diff --git a/src/build_vehicle_gui.cpp b/src/build_vehicle_gui.cpp
--- a/src/build_vehicle_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/build_vehicle_gui.cpp
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ static bool EngineNameSorter(const GUIEn
 		GetString(last_name[1], STR_ENGINE_NAME, lastof(last_name[1]));
 	}
 
-	int r = strnatcmp(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+	int r = StrNaturalCompare(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 
 	/* Use EngineID to sort instead since we want consistent sorting */
 	if (r == 0) return EngineNumberSorter(a, b);
diff --git a/src/cargotype.cpp b/src/cargotype.cpp
--- a/src/cargotype.cpp
+++ b/src/cargotype.cpp
@@ -156,13 +156,10 @@ span<const CargoSpec *> _sorted_standard
 /** Sort cargo specifications by their name. */
 static bool CargoSpecNameSorter(const CargoSpec * const &a, const CargoSpec * const &b)
 {
-	static char a_name[64];
-	static char b_name[64];
+	std::string a_name = GetString(a->name);
+	std::string b_name = GetString(b->name);
 
-	GetString(a_name, a->name, lastof(a_name));
-	GetString(b_name, b->name, lastof(b_name));
-
-	int res = strnatcmp(a_name, b_name); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+	int res = StrNaturalCompare(a_name, b_name); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 
 	/* If the names are equal, sort by cargo bitnum. */
 	return (res != 0) ? res < 0 : (a->bitnum < b->bitnum);
diff --git a/src/company_gui.cpp b/src/company_gui.cpp
--- a/src/company_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/company_gui.cpp
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ private:
 					GetString(last_name[1], STR_GROUP_NAME, lastof(last_name[1]));
 				}
 
-				int r = strnatcmp(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+				int r = StrNaturalCompare(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 				if (r == 0) return a->index < b->index;
 				return r < 0;
 			});
diff --git a/src/fios.cpp b/src/fios.cpp
--- a/src/fios.cpp
+++ b/src/fios.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ bool FiosItem::operator< (const FiosItem
 	if ((_savegame_sort_order & SORT_BY_NAME) == 0 && (*this).mtime != other.mtime) {
 		r = (*this).mtime - other.mtime;
 	} else {
-		r = strnatcmp((*this).title, other.title);
+		r = StrNaturalCompare((*this).title, other.title);
 	}
 	if (r == 0) return false;
 	return (_savegame_sort_order & SORT_DESCENDING) ? r > 0 : r < 0;
diff --git a/src/group_gui.cpp b/src/group_gui.cpp
--- a/src/group_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/group_gui.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ private:
 				GetString(last_name[1], STR_GROUP_NAME, lastof(last_name[1]));
 			}
 
-			int r = strnatcmp(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+			int r = StrNaturalCompare(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 			if (r == 0) return a->index < b->index;
 			return r < 0;
 		});
diff --git a/src/industry_gui.cpp b/src/industry_gui.cpp
--- a/src/industry_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/industry_gui.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static bool IndustryTypeNameSorter(const
 	const IndustrySpec *indsp2 = GetIndustrySpec(b);
 	GetString(industry_name[1], indsp2->name, lastof(industry_name[1]));
 
-	int r = strnatcmp(industry_name[0], industry_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+	int r = StrNaturalCompare(industry_name[0], industry_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 
 	/* If the names are equal, sort by industry type. */
 	return (r != 0) ? r < 0 : (a < b);
@@ -1498,7 +1498,7 @@ protected:
 	/** Sort industries by name */
 	static bool IndustryNameSorter(const Industry * const &a, const Industry * const &b)
 	{
-		int r = strnatcmp(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		int r = StrNaturalCompare(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 		if (r == 0) return a->index < b->index;
 		return r < 0;
 	}
diff --git a/src/network/network_content_gui.cpp b/src/network/network_content_gui.cpp
--- a/src/network/network_content_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/network/network_content_gui.cpp
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class NetworkContentListWindow : public 
 	/** Sort content by name. */
 	static bool NameSorter(const ContentInfo * const &a, const ContentInfo * const &b)
 	{
-		return strnatcmp(a->name.c_str(), b->name.c_str(), true) < 0; // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		return StrNaturalCompare(a->name, b->name, true) < 0; // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 	}
 
