I thought there was a mention of Blizz revamping the nameplates, perhaps in the upcoming patch, perhaps not until Cata. I'll see if I can find it.

middle of the page, here

Unit Nameplates

  • The range at which players can see unit nameplates has been increased by 40 yards.
  • Unit nameplates are now subject to line-of-sight limitations in certain situations (this does not pertain to objects like Arena pillars or bridges).
  • Players can now adjust select unit nameplate display settings listed below under Interface Options via the Names tab.
  • Friendly/ene​my pet nameplates can be toggled.
  • Enemy totem nameplates can be toggled (friendly totem nameplates are never displayed).
  • Players can choose whether or not unit nameplates overlap.
  • Unit nameplates for critters are never displayed
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Alternately, you can try Aloft. I know you can configure it to show All name plates, friendly, enemy. I know you include or exclude critters in the nameplate function, and I'm *pretty* sure you can include or exclude totems, pets and companions. If I recall, it was kind of heavy on the resources, and took a while to configure, but if you're not concerned about that, it's a really nice addon.