScheme: 'dark' }, [
@@ -1255,7 +1259,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('parses a basic var correctly', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { test: 'red' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--test': 'red'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--test)'])
@@ -1264,7 +1270,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('parses a var with a default value', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { test: 'red' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--test': 'red'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--test, blue)'])
@@ -1274,32 +1282,11 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
     ).toEqual('blue');
   });
 
-  // TODO: this transform should not be supported. Custom properties are case sensitive.
-  test('parses kebab case var to camel case', () => {
-    const options = {
-      customProperties: { testVar: 'red' }
-    };
-    expect(
-      resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--test-var)'])
-    ).toEqual('red');
-  });
-
-  // TODO: this transform should not be supported. Custom properties are case sensitive.
-  test('parses kebab case var with a default value', () => {
-    const options = {
-      customProperties: { testVar: 'red' }
-    };
-    expect(
-      resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--test-var, blue)'])
-    ).toEqual('red');
-    expect(
-      resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'var(--not-found, blue)'])
-    ).toEqual('blue');
-  });
-
   test('parses a var with a default value containing spaces', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { color: 'rgb(0,0,0)' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--color': 'rgb(0,0,0)'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, [
@@ -1317,7 +1304,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('parses a var and falls back to default value containing a var', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { color: 'red' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--color': 'red'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, [
@@ -1330,7 +1319,7 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('parses a var and falls back to a default value containing spaces and embedded var', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        test: '255'
+        '--test': '255'
       }
     };
     expect(
@@ -1343,7 +1332,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('basic var value lookup works', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { number: 10 }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--number': 10
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['borderWidth', 'var(--number)'])
@@ -1352,7 +1343,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('var value lookup with pixel prop conversion', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { pxNumber: '10px' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--pxNumber': '10px'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['borderWidth', 'var(--pxNumber)'])
@@ -1361,7 +1354,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('var value lookup with em prop conversion', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { emNumber: '10em' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--emNumber': '10em'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['borderWidth', 'var(--emNumber)'])
@@ -1371,9 +1366,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('var value lookup with reference to another var', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        number: 10,
-        refToNumber: 'var(--number)',
-        refToRefToNumber: 'var(--refToNumber)'
+        '--number': 10,
+        '--refToNumber': 'var(--number)',
+        '--refToRefToNumber': 'var(--refToNumber)'
       }
     };
     expect(
@@ -1389,7 +1384,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('var with hover styles', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { test: '#333' },
+      customProperties: {
+        '--test': '#333'
+      },
       hover: true
     };
     const { underTest } = css.create({
@@ -1413,7 +1410,9 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
 
   test('rgb(a) function with args applied through a single var', () => {
     const options = {
-      customProperties: { example: '24, 48, 96' }
+      customProperties: {
+        '--example': '24, 48, 96'
+      }
     };
     expect(
       resolveCustomPropertyValue(options, ['color', 'rgb(var(--example))'])
@@ -1429,11 +1428,11 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('rgba function with args applied through multiple (& nested) vars', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        red: 255,
-        green: 96,
-        blue: 16,
-        rgb: 'var(--red), var(--green), var(--blue)',
-        alpha: 0.42
+        '--red': 255,
+        '--green': 96,
+        '--blue': 16,
+        '--rgb': 'var(--red), var(--green), var(--blue)',
+        '--alpha': 0.42
       }
     };
     expect(
@@ -1447,11 +1446,11 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('textShadow with nested/multiple vars', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        height: '20px',
-        width: '10px',
-        size: 'var(--width) var(--height)',
-        radius: '30px',
-        red: 'red'
+        '--height': '20px',
+        '--width': '10px',
+        '--size': 'var(--width) var(--height)',
+        '--radius': '30px',
+        '--red': 'red'
       }
     };
     const styles = css.create({
@@ -1474,10 +1473,10 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('transform with nested/multiple vars', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        distance: 20,
-        angle: '45deg',
-        translateX: 'translateX(var(--distance))',
-        rotateX: 'rotateX(var(--angle))'
+        '--distance': 20,
+        '--angle': '45deg',
+        '--translateX': 'translateX(var(--distance))',
+        '--rotateX': 'rotateX(var(--angle))'
       }
     };
     const styles = css.create({
@@ -1495,7 +1494,7 @@ describe('properties: custom property', () => {
   test('css variable declaration inside a media query', () => {
     const options = {
       customProperties: {
-        example: '42px'
+        '--example': '42px'
       },
       viewportWidth: 450
     };
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/html-test.native.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/html-test.native.js
index 27ff635e..ac9b77ef 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/html-test.native.js
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/html-test.native.js
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe('<html.*>', () => {
     test('legacy: ThemeProvider', () => {
       const { ThemeProvider } = contexts;
       const customProperties = {
-        rootColor: 'red'
+        '--rootColor': 'red'
       };
       const styles = css.create({
         root: {