 	/** Sort content by type. */
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ class NetworkContentListWindow : public 
 	{
 		int r = 0;
 		if (a->type != b->type) {
-			r = strnatcmp(content_type_strs[a->type], content_type_strs[b->type]);
+			r = StrNaturalCompare(content_type_strs[a->type], content_type_strs[b->type]);
 		}
 		if (r == 0) return NameSorter(a, b);
 		return r < 0;
diff --git a/src/network/network_gui.cpp b/src/network/network_gui.cpp
--- a/src/network/network_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/network/network_gui.cpp
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ protected:
 	/** Sort servers by name. */
 	static bool NGameNameSorter(NetworkGameList * const &a, NetworkGameList * const &b)
 	{
-		int r = strnatcmp(a->info.server_name.c_str(), b->info.server_name.c_str(), true); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		int r = StrNaturalCompare(a->info.server_name, b->info.server_name, true); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 		if (r == 0) r = a->connection_string.compare(b->connection_string);
 
 		return r < 0;
diff --git a/src/newgrf_config.cpp b/src/newgrf_config.cpp
--- a/src/newgrf_config.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_config.cpp
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ bool GRFFileScanner::AddFile(const std::
  */
 static bool GRFSorter(GRFConfig * const &c1, GRFConfig * const &c2)
 {
-	return strnatcmp(c1->GetName(), c2->GetName()) < 0;
+	return StrNaturalCompare(c1->GetName(), c2->GetName()) < 0;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/newgrf_gui.cpp b/src/newgrf_gui.cpp
--- a/src/newgrf_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/newgrf_gui.cpp
@@ -1428,7 +1428,7 @@ private:
 	/** Sort grfs by name. */
 	static bool NameSorter(const GRFConfig * const &a, const GRFConfig * const &b)
 	{
-		int i = strnatcmp(a->GetName(), b->GetName(), true); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		int i = StrNaturalCompare(a->GetName(), b->GetName(), true); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 		if (i != 0) return i < 0;
 
 		i = a->version - b->version;
diff --git a/src/os/macosx/string_osx.cpp b/src/os/macosx/string_osx.cpp
--- a/src/os/macosx/string_osx.cpp
+++ b/src/os/macosx/string_osx.cpp
@@ -322,15 +322,15 @@ void MacOSSetCurrentLocaleName(const cha
  * @param s2 Second string to compare.
  * @return 1 if s1 < s2, 2 if s1 == s2, 3 if s1 > s2, or 0 if not supported by the OS.
  */
-int MacOSStringCompare(const char *s1, const char *s2)
+int MacOSStringCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2)
 {
 	static bool supported = MacOSVersionIsAtLeast(10, 5, 0);
 	if (!supported) return 0;
 
 	CFStringCompareFlags flags = kCFCompareCaseInsensitive | kCFCompareNumerically | kCFCompareLocalized | kCFCompareWidthInsensitive | kCFCompareForcedOrdering;
 
-	CFAutoRelease<CFStringRef> cf1(CFStringCreateWithCString(kCFAllocatorDefault, s1, kCFStringEncodingUTF8));
-	CFAutoRelease<CFStringRef> cf2(CFStringCreateWithCString(kCFAllocatorDefault, s2, kCFStringEncodingUTF8));
+	CFAutoRelease<CFStringRef> cf1(CFStringCreateWithBytes(kCFAllocatorDefault, (const UInt8 *)s1.data(), s1.size(), kCFStringEncodingUTF8, false));
+	CFAutoRelease<CFStringRef> cf2(CFStringCreateWithBytes(kCFAllocatorDefault, (const UInt8 *)s2.data(), s2.size(), kCFStringEncodingUTF8, false));
 
