diff --git a/src/core/core-hdata.h b/src/core/core-hdata.h
index 078c06f47..e25514807 100644
--- a/src/core/core-hdata.h
+++ b/src/core/core-hdata.h
@@ -22,11 +22,19 @@
 
 #include <time.h>
 
-#define HDATA_VAR(__struct, __name, __type, __update_allowed,           \
+/* create a hdata variable (name is the same as the struct field */
+#define HDATA_VAR(__struct, __field, __type, __update_allowed,          \
                   __array_size, __hdata_name)                           \
-    hdata_new_var (hdata, #__name, offsetof (__struct, __name),         \
+    hdata_new_var (hdata, #__field, offsetof (__struct, __field),       \
                    WEECHAT_HDATA_##__type, __update_allowed,            \
                    __array_size, __hdata_name)
+/* create a hdata variable with a custom name */
+#define HDATA_VAR_NAME(__struct, __field, __name, __type,               \
+                       __update_allowed, __array_size, __hdata_name)    \
+    hdata_new_var (hdata, __name, offsetof (__struct, __field),         \
+                   WEECHAT_HDATA_##__type, __update_allowed,            \
+                   __array_size, __hdata_name)
+/* create a hdata list */
 #define HDATA_LIST(__name, __flags)                                     \
     hdata_new_list (hdata, #__name, &(__name), __flags);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/weechat-plugin.h b/src/plugins/weechat-plugin.h
index fde3a1db4..174eeb641 100644
--- a/src/plugins/weechat-plugin.h
+++ b/src/plugins/weechat-plugin.h
@@ -2263,9 +2263,17 @@ extern int weechat_plugin_end (struct t_weechat_plugin *plugin);
     (weechat_plugin->hdata_new_var)(__hdata, __name, __offset, __type,  \
                                     __update_allowed, __array_size,     \
                                     __hdata_name)
-#define WEECHAT_HDATA_VAR(__struct, __name, __type, __update_allowed,   \
+#define WEECHAT_HDATA_VAR(__struct, __field, __type, __update_allowed,  \
                           __array_size, __hdata_name)                   \
-    weechat_hdata_new_var (hdata, #__name, offsetof (__struct, __name), \
+    weechat_hdata_new_var (hdata, #__field,                             \
+                           offsetof (__struct, __field),                \
+                           WEECHAT_HDATA_##__type, __update_allowed,    \
+                           __array_size, __hdata_name)
+#define WEECHAT_HDATA_VAR_NAME(__struct, __field, __name, __type,       \
+                               __update_allowed, __array_size,          \
+                               __hdata_name)                            \
+    weechat_hdata_new_var (hdata, __name,                               \
+                           offsetof (__struct, __field),                \
                            WEECHAT_HDATA_##__type, __update_allowed,    \
                            __array_size, __hdata_name)
 #define weechat_hdata_new_list(__hdata, __name, __pointer, __flags)     \