diff --git a/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.cpp b/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.cpp
index e47ad79ea77dd1d895e697eab90b0507f716f7b1..252e13c4d44d148cf390551edfd22d9563f231c0 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.cpp
@@ -264,12 +264,12 @@ void AC_WPNav::update_loiter()
 /// waypoint navigation
 ///
 
-/// set_horizontal_velocity - allows main code to pass target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
-void AC_WPNav::set_horizontal_velocity(float velocity_cms)
+/// set_speed_xy - allows main code to pass target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
+void AC_WPNav::set_speed_xy(float speed_cms)
 {
     // range check new target speed and update position controller
     if (_wp_speed_cms >= WPNAV_WP_SPEED_MIN) {
-        _wp_speed_cms = velocity_cms;
+        _wp_speed_cms = speed_cms;
         _pos_control.set_speed_xy(_wp_speed_cms);
         // flag that wp leash must be recalculated
         _flags.recalc_wp_leash = true;
diff --git a/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.h b/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.h
index f2e71befaef828dabcea7bbe695e85a7b38a30fd..caeaed82c17776be3c35324ef19a35adbb1f18c2 100644
--- a/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.h
+++ b/libraries/AC_WPNav/AC_WPNav.h
@@ -88,17 +88,17 @@ public:
     /// waypoint controller
     ///
 
-    /// set_horizontal_velocity - allows main code to pass target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
-    void set_horizontal_velocity(float velocity_cms);
+    /// set_speed_xy - allows main code to pass target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
+    void set_speed_xy(float speed_cms);
 
-    /// get_horizontal_velocity - allows main code to retrieve target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
-    float get_horizontal_velocity() const { return _wp_speed_cms; }
+    /// get_speed_xy - allows main code to retrieve target horizontal velocity for wp navigation
+    float get_speed_xy() const { return _wp_speed_cms; }
 
-    /// get_climb_velocity - returns target climb speed in cm/s during missions
-    float get_climb_velocity() const { return _wp_speed_up_cms; }
+    /// get_speed_up - returns target climb speed in cm/s during missions
+    float get_speed_up() const { return _wp_speed_up_cms; }
 
-    /// get_descent_velocity - returns target descent speed in cm/s during missions.  Note: always positive
-    float get_descent_velocity() const { return _wp_speed_down_cms; }
+    /// get_speed_down - returns target descent speed in cm/s during missions.  Note: always positive
+    float get_speed_down() const { return _wp_speed_down_cms; }
 
     /// get_wp_radius - access for waypoint radius in cm
     float get_wp_radius() const { return _wp_radius_cm; }