diff --git a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_dict_eventname.png.dvc b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_eventname.png.dvc
similarity index 61%
rename from pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_dict_eventname.png.dvc
rename to pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_eventname.png.dvc
index 61e47357f70..a6dedc1effc 100644
--- a/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_dict_eventname.png.dvc
+++ b/pygmt/tests/baseline/test_meca_eventname.png.dvc
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 outs:
 - md5: 81203f9e3a43ec235cf4b5068f928b56
   size: 10689
-  path: test_meca_dict_eventname.png
+  path: test_meca_eventname.png
diff --git a/pygmt/tests/test_meca.py b/pygmt/tests/test_meca.py
index cbff884ea75..f54f6b7d16a 100644
--- a/pygmt/tests/test_meca.py
+++ b/pygmt/tests/test_meca.py
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
 import pytest
-from pygmt import Figure
+from packaging.version import Version
+from pygmt import Figure, __gmt_version__
 from pygmt.helpers import GMTTempFile
 
 
@@ -179,22 +180,55 @@ def test_meca_offset(inputtype):
     return fig
 
 
-@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
-def test_meca_dict_eventname():
+# Passing event names via pandas doesn't work for GMT<=6.4, thus marked as
+# xfail. See https://github.com/GenericMappingTools/pygmt/issues/2524.
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare(filename="test_meca_eventname.png")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "inputtype",
+    [
+        "args",
+        pytest.param(
+            "dataframe",
+            marks=pytest.mark.skipif(
+                condition=Version(__gmt_version__) < Version("6.5.0"),
+                reason="Upstream bug fixed in https://github.com/GenericMappingTools/gmt/pull/7557",
+            ),
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_meca_eventname(inputtype):
     """
-    Test offsetting beachballs for a dict input.
+    Test passing event names.
     """
+    if inputtype == "args":
+        args = {
+            "spec": {"strike": 330, "dip": 30, "rake": 90, "magnitude": 3},
+            "longitude": -124,
+            "latitude": 48,
+            "depth": 12.0,
+            "event_name": "Event20220311",
+        }
+    elif inputtype == "dataframe":
+        # Test pandas.DataFrame input. Requires GMT>=6.5.
+        # See https://github.com/GenericMappingTools/pygmt/issues/2524.
+        # The numeric columns must be in float type to trigger the bug.
+        args = {
+            "spec": pd.DataFrame(
+                {
+                    "longitude": [-124.0],
+                    "latitude": [48.0],
+                    "depth": [12.0],
+                    "strike": [330.0],
+                    "dip": [30.0],
+                    "rake": [90.0],
+                    "magnitude": [3.0],
+                    "event_name": ["Event20220311"],
+                }
+            )
+        }
     fig = Figure()
-    focal_mechanism = {"strike": 330, "dip": 30, "rake": 90, "magnitude": 3}
     fig.basemap(region=[-125, -122, 47, 49], projection="M6c", frame=True)
-    fig.meca(
-        spec=focal_mechanism,
-        scale="1c",
-        longitude=-124,
-        latitude=48,
-        depth=12.0,
-        event_name="Event20220311",
-    )
+    fig.meca(scale="1c", **args)
     return fig
 
 
@@ -219,7 +253,7 @@ def test_meca_dict_offset_eventname():
     return fig
 
 
-@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare(filename="test_meca_dict_eventname.png")
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare(filename="test_meca_eventname.png")
 def test_meca_spec_dict_all_scalars():
     """
     Test supplying a dict with scalar values for all focal parameters.