diff --git a/lib/power_enum/enumerated.rb b/lib/power_enum/enumerated.rb
index ed8afc2..dcff541 100644
--- a/lib/power_enum/enumerated.rb
+++ b/lib/power_enum/enumerated.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Trevor Squires
 # Copyright (c) 2012 Arthur Shagall
 # Released under the MIT License.  See the LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -79,9 +81,9 @@ def acts_as_enumerated(options = {})
         options.assert_valid_keys(*valid_keys)
 
         valid_keys.each do |key|
-          class_attribute "acts_enumerated_#{key.to_s}"
+          class_attribute "acts_enumerated_#{key}"
           if options.has_key?( key )
-            self.send "acts_enumerated_#{key.to_s}=", options[key]
+            self.send "acts_enumerated_#{key}=", options[key]
           end
         end
 
@@ -134,9 +136,11 @@ def extend_enum_class_methods(options) #:nodoc:
           validate :validate_enumeration_model_updates_permitted
 
           define_method :__enum_name__ do
-            read_attribute(acts_enumerated_name_column).to_s
+            @__enum_name__ ||= read_attribute(acts_enumerated_name_column).dup.to_s.freeze
           end
 
+          alias_method :to_s, :__enum_name__
+
           if should_alias_name?(options) && acts_enumerated_name_column != :name
             alias_method :name, :__enum_name__
           end
@@ -193,14 +197,12 @@ def all
 
       # Returns all the active enum values.  See the 'active?' instance method.
       def active
-        return @all_active if @all_active
-        @all_active = all.find_all{ |enum| enum.active? }.freeze
+        @all_active ||= all.find_all{ |enum| enum.active? }.freeze
       end
 
       # Returns all the inactive enum values.  See the 'inactive?' instance method.
       def inactive
-        return @all_inactive if @all_inactive
-        @all_inactive = all.find_all{ |enum| !enum.active? }.freeze
+        @all_inactive ||= all.find_all{ |enum| !enum.active? }.freeze
       end
 
       # Returns the names of all the enum values as an array of symbols.
@@ -445,12 +447,16 @@ module EnumInstanceMethods
       # also raise an exception for any lookup failure of +BookingStatus[arg]+.
       def ===(arg)
         case arg
+        when Symbol
+          to_sym == arg
+        when Integer
+          id == arg
+        when String
+          __enum_name__ == arg
         when nil
           false
-        when Symbol, String, Integer
-          return self == self.class[arg]
         when Array
-          return self.in?(*arg)
+          self.in?(*arg)
         else
           super
         end
@@ -468,15 +474,15 @@ def in?(*list)
 
       # Returns the symbol representation of the name of the enum. BookingStatus[:foo].name_sym returns :foo.
       def name_sym
-        self.__enum_name__.to_sym
+        @name_sym ||= __enum_name__.to_sym
       end
 
       alias_method :to_sym, :name_sym
 
       # By default enumeration #to_s should return stringified name of the enum. BookingStatus[:foo].to_s returns "foo"
-      def to_s
-        self.__enum_name__
-      end
+      # def to_s
+      #  __enum_name__
+      # end
 
       # Returns true if the instance is active, false otherwise.  If it has an attribute 'active',
       # returns the attribute cast to a boolean, otherwise returns true.  This method is used by the 'active'
diff --git a/spec/functional/acts_as_enumerated_spec.rb b/spec/functional/acts_as_enumerated_spec.rb
index 567ef16..b8b1cd2 100644
--- a/spec/functional/acts_as_enumerated_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/functional/acts_as_enumerated_spec.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,16 @@ def flush_cache(klass)
     end
   end
 
+  describe '#__enum_name__' do
+    let(:enum) { BookingStatus['confirmed'] }
+    it "returns a frozen String" do
+      enum.__enum_name__.frozen?.should == true
+    end
+    it "returns the same String object" do
+      enum.__enum_name__.object_id.should == enum.__enum_name__.object_id
+    end
+  end
+
   describe '[]' do
 
     context 'record exists' do