diff --git a/fs/inode/fs_files.c b/fs/inode/fs_files.c
index 87fe3639394..225fbc424f0 100644
--- a/fs/inode/fs_files.c
+++ b/fs/inode/fs_files.c
@@ -155,16 +155,20 @@ void files_releaselist(FAR struct filelist *list)
 }
 
 /****************************************************************************
- * Name: files_allocate
+ * Name: file_allocate
  *
  * Description:
  *   Allocate a struct files instance and associate it with an inode
  *   instance.  Returns the file descriptor == index into the files array.
  *
+ * Returned Value:
+ *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
+ *   any failure.
+ *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int files_allocate(FAR struct inode *inode, int oflags, off_t pos,
-                   FAR void *priv, int minfd)
+int file_allocate(FAR struct inode *inode, int oflags, off_t pos,
+                  FAR void *priv, int minfd)
 {
   FAR struct filelist *list;
   int ret;
diff --git a/fs/inode/inode.h b/fs/inode/inode.h
index 83d48bdf408..a7635ecea26 100644
--- a/fs/inode/inode.h
+++ b/fs/inode/inode.h
@@ -408,16 +408,20 @@ void inode_release(FAR struct inode *inode);
 int foreach_inode(foreach_inode_t handler, FAR void *arg);
 
 /****************************************************************************
- * Name: files_allocate
+ * Name: file_allocate
  *
  * Description:
  *   Allocate a struct files instance and associate it with an inode
  *   instance.  Returns the file descriptor == index into the files array.
  *
+ * Returned Value:
+ *   Zero (OK) is returned on success; a negated errno value is returned on
+ *   any failure.
+ *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-int files_allocate(FAR struct inode *inode, int oflags, off_t pos,
-                   FAR void *priv, int minfd);
+int file_allocate(FAR struct inode *inode, int oflags, off_t pos,
+                  FAR void *priv, int minfd);
 
 /****************************************************************************
  * Name: dir_allocate
diff --git a/fs/mqueue/mq_open.c b/fs/mqueue/mq_open.c
index 35fe10e2984..ab4f9765137 100644
--- a/fs/mqueue/mq_open.c
+++ b/fs/mqueue/mq_open.c
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ static mqd_t nxmq_vopen(FAR const char *mq_name, int oflags, va_list ap)
       return ret;
     }
 
-  ret = files_allocate(mq.f_inode, mq.f_oflags, mq.f_pos, mq.f_priv, 0);
+  ret = file_allocate(mq.f_inode, mq.f_oflags, mq.f_pos, mq.f_priv, 0);
   if (ret < 0)
     {
       file_mq_close(&mq);
diff --git a/fs/socket/socket.c b/fs/socket/socket.c
index 4ca9f2a9a1f..318b97f4284 100644
--- a/fs/socket/socket.c
+++ b/fs/socket/socket.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ int sockfd_allocate(FAR struct socket *psock, int oflags)
 {
   int sockfd;
 
-  sockfd = files_allocate(&g_sock_inode, oflags, 0, psock, 0);
+  sockfd = file_allocate(&g_sock_inode, oflags, 0, psock, 0);
   if (sockfd >= 0)
     {
       inode_addref(&g_sock_inode);
diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_dup.c b/fs/vfs/fs_dup.c
index 0662ab22f53..d7a3ce6eadb 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_dup.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_dup.c
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ int file_dup(FAR struct file *filep, int minfd)
 
   /* Then allocate a new file descriptor for the inode */
 
-  fd2 = files_allocate(filep2.f_inode, filep2.f_oflags,
-                       filep2.f_pos, filep2.f_priv, minfd);
+  fd2 = file_allocate(filep2.f_inode, filep2.f_oflags,
+                      filep2.f_pos, filep2.f_priv, minfd);
   if (fd2 < 0)
     {
       file_close(&filep2);
diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c b/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
index dce48964aff..19f0c5ba286 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_epoll.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static int epoll_do_create(int size, int flags)
 
   /* Alloc the file descriptor */
 
-  fd = files_allocate(&g_epoll_inode, flags, 0, eph, 0);
+  fd = file_allocate(&g_epoll_inode, flags, 0, eph, 0);
   if (fd < 0)
     {
       nxsem_destroy(&eph->sem);
diff --git a/fs/vfs/fs_open.c b/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
index b62aaf0cffe..8d49eb636ee 100644
--- a/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
+++ b/fs/vfs/fs_open.c
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ static int nx_vopen(FAR const char *path, int oflags, va_list ap)
 
   /* Allocate a new file descriptor for the inode */
 
-  fd = files_allocate(filep.f_inode, filep.f_oflags,
-                      filep.f_pos, filep.f_priv, 0);
+  fd = file_allocate(filep.f_inode, filep.f_oflags,
+                     filep.f_pos, filep.f_priv, 0);
   if (fd < 0)
     {
       file_close(&filep);