Or, if you don't want the "no names" item in the list at all when it's inapplicable, instead of merely hidden:

    <div ng-switch="names.length">
        <ul ng-switch-when="0">
            <li>There are no names in the list.</li>
        </ul>
        <ul ng-switch-default>
            <li ng-repeat="name in names">{{name}}</li>
        </ul>
    </div>

Either way you end up with an ugly dom.