 	/* If any CFString could not be created (e.g., due to UTF8 invalid chars), return OS unsupported functionality */
 	if (cf1 == nullptr || cf2 == nullptr) return 0;
diff --git a/src/os/macosx/string_osx.h b/src/os/macosx/string_osx.h
--- a/src/os/macosx/string_osx.h
+++ b/src/os/macosx/string_osx.h
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public:
 
 void MacOSResetScriptCache(FontSize size);
 void MacOSSetCurrentLocaleName(const char *iso_code);
-int MacOSStringCompare(const char *s1, const char *s2);
+int MacOSStringCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2);
 
 void MacOSRegisterExternalFont(const char *file_path);
 
diff --git a/src/os/windows/win32.cpp b/src/os/windows/win32.cpp
--- a/src/os/windows/win32.cpp
+++ b/src/os/windows/win32.cpp
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ void Win32SetCurrentLocaleName(const cha
 	MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, iso, -1, _cur_iso_locale, lengthof(_cur_iso_locale));
 }
 
-int OTTDStringCompare(const char *s1, const char *s2)
+int OTTDStringCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2)
 {
 	typedef int (WINAPI *PFNCOMPARESTRINGEX)(LPCWSTR, DWORD, LPCWCH, int, LPCWCH, int, LPVOID, LPVOID, LPARAM);
 	static PFNCOMPARESTRINGEX _CompareStringEx = nullptr;
@@ -588,15 +588,15 @@ int OTTDStringCompare(const char *s1, co
 
 	if (_CompareStringEx != nullptr) {
 		/* CompareStringEx takes UTF-16 strings, even in ANSI-builds. */
-		int len_s1 = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s1, -1, nullptr, 0);
-		int len_s2 = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s2, -1, nullptr, 0);
+		int len_s1 = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s1.data(), (int)s1.size(), nullptr, 0);
+		int len_s2 = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s2.data(), (int)s2.size(), nullptr, 0);
 
 		if (len_s1 != 0 && len_s2 != 0) {
 			std::wstring str_s1(len_s1, L'\0'); // len includes terminating null
 			std::wstring str_s2(len_s2, L'\0');
 
-			MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s1, -1, str_s1.data(), len_s1);
-			MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s2, -1, str_s2.data(), len_s2);
+			MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s1.data(), (int)s1.size(), str_s1.data(), len_s1);
+			MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, 0, s2.data(), (int)s2.size(), str_s2.data(), len_s2);
 
 			int result = _CompareStringEx(_cur_iso_locale, LINGUISTIC_IGNORECASE | SORT_DIGITSASNUMBERS, str_s1.c_str(), -1, str_s2.c_str(), -1, nullptr, nullptr, 0);
 			if (result != 0) return result;
diff --git a/src/os/windows/win32.h b/src/os/windows/win32.h
--- a/src/os/windows/win32.h
+++ b/src/os/windows/win32.h
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ char *convert_from_fs(const wchar_t *nam
 wchar_t *convert_to_fs(const std::string_view name, wchar_t *utf16_buf, size_t buflen);
 
 void Win32SetCurrentLocaleName(const char *iso_code);
-int OTTDStringCompare(const char *s1, const char *s2);
+int OTTDStringCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2);
 
 #endif /* WIN32_H */
diff --git a/src/signs_gui.cpp b/src/signs_gui.cpp
--- a/src/signs_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/signs_gui.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ struct SignList {
 
 	StringFilter string_filter;                                       ///< The match string to be used when the GUIList is (re)-sorted.
 	static bool match_case;                                           ///< Should case sensitive matching be used?
-	static char default_name[64];                                     ///< Default sign name, used if Sign::name is nullptr.
+	static std::string default_name;                                  ///< Default sign name, used if Sign::name is nullptr.
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a SignList with filtering disabled by default.
@@ -79,10 +79,10 @@ struct SignList {
 		 * a lot of them. Therefore a worthwhile performance gain can be made by
 		 * directly comparing Sign::name instead of going through the string
 		 * system for each comparison. */
-		const char *a_name = a->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : a->name.c_str();
-		const char *b_name = b->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : b->name.c_str();
+		const std::string &a_name = a->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : a->name;
+		const std::string &b_name = b->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : b->name;
 
