diff --git a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/partialInstancer.py b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/instancer.py
similarity index 98%
rename from Lib/fontTools/varLib/partialInstancer.py
rename to Lib/fontTools/varLib/instancer.py
index f8d21542f..5b729585f 100644
--- a/Lib/fontTools/varLib/partialInstancer.py
+++ b/Lib/fontTools/varLib/instancer.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ variable fonts, only containing a subset of the variation space.
 For example, if you wish to pin the width axis to a given location while
 keeping the rest of the axes, you can do:
 
-$ fonttools varLib.partialInstancer ./NotoSans-VF.ttf wdth=85
+$ fonttools varLib.instancer ./NotoSans-VF.ttf wdth=85
 
 NOTE: The module is experimental and both the API and the CLI *will* change.
 """
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import os
 import re
 
 
-log = logging.getLogger("fontTools.varlib.partialInstancer")
+log = logging.getLogger("fontTools.varlib.instancer")
 
 PEAK_COORD_INDEX = 1
 
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ def parseArgs(args):
     import argparse
 
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
-        "fonttools varLib.partialInstancer",
+        "fonttools varLib.instancer",
         description="Partially instantiate a variable font",
     )
     parser.add_argument("input", metavar="INPUT.ttf", help="Input variable TTF file.")
diff --git a/Tests/varLib/partialInstancer_test.py b/Tests/varLib/instancer_test.py
similarity index 96%
rename from Tests/varLib/partialInstancer_test.py
rename to Tests/varLib/instancer_test.py
index d251b7c3e..22eb77a65 100644
--- a/Tests/varLib/partialInstancer_test.py
+++ b/Tests/varLib/instancer_test.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import print_function, division, absolute_import
 from fontTools.misc.py23 import *
 from fontTools.ttLib import TTFont
-from fontTools.varLib import partialInstancer as pi
+from fontTools.varLib import instancer
 import os
 import pytest
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class InstantiateGvarTest(object):
         ],
     )
     def test_pin_and_drop_axis(self, varfont, glyph_name, location, expected):
-        pi.instantiateGvar(varfont, location)
+        instancer.instantiateGvar(varfont, location)
 
         assert _get_coordinates(varfont, glyph_name) == expected[glyph_name]