diff --git a/History.md b/History.md
index d8d1d5b2..5df9e78a 100644
--- a/History.md
+++ b/History.md
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ unreleased
    - use to set headers on successful file transfer
  * add `mergeParams` option to `Router`
    - merges `req.params` from parent routes
+ * add `req.hostname` -- correct name for what `req.host` returns
  * deprecate things with `depd` module
+ * deprecate `req.host` -- use `req.hostname` instead
  * fix behavior when handling request without routes
  * fix handling when `route.all` is only route
  * invoke `router.param()` only when route matches
diff --git a/lib/request.js b/lib/request.js
index e7e7f8e9..514175b0 100644
--- a/lib/request.js
+++ b/lib/request.js
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ defineGetter(req, 'ips', function ips() {
 
 defineGetter(req, 'subdomains', function subdomains() {
   var offset = this.app.get('subdomain offset');
-  return (this.host || '')
+  return (this.hostname || '')
     .split('.')
     .reverse()
     .slice(offset);
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ defineGetter(req, 'path', function path() {
 });
 
 /**
- * Parse the "Host" header field hostname.
+ * Parse the "Host" header field to a hostname.
  *
  * When the "trust proxy" setting trusts the socket
  * address, the "X-Forwarded-Host" header field will
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ defineGetter(req, 'path', function path() {
  * @api public
  */
 
-defineGetter(req, 'host', function host(){
+defineGetter(req, 'hostname', function hostname(){
   var trust = this.app.get('trust proxy fn');
   var host = this.get('X-Forwarded-Host');
 
@@ -379,6 +379,12 @@ defineGetter(req, 'host', function host(){
     : host;
 });
 
+// TODO: change req.host to return host in next major
+
+defineGetter(req, 'host', deprecate.function(function host(){
+  return this.hostname;
+}, 'req.host: Use req.hostname instead'));
+
 /**
  * Check if the request is fresh, aka
  * Last-Modified and/or the ETag
diff --git a/test/req.hostname.js b/test/req.hostname.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..65c2be81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/req.hostname.js
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+
+var express = require('../')
+  , request = require('supertest')
+  , assert = require('assert');
+
+describe('req', function(){
+  describe('.hostname', function(){
+    it('should return the Host when present', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.end(req.hostname);
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .post('/')
+      .set('Host', 'example.com')
+      .expect('example.com', done);
+    })
+
+    it('should strip port number', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.end(req.hostname);
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .post('/')
+      .set('Host', 'example.com:3000')
+      .expect('example.com', done);
+    })
+
+    it('should return undefined otherwise', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        req.headers.host = null;
+        res.end(String(req.hostname));
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .post('/')
+      .expect('undefined', done);
+    })
+
+    it('should work with IPv6 Host', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.end(req.hostname);
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .post('/')
+      .set('Host', '[::1]')
+      .expect('[::1]', done);
+    })
+
+    it('should work with IPv6 Host and port', function(done){
+      var app = express();
+
+      app.use(function(req, res){
+        res.end(req.hostname);
+      });
+
+      request(app)
+      .post('/')
+      .set('Host', '[::1]:3000')
+      .expect('[::1]', done);
+    })
+
+    describe('when "trust proxy" is enabled', function(){
+      it('should respect X-Forwarded-Host', function(done){
+        var app = express();
+
+        app.enable('trust proxy');
+
+        app.use(function(req, res){
+          res.end(req.hostname);
+        });
+
+        request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Host', 'localhost')
+        .set('X-Forwarded-Host', 'example.com:3000')
+        .expect('example.com', done);
+      })
+
+      it('should ignore X-Forwarded-Host if socket addr not trusted', function(done){
+        var app = express();
+
+        app.set('trust proxy', '10.0.0.1');
+
+        app.use(function(req, res){
+          res.end(req.hostname);
+        });
+
+        request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Host', 'localhost')
+        .set('X-Forwarded-Host', 'example.com')
+        .expect('localhost', done);
+      })
+
+      it('should default to Host', function(done){
+        var app = express();
+
+        app.enable('trust proxy');
+
+        app.use(function(req, res){
+          res.end(req.hostname);
+        });
+
+        request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Host', 'example.com')
+        .expect('example.com', done);
+      })
+    })
+
+    describe('when "trust proxy" is disabled', function(){
+      it('should ignore X-Forwarded-Host', function(done){
+        var app = express();
+
+        app.use(function(req, res){
+          res.end(req.hostname);
+        });
+
+        request(app)
+        .get('/')
+        .set('Host', 'localhost')
+        .set('X-Forwarded-Host', 'evil')
+        .expect('localhost', done);
+      })
+    })
+  })
+})