-		int r = strnatcmp(a_name, b_name); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		int r = StrNaturalCompare(a_name, b_name); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 
 		return r != 0 ? r < 0 : (a->index < b->index);
 	}
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ struct SignList {
 	static bool CDECL SignNameFilter(const Sign * const *a, StringFilter &filter)
 	{
 		/* Same performance benefit as above for sorting. */
-		const char *a_name = (*a)->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : (*a)->name.c_str();
+		const std::string &a_name = (*a)->name.empty() ? SignList::default_name : (*a)->name;
 
 		filter.ResetState();
-		filter.AddLine(a_name);
+		filter.AddLine(a_name.c_str());
 		return filter.GetState();
 	}
 
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ struct SignList {
 };
 
 bool SignList::match_case = false;
-char SignList::default_name[64];
+std::string SignList::default_name;
 
 /** Enum referring to the Hotkeys in the sign list window */
 enum SignListHotkeys {
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ struct SignListWindow : Window, SignList
 	void OnInit() override
 	{
 		/* Default sign name, used if Sign::name is nullptr. */
-		GetString(SignList::default_name, STR_DEFAULT_SIGN_NAME, lastof(SignList::default_name));
+		SignList::default_name = GetString(STR_DEFAULT_SIGN_NAME);
 		this->signs.ForceResort();
 		this->SortSignsList();
 		this->SetDirty();
diff --git a/src/station_gui.cpp b/src/station_gui.cpp
--- a/src/station_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/station_gui.cpp
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ protected:
 	/** Sort stations by their name */
 	static bool StationNameSorter(const Station * const &a, const Station * const &b)
 	{
-		int r = strnatcmp(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		int r = StrNaturalCompare(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 		if (r == 0) return a->index < b->index;
 		return r < 0;
 	}
@@ -1186,7 +1186,7 @@ bool CargoSorter::SortStation(StationID 
 		return order == SO_DESCENDING;
 	}
 
-	int res = strnatcmp(Station::Get(st1)->GetCachedName(), Station::Get(st2)->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+	int res = StrNaturalCompare(Station::Get(st1)->GetCachedName(), Station::Get(st2)->GetCachedName()); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 	if (res == 0) {
 		return this->SortId(st1, st2);
 	} else {
diff --git a/src/string.cpp b/src/string.cpp
--- a/src/string.cpp
+++ b/src/string.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef WITH_ICU_I18N
-/* Required by strnatcmp. */
+/* Required by StrNaturalCompare. */
 #	include <unicode/ustring.h>
 #	include "language.h"
 #	include "gfx_func.h"
@@ -766,9 +766,9 @@ char *strcasestr(const char *haystack, c
  * @param str The string to skip the initial garbage of.
  * @return The string with the garbage skipped.
  */
-static const char *SkipGarbage(const char *str)
+static std::string_view SkipGarbage(std::string_view str)
 {
-	while (*str != '\0' && (*str < '0' || IsInsideMM(*str, ';', '@' + 1) || IsInsideMM(*str, '[', '`' + 1) || IsInsideMM(*str, '{', '~' + 1))) str++;
+	while (str.size() != 0 && (str[0] < '0' || IsInsideMM(str[0], ';', '@' + 1) || IsInsideMM(str[0], '[', '`' + 1) || IsInsideMM(str[0], '{', '~' + 1))) str.remove_prefix(1);
 	return str;
 }
 
