diff --git a/include/boost/python/converter/rvalue_from_python_data.hpp b/include/boost/python/converter/rvalue_from_python_data.hpp
index f30ceadb..658cedb6 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/converter/rvalue_from_python_data.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/converter/rvalue_from_python_data.hpp
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ template <class T>
 inline rvalue_from_python_data<T>::~rvalue_from_python_data()
 {
     if (this->stage1.convertible == this->storage.bytes)
-        python::detail::destroy_reference<ref_type>(this->storage.bytes);
+        python::detail::destroy_referent<ref_type>(this->storage.bytes);
 }
 
 }}} // namespace boost::python::converter
diff --git a/include/boost/python/detail/destroy.hpp b/include/boost/python/detail/destroy.hpp
index 07738e2f..89e82f73 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/detail/destroy.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/detail/destroy.hpp
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ struct value_destroyer<false,true>
 };
 
 template <class T>
-inline void destroy_reference_impl(void* p, T& (*)())
+inline void destroy_referent_impl(void* p, T& (*)())
 {
     // note: cv-qualification needed for MSVC6
     // must come *before* T for metrowerks
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ inline void destroy_reference_impl(void* p, T& (*)())
 }
 
 template <class T>
-inline void destroy_reference(void* p, T(*)() = 0)
+inline void destroy_referent(void* p, T(*)() = 0)
 {
-    destroy_reference_impl(p, (T(*)())0);
+    destroy_referent_impl(p, (T(*)())0);
 }
 
 }}} // namespace boost::python::detail
diff --git a/test/destroy_test.cpp b/test/destroy_test.cpp
index c6be42fc..38d5d1d5 100644
--- a/test/destroy_test.cpp
+++ b/test/destroy_test.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ struct bar;
 
 namespace boost
 {
-  // lie to the library about bar so we can show that it's destructor is optimized away.
+  // lie to the library about bar so we can show that its destructor is optimized away.
   template <>
   struct has_trivial_destructor<bar>
   {
@@ -48,33 +48,33 @@ int main()
     typedef int a[2];
     
     foo* f1 = new foo;
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<foo const volatile&>(f1);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<foo const volatile&>(f1);
     assert_destructions(1);
     
     foo* f2 = new foo[2];
     typedef foo x[2];
     
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<x const&>(f2);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<x const&>(f2);
     assert_destructions(3);
 
     typedef foo y[2][2];
     x* f3 = new y;
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<y&>(f3);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<y&>(f3);
     assert_destructions(7);
 
     bar* b1 = new bar;
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<bar&>(b1);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<bar&>(b1);
     assert_destructions(7);
     
     bar* b2 = new bar[2];
     typedef bar xb[2];
     
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<xb&>(b2);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<xb&>(b2);
     assert_destructions(7);
 
     typedef bar yb[2][2];
     xb* b3 = new yb;
-    boost::python::detail::destroy_reference<yb&>(b3);
+    boost::python::detail::destroy_referent<yb&>(b3);
     assert_destructions(7);
 
     return 0;