diff --git a/pygit2/repository.py b/pygit2/repository.py
index 0cb57e3..ce48903 100644
--- a/pygit2/repository.py
+++ b/pygit2/repository.py
@@ -85,6 +85,6 @@ class Repository(_Repository):
             )
 
         if direct:
-            return self.git_reference_create(name, target, force)
+            return self.create_reference_direct(name, target, force)
 
-        return self.git_reference_symbolic_create(name, target, force)
+        return self.create_reference_symbolic(name, target, force)
diff --git a/src/repository.c b/src/repository.c
index 27f621b..6b9c446 100644
--- a/src/repository.c
+++ b/src/repository.c
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ Repository_lookup_reference(Repository *self, PyObject *py_name)
     return wrap_reference(c_reference);
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_git_reference_create__doc__,
+PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_create_reference_direct__doc__,
   "git_reference_create(name, target, force) -> Reference\n"
   "\n"
   "Create a new reference \"name\" which points to an object.\n"
@@ -832,8 +832,8 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_git_reference_create__doc__,
   "    repo.git_reference_create('refs/heads/foo', repo.head.hex, False)");
 
 PyObject *
-Repository_git_reference_create(Repository *self,  PyObject *args,
-                                PyObject *kw)
+Repository_create_reference_direct(Repository *self,  PyObject *args,
+                                   PyObject *kw)
 {
     PyObject *py_obj;
     git_reference *c_reference;
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ Repository_git_reference_create(Repository *self,  PyObject *args,
     return wrap_reference(c_reference);
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_git_reference_symbolic_create__doc__,
+PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_create_reference_symbolic__doc__,
   "git_reference_symbolic_create(name, source, force) -> Reference\n"
   "\n"
   "Create a new reference \"name\" which points to another reference.\n"
@@ -871,8 +871,8 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(Repository_git_reference_symbolic_create__doc__,
   "    repo.git_reference_symbolic_create('refs/tags/foo', 'refs/heads/master', False)");
 
 PyObject *
-Repository_git_reference_symbolic_create(Repository *self,  PyObject *args,
-                                         PyObject *kw)
+Repository_create_reference_symbolic(Repository *self,  PyObject *args,
+                                     PyObject *kw)
 {
     git_reference *c_reference;
     char *c_name, *c_target;
@@ -1209,8 +1209,8 @@ PyMethodDef Repository_methods[] = {
     METHOD(Repository, walk, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Repository, read, METH_O),
     METHOD(Repository, write, METH_VARARGS),
-    METHOD(Repository, git_reference_create, METH_VARARGS),
-    METHOD(Repository, git_reference_symbolic_create, METH_VARARGS),
+    METHOD(Repository, create_reference_direct, METH_VARARGS),
+    METHOD(Repository, create_reference_symbolic, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Repository, listall_references, METH_VARARGS),
     METHOD(Repository, lookup_reference, METH_O),
     METHOD(Repository, revparse_single, METH_O),