diff --git a/core/block.js b/core/block.js
index 3adc9a479..8f5dedee9 100644
--- a/core/block.js
+++ b/core/block.js
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ Blockly.Block.prototype.updateVarName = function(variable) {
     for (var j = 0, field; field = input.fieldRow[j]; j++) {
       if (field.referencesVariables() &&
           variable.getId() == field.getValue()) {
-        field.updateVariableName();
+        field.refreshVariableName();
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/core/field_variable.js b/core/field_variable.js
index 5e5761b39..7f93b9244 100644
--- a/core/field_variable.js
+++ b/core/field_variable.js
@@ -342,11 +342,12 @@ Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.setTypes_ = function(opt_variableTypes,
 };
 
 /**
- * A callback to update the name of a variable. Should only be called by
- * the block.
+ * Refreshes the name of the variable by grabbing the name of the model.
+ * Used when a variable gets renamed, but the ID stays the same. Should only
+ * be called by the block.
  * @package
  */
-Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.updateVariableName = function() {
+Blockly.FieldVariable.prototype.refreshVariableName = function() {
   this.text_ = this.variable_.name;
   this.forceRerender();
 };