diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/__init__.py b/holoviews/core/data/__init__.py
index d22990099b..1b341a0269 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/__init__.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/__init__.py
@@ -394,9 +394,8 @@ def redim(self, specs=None, **dimensions):
         """
         Replace dimensions on the dataset and allows renaming
         dimensions in the dataset. Dimension mapping should map
-        between the old dimension name and either a dictionary of the
-        new attributes or a completely new dimension to replace it
-        with.
+        between the old dimension name and a dictionary of the new
+        attributes, a completely new dimension or a new string name.
         """
         if specs is not None:
             if not isinstance(specs, list):
@@ -407,11 +406,11 @@ def redim(self, specs=None, **dimensions):
         kdims = replace_dimensions(self.kdims, dimensions)
         vdims = replace_dimensions(self.vdims, dimensions)
         zipped_dims = zip(self.kdims+self.vdims, kdims+vdims)
-        renames = {pk.name: nk.name for pk, nk in zipped_dims if pk != nk}
-        renamed = self.data
+        renames = {pk.name: nk for pk, nk in zipped_dims if pk != nk}
+        data = self.data
         if renames:
-            renamed = self.interface.rename(self, renames)
-        return self.clone(renamed, kdims=kdims, vdims=vdims)
+            data = self.interface.redim(self, renames)
+        return self.clone(data, kdims=kdims, vdims=vdims)
 
 
     def dimension_values(self, dim, expanded=True, flat=True):
diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/dictionary.py b/holoviews/core/data/dictionary.py
index c825dc737e..06574d0b20 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/dictionary.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/dictionary.py
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ def add_dimension(cls, dataset, dimension, dim_pos, values, vdim):
         return OrderedDict(data)
 
     @classmethod
-    def rename(cls, dataset, renames):
-        return OrderedDict([(renames.get(k, k), v)
+    def redim(cls, dataset, dimensions):
+        return OrderedDict([(dimensions.get(k, dataset.get_dimension(k)).name, v)
                             for k,v in dataset.data.items()])
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/interface.py b/holoviews/core/data/interface.py
index 5eb9f1e9f0..c9fceb348f 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/interface.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/interface.py
@@ -206,5 +206,5 @@ def length(cls, dataset):
         return len(dataset.data)
 
     @classmethod
-    def rename(cls, dataset, renames):
+    def redim(cls, dataset, dimensions):
         return dataset.data
diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/iris.py b/holoviews/core/data/iris.py
index 67f429ac3a..70e66a0a01 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/iris.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/iris.py
@@ -201,17 +201,17 @@ def range(cls, dataset, dimension):
 
 
     @classmethod
-    def rename(cls, dataset, renames):
+    def redim(cls, dataset, dimensions):
         """
         Rename coords on the Cube.
         """
         new_dataset = dataset.data.copy()
-        for name, new_name in renames.items():
-            if name == dataset.data.name():
-                new_dataset.rename(new_name)
-            for coord in dataset.data.dim_coords:
+        for name, new_dim in dimensions.items():
+            if name == new_dataset.name():
+                new_dataset.rename(new_dim.name)
+            for coord in new_dataset.dim_coords:
                 if name == coord.name():
-                    coord.rename(new_name)
+                    coord.rename(new_dim.name)
         return new_dataset
 
 
diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/ndelement.py b/holoviews/core/data/ndelement.py
index 5af397558e..8713fd820d 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/ndelement.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/ndelement.py
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ def dimension_type(cls, columns, dim):
         return Dimensioned.get_dimension_type(columns, dim)
 
     @classmethod
-    def rename(cls, dataset, renames):
-        return dataset.data.redim(**renames)
+    def redim(cls, dataset, dimensions):
+        return dataset.data.redim(**dimensions)
 
     @classmethod
     def shape(cls, columns):
diff --git a/holoviews/core/data/pandas.py b/holoviews/core/data/pandas.py
index 852023f339..f2b04de1e0 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/data/pandas.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/data/pandas.py
@@ -152,8 +152,9 @@ def reindex(cls, columns, kdims=None, vdims=None):
 
 
     @classmethod
-    def rename(cls, dataset, renames):
-        return dataset.data.rename(columns=renames)
+    def redim(cls, dataset, dimensions):
+        column_renames = {k: v.name for k, v in dimensions.items()}
+        return dataset.data.rename(columns=column_renames)
 
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/holoviews/core/dimension.py b/holoviews/core/dimension.py
index 16ea963103..0033505033 100644
--- a/holoviews/core/dimension.py
+++ b/holoviews/core/dimension.py
@@ -799,9 +799,9 @@ def redim(self, specs=None, **dimensions):
         """
         Replaces existing dimensions in an object with new dimensions
         or changing specific attributes of a dimensions. Dimension
-        mapping should map between the old dimension name and either a
-        dictionary of the new attributes or a completely new dimension
-        to replace it with.
+        mapping should map between the old dimension name and a
+        dictionary of the new attributes, a completely new dimension
+        or a new string name.
         """
         if specs is None:
             applies = True