diff --git a/backend/db/entries.go b/backend/db/entries.go
index c7cde77..f9f9d3c 100644
--- a/backend/db/entries.go
+++ b/backend/db/entries.go
@@ -5,18 +5,54 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-type WordStatus int
+type WordStatus string
 
 const (
-	StatusUnknown     WordStatus = 0
-	StatusFavourite   WordStatus = 1
-	StatusOkay        WordStatus = 2
-	StatusJokingly    WordStatus = 3
-	StatusFriendsOnly WordStatus = 4
-	StatusAvoid       WordStatus = 5
-	wordStatusMax     WordStatus = 6
+	StatusUnknown     WordStatus = ""
+	StatusFavourite   WordStatus = "favourite"
+	StatusOkay        WordStatus = "okay"
+	StatusJokingly    WordStatus = "jokingly"
+	StatusFriendsOnly WordStatus = "friends_only"
+	StatusAvoid       WordStatus = "avoid"
 )
 
+func (w *WordStatus) UnmarshalJSON(src []byte) error {
+	if string(src) == "null" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	s := strings.Trim(string(src), `"`)
+	switch s {
+	case "1":
+		*w = "favourite"
+	case "2":
+		*w = "okay"
+	case "3":
+		*w = "jokingly"
+	case "4":
+		*w = "friends_only"
+	case "5":
+		*w = "avoid"
+	default:
+		*w = WordStatus(s)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (w WordStatus) Valid(extra ...WordStatus) bool {
+	if w == StatusFavourite || w == StatusOkay || w == StatusJokingly || w == StatusFriendsOnly || w == StatusAvoid {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	for i := range extra {
+		if w == extra[i] {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 type FieldEntry struct {
 	Value  string     `json:"value"`
 	Status WordStatus `json:"status"`
@@ -31,8 +67,8 @@ func (fe FieldEntry) Validate() string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("name must be %d characters or less, is %d", FieldEntryMaxLength, len([]rune(fe.Value)))
 	}
 
-	if fe.Status == StatusUnknown || fe.Status >= wordStatusMax {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("status is invalid, must be between 1 and %d, is %d", wordStatusMax-1, fe.Status)
+	if fe.Status.Valid() {
+		return "status is invalid"
 	}
 
 	return ""
@@ -59,8 +95,8 @@ func (p PronounEntry) Validate() string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("pronouns must be %d characters or less, is %d", FieldEntryMaxLength, len([]rune(p.Pronouns)))
 	}
 
-	if p.Status == StatusUnknown || p.Status >= wordStatusMax {
-		return fmt.Sprintf("status is invalid, must be between 1 and %d, is %d", wordStatusMax-1, p.Status)
+	if p.Status.Valid() {
+		return "status is invalid"
 	}
 
 	return ""
diff --git a/backend/db/field.go b/backend/db/field.go
index e73577b..bbf0d5b 100644
--- a/backend/db/field.go
+++ b/backend/db/field.go
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ func (f Field) Validate() string {
 			return fmt.Sprintf("entries.%d: max length is %d characters, length is %d", i, FieldEntryMaxLength, length)
 		}
 
-		if entry.Status == StatusUnknown || entry.Status >= wordStatusMax {
-			return fmt.Sprintf("entries.%d: status is invalid, must be between 1 and %d, is %d", i, wordStatusMax-1, entry.Status)
+		if !entry.Status.Valid() {
+			return fmt.Sprintf("entries.%d: status is invalid", i)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/api/entities.ts b/frontend/src/lib/api/entities.ts
index 9a8746b..c1f71d5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/api/entities.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/api/entities.ts
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ export interface Pronoun {
 }
 
 export enum WordStatus {
-  Unknown = 0,
-  Favourite = 1,
-  Okay = 2,
-  Jokingly = 3,
-  FriendsOnly = 4,
-  Avoid = 5,
+  Unknown = "",
+  Favourite = "favourite",
+  Okay = "okay",
+  Jokingly = "jokingly",
+  FriendsOnly = "friends_only",
+  Avoid = "avoid",
 }
 
 export interface PartialMember {