diff --git a/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.cpp b/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.cpp
index 2d7cae6c6..f9b9e7899 100644
--- a/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.cpp
+++ b/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.cpp
@@ -33,16 +33,16 @@ using namespace solidity::yul;
 VarNameCleaner::VarNameCleaner(
 	Block const& _ast,
 	Dialect const& _dialect,
-	set<YulString> _blacklist
+	set<YulString> _namesToKeep
 ):
 	m_dialect{_dialect},
-	m_blacklist{std::move(_blacklist)},
+	m_namesToKeep{std::move(_namesToKeep)},
 	m_translatedNames{}
 {
 	for (auto const& statement: _ast.statements)
 		if (holds_alternative<FunctionDefinition>(statement))
-			m_blacklist.insert(std::get<FunctionDefinition>(statement).name);
-	m_usedNames = m_blacklist;
+			m_namesToKeep.insert(std::get<FunctionDefinition>(statement).name);
+	m_usedNames = m_namesToKeep;
 }
 
 void VarNameCleaner::operator()(FunctionDefinition& _funDef)
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ void VarNameCleaner::operator()(FunctionDefinition& _funDef)
 	m_insideFunction = true;
 
 	set<YulString> globalUsedNames = std::move(m_usedNames);
-	m_usedNames = m_blacklist;
+	m_usedNames = m_namesToKeep;
 	map<YulString, YulString> globalTranslatedNames;
 	swap(globalTranslatedNames, m_translatedNames);
 
diff --git a/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.h b/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.h
index 4bd4ca100..911f67ca6 100644
--- a/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.h
+++ b/libyul/optimiser/VarNameCleaner.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ private:
 	VarNameCleaner(
 		Block const& _ast,
 		Dialect const& _dialect,
-		std::set<YulString> _blacklist = {}
+		std::set<YulString> _namesToKeep = {}
 	);
 
 	/// Tries to rename a list of variables.
@@ -77,11 +77,13 @@ private:
 	YulString findCleanName(YulString const& name) const;
 
 	/// Tests whether a given name was already used within this pass
-	/// or is on the blacklist.
+	/// or was set to be kept.
 	bool isUsedName(YulString const& _name) const;
 
 	Dialect const& m_dialect;
-	std::set<YulString> m_blacklist;
+
+	/// These names will not be modified.
+	std::set<YulString> m_namesToKeep;
 
 	/// Set of names that are in use.
 	std::set<YulString> m_usedNames;