diff --git a/common/list.c b/common/list.c
index 2a803702..9805ceec 100644
--- a/common/list.c
+++ b/common/list.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void list_stable_sort(list_t *list, int compare(const void *a, const void *b)) {
 	}
 }
 
-void free_flat_list(list_t *list) {
+void list_free_items_and_destroy(list_t *list) {
 	if (!list) {
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/common/loop.c b/common/loop.c
index ad2b4a64..295f3a30 100644
--- a/common/loop.c
+++ b/common/loop.c
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ struct loop *loop_create(void) {
 }
 
 void loop_destroy(struct loop *loop) {
-	free_flat_list(loop->fd_events);
-	free_flat_list(loop->timers);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(loop->fd_events);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(loop->timers);
 	free(loop->fds);
 	free(loop);
 }
diff --git a/include/list.h b/include/list.h
index 70af49f6..895f6cc0 100644
--- a/include/list.h
+++ b/include/list.h
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@ void list_move_to_end(list_t *list, void *item);
  * Do not use this to free lists of primitives or items that require more
  * complicated deallocation code.
  */
-void free_flat_list(list_t *list);
+void list_free_items_and_destroy(list_t *list);
 #endif
diff --git a/include/stringop.h b/include/stringop.h
index 215f7916..d1bfa29d 100644
--- a/include/stringop.h
+++ b/include/stringop.h
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ char *lenient_strncat(char *dest, const char *src, size_t len);
 // strcmp that also handles null pointers.
 int lenient_strcmp(char *a, char *b);
 
-// Simply split a string with delims, free with `free_flat_list`
+// Simply split a string with delims, free with `list_free_items_and_destroy`
 list_t *split_string(const char *str, const char *delims);
 
 // Splits an argument string, keeping quotes intact
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/modifier.c b/sway/commands/bar/modifier.c
index 1b3e7492..b5a16f45 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/modifier.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/modifier.c
@@ -23,11 +23,11 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_modifier(int argc, char **argv) {
 		} else {
 			error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "modifier",
 				"Unknown modifier '%s'", split->items[i]);
-			free_flat_list(split);
+			list_free_items_and_destroy(split);
 			return error;
 		}
 	}
-	free_flat_list(split);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(split);
 	config->current_bar->modifier = mod;
 	wlr_log(WLR_DEBUG,
 			"Show/Hide the bar when pressing '%s' in hide mode.", argv[0]);
diff --git a/sway/commands/bind.c b/sway/commands/bind.c
index 886a262c..01a35cf2 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bind.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bind.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ void free_sway_binding(struct sway_binding *binding) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	free_flat_list(binding->keys);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(binding->keys);
 	free(binding->input);
 	free(binding->command);
 	free(binding);
@@ -220,14 +220,14 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bindsym_or_bindcode(int argc, char **argv,
 		uint32_t *key = calloc(1, sizeof(uint32_t));
 		if (!key) {
 			free_sway_binding(binding);
-			free_flat_list(split);
+			list_free_items_and_destroy(split);
 			return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, bindtype,
 					"Unable to allocate binding key");
 		}
 		*key = key_val;
 		list_add(binding->keys, key);
 	}
-	free_flat_list(split);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(split);
 	binding->order = binding_order++;
 
 	// refine region of interest for mouse binding once we are certain
diff --git a/sway/commands/reload.c b/sway/commands/reload.c
index c236911e..3ccbbf34 100644
--- a/sway/commands/reload.c
+++ b/sway/commands/reload.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ static void do_reload(void *data) {
 
 	if (!load_main_config(config->current_config_path, true, false)) {
 		wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Error(s) reloading config");
-		free_flat_list(bar_ids);
+		list_free_items_and_destroy(bar_ids);
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static void do_reload(void *data) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	free_flat_list(bar_ids);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(bar_ids);
 
 	config_update_font_height(true);
 	root_for_each_container(rebuild_textures_iterator, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/commands/workspace.c b/sway/commands/workspace.c
index 7d32e65b..211b344d 100644
--- a/sway/commands/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/commands/workspace.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static struct workspace_config *workspace_config_find_or_create(char *ws_name) {
 
 void free_workspace_config(struct workspace_config *wsc) {
 	free(wsc->workspace);
-	free_flat_list(wsc->outputs);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(wsc->outputs);
 	free(wsc);
 }
 
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 4621cad9..5b03bc56 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ bool load_main_config(const char *file, bool is_active, bool validating) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		free_flat_list(secconfigs);
+		list_free_items_and_destroy(secconfigs);
 	}
 	*/
 
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 
 			if (read + length > config_size) {
 				wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Config file changed during reading");
-				free_flat_list(stack);
+				list_free_items_and_destroy(stack);
 				free(line);
 				return false;
 			}
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 		}
 		char *expanded = expand_line(block, line, brace_detected > 0);
 		if (!expanded) {
-			free_flat_list(stack);
+			list_free_items_and_destroy(stack);
 			free(line);
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config,
 		free(line);
 		free_cmd_results(res);
 	}
-	free_flat_list(stack);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(stack);
 	config->current_config_line_number = 0;
 	config->current_config_line = NULL;
 
diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index fc773026..45c9e998 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void free_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 		free_bar_binding(bar->bindings->items[i]);
 	}
 	list_free(bar->bindings);
-	free_flat_list(bar->outputs);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(bar->outputs);
 	if (bar->pid != 0) {
 		terminate_swaybar(bar->pid);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/tree/container.c b/sway/tree/container.c
index ac433577..b106e0d9 100644
--- a/sway/tree/container.c
+++ b/sway/tree/container.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void container_destroy(struct sway_container *con) {
 	list_free(con->current.children);
 	list_free(con->outputs);
 
-	free_flat_list(con->marks);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(con->marks);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_focused);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_focused_inactive);
 	wlr_texture_destroy(con->marks_unfocused);
diff --git a/sway/tree/workspace.c b/sway/tree/workspace.c
index 4be63311..ed24b4fd 100644
--- a/sway/tree/workspace.c
+++ b/sway/tree/workspace.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void workspace_destroy(struct sway_workspace *workspace) {
 
 	free(workspace->name);
 	free(workspace->representation);
-	free_flat_list(workspace->output_priority);
+	list_free_items_and_destroy(workspace->output_priority);
 	list_free(workspace->floating);
 	list_free(workspace->tiling);
 	list_free(workspace->current.floating);