>      >>> dict(a = i for i in range(10))
> +    SyntaxError: invalid syntax - ')' expected
>
> The () are ok, the message is misleading.

"dict(a = i)" is valid syntax, the compiler expects ")" instead of invalid "for".

> 'name' here is a bit vague.

The compiler actually expects a name (using Python terminology, see for example NameError). Of course you can propose an other name for "name" (this is just an entity in _PyParser_TokenDescs array).

>  >>> def f(x, None):
>  ...     pass
> +SyntaxError: invalid syntax - ')' expected
>
>  >>> def f(*None):
>  ...     pass
> +SyntaxError: invalid syntax - ')' expected
>
> Here the () are ok too.

The compiler means "def f(x,)" and "def f(*)", not "def f()" as you possible expects.