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ static const char *SkipGarbage(const cha
  * @param ignore_garbage_at_front Skip punctuation characters in the front
  * @return Less than zero if s1 < s2, zero if s1 == s2, greater than zero if s1 > s2.
  */
-int strnatcmp(const char *s1, const char *s2, bool ignore_garbage_at_front)
+int StrNaturalCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2, bool ignore_garbage_at_front)
 {
 	if (ignore_garbage_at_front) {
 		s1 = SkipGarbage(s1);
diff --git a/src/string_func.h b/src/string_func.h
--- a/src/string_func.h
+++ b/src/string_func.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ void StrTrimInPlace(std::string &str);
 
 [[nodiscard]] int StrCompareIgnoreCase(const std::string_view str1, const std::string_view str2);
 [[nodiscard]] bool StrEqualsIgnoreCase(const std::string_view str1, const std::string_view str2);
+[[nodiscard]] int StrNaturalCompare(std::string_view s1, std::string_view s2, bool ignore_garbage_at_front = false);
 
 /**
  * Check if a string buffer is empty.
@@ -277,6 +278,4 @@ static inline bool IsWhitespace(WChar c)
 char *strcasestr(const char *haystack, const char *needle);
 #endif /* strcasestr is available */
 
-int strnatcmp(const char *s1, const char *s2, bool ignore_garbage_at_front = false);
-
 #endif /* STRING_FUNC_H */
diff --git a/src/strings.cpp b/src/strings.cpp
--- a/src/strings.cpp
+++ b/src/strings.cpp
@@ -1956,12 +1956,10 @@ const char *GetCurrentLocale(const char 
 
 bool StringIDSorter(const StringID &a, const StringID &b)
 {
-	char stra[512];
-	char strb[512];
-	GetString(stra, a, lastof(stra));
-	GetString(strb, b, lastof(strb));
+	std::string stra = GetString(a);
+	std::string strb = GetString(b);
 
-	return strnatcmp(stra, strb) < 0;
+	return StrNaturalCompare(stra, strb) < 0;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/town_gui.cpp b/src/town_gui.cpp
--- a/src/town_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/town_gui.cpp
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ private:
 	/** Sort by town name */
 	static bool TownNameSorter(const Town * const &a, const Town * const &b)
 	{
-		return strnatcmp(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()) < 0; // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+		return StrNaturalCompare(a->GetCachedName(), b->GetCachedName()) < 0; // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 	}
 
 	/** Sort by population (default descending, as big towns are of the most interest). */
diff --git a/src/vehicle_gui.cpp b/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
--- a/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
+++ b/src/vehicle_gui.cpp
@@ -1345,7 +1345,7 @@ static bool VehicleNameSorter(const Vehi
 		GetString(last_name[1], STR_VEHICLE_NAME, lastof(last_name[1]));
 	}
 
-	int r = strnatcmp(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
+	int r = StrNaturalCompare(last_name[0], last_name[1]); // Sort by name (natural sorting).
 	return (r != 0) ? r < 0: VehicleNumberSorter(a, b);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/dropdown.cpp b/src/widgets/dropdown.cpp
--- a/src/widgets/dropdown.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/dropdown.cpp
@@ -52,10 +52,9 @@ void DropDownListStringItem::Draw(const 
  */
 /* static */ bool DropDownListStringItem::NatSortFunc(std::unique_ptr<const DropDownListItem> const &first, std::unique_ptr<const DropDownListItem> const &second)
 {
-	char buffer1[512], buffer2[512];
-	GetString(buffer1, static_cast<const DropDownListStringItem*>(first.get())->String(), lastof(buffer1));
-	GetString(buffer2, static_cast<const DropDownListStringItem*>(second.get())->String(), lastof(buffer2));
-	return strnatcmp(buffer1, buffer2) < 0;
+	std::string str1 = GetString(static_cast<const DropDownListStringItem*>(first.get())->String());
+	std::string str2 = GetString(static_cast<const DropDownListStringItem*>(second.get())->String());
+	return StrNaturalCompare(str1, str2) < 0;
 }
 
 StringID DropDownListParamStringItem::String() const