Right click desktop and create a launcher.
Call it "banana" or something.

The file name becames "banana.desktop" but the desktop only shows "banana".

Right click the file and select properties og go change  the executeable bit in permissions tab.
If you set executeable on the name in the title (and general tab) is "banana".
If you set executeable off the name in the title (and general tab) is "banana.desktop".

I see it might be desired to avoid the ".desktop" part of the file name on the desktop but i would also like to be able to see the filename in the GUI (Thunar).
So i would think its best to show with ".desktop" in the title and general tab and perhaps other files the file name is.
Otherwise you dont seem to be able to see the filename in Thunar but have to use another program to see the filename.