diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rx.c
index 8d9743a5e42c..98d33ac7ec64 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_rx.c
@@ -298,8 +298,8 @@ static void mlx5e_page_release_fragmented(struct mlx5e_rq *rq,
 	u16 drain_count = MLX5E_PAGECNT_BIAS_MAX - frag_page->frags;
 	struct page *page = frag_page->page;
 
-	if (page_pool_defrag_page(page, drain_count) == 0)
-		page_pool_put_defragged_page(rq->page_pool, page, -1, true);
+	if (page_pool_unref_page(page, drain_count) == 0)
+		page_pool_put_unrefed_page(rq->page_pool, page, -1, true);
 }
 
 static inline int mlx5e_get_rx_frag(struct mlx5e_rq *rq,
diff --git a/include/linux/mm_types.h b/include/linux/mm_types.h
index 957ce38768b2..64e4572ef06d 100644
--- a/include/linux/mm_types.h
+++ b/include/linux/mm_types.h
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ struct page {
 			struct page_pool *pp;
 			unsigned long _pp_mapping_pad;
 			unsigned long dma_addr;
-			atomic_long_t pp_frag_count;
+			atomic_long_t pp_ref_count;
 		};
 		struct {	/* Tail pages of compound page */
 			unsigned long compound_head;	/* Bit zero is set */
diff --git a/include/net/page_pool/helpers.h b/include/net/page_pool/helpers.h
index 4ebd544ae977..d0c5e7e6857a 100644
--- a/include/net/page_pool/helpers.h
+++ b/include/net/page_pool/helpers.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  * page allocated from page pool. Page splitting enables memory saving and thus
  * avoids TLB/cache miss for data access, but there also is some cost to
  * implement page splitting, mainly some cache line dirtying/bouncing for
- * 'struct page' and atomic operation for page->pp_frag_count.
+ * 'struct page' and atomic operation for page->pp_ref_count.
  *
  * The API keeps track of in-flight pages, in order to let API users know when
  * it is safe to free a page_pool object, the API users must call
@@ -214,69 +214,77 @@ inline enum dma_data_direction page_pool_get_dma_dir(struct page_pool *pool)
 	return pool->p.dma_dir;
 }
 
-/* pp_frag_count represents the number of writers who can update the page
- * either by updating skb->data or via DMA mappings for the device.
- * We can't rely on the page refcnt for that as we don't know who might be
- * holding page references and we can't reliably destroy or sync DMA mappings
- * of the fragments.
+/**
+ * page_pool_fragment_page() - split a fresh page into fragments
+ * @page:	page to split
+ * @nr:		references to set
+ *
+ * pp_ref_count represents the number of outstanding references to the page,
+ * which will be freed using page_pool APIs (rather than page allocator APIs
+ * like put_page()). Such references are usually held by page_pool-aware
+ * objects like skbs marked for page pool recycling.
  *
- * When pp_frag_count reaches 0 we can either recycle the page if the page
- * refcnt is 1 or return it back to the memory allocator and destroy any
- * mappings we have.
+ * This helper allows the caller to take (set) multiple references to a
+ * freshly allocated page. The page must be freshly allocated (have a
+ * pp_ref_count of 1). This is commonly done by drivers and
+ * "fragment allocators" to save atomic operations - either when they know
+ * upfront how many references they will need; or to take MAX references and
+ * return the unused ones with a single atomic dec(), instead of performing
+ * multiple atomic inc() operations.
  */
 static inline void page_pool_fragment_page(struct page *page, long nr)
 {
-	atomic_long_set(&page->pp_frag_count, nr);
+	atomic_long_set(&page->pp_ref_count, nr);
 }
 
-static inline long page_pool_defrag_page(struct page *page, long nr)
+static inline long page_pool_unref_page(struct page *page, long nr)
 {
 	long ret;
 
-	/* If nr == pp_frag_count then we have cleared all remaining
+	/* If nr == pp_ref_count then we have cleared all remaining
 	 * references to the page:
 	 * 1. 'n == 1': no need to actually overwrite it.
 	 * 2. 'n != 1': overwrite it with one, which is the rare case
-	 *              for pp_frag_count draining.
+	 *              for pp_ref_count draining.
 	 *
 	 * The main advantage to doing this is that not only we avoid a atomic
 	 * update, as an atomic_read is generally a much cheaper operation than
 	 * an atomic update, especially when dealing with a page that may be
-	 * partitioned into only 2 or 3 pieces; but also unify the pp_frag_count
+	 * referenced by only 2 or 3 users; but also unify the pp_ref_count
 	 * handling by ensuring all pages have partitioned into only 1 piece
 	 * initially, and only overwrite it when the page is partitioned into
 	 * more than one piece.
 	 */
-	if (atomic_long_read(&page->pp_frag_count) == nr) {
+	if (atomic_long_read(&page->pp_ref_count) == nr) {
 		/* As we have ensured nr is always one for constant case using
 		 * the BUILD_BUG_ON(), only need to handle the non-constant case
-		 * here for pp_frag_count draining, which is a rare case.
+		 * here for pp_ref_count draining, which is a rare case.
 		 */
 		BUILD_BUG_ON(__builtin_constant_p(nr) && nr != 1);
 		if (!__builtin_constant_p(nr))
-			atomic_long_set(&page->pp_frag_count, 1);
+			atomic_long_set(&page->pp_ref_count, 1);
 
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	ret = atomic_long_sub_return(nr, &page->pp_frag_count);
+	ret = atomic_long_sub_return(nr, &page->pp_ref_count);
 	WARN_ON(ret < 0);
 
-	/* We are the last user here too, reset pp_frag_count back to 1 to
+	/* We are the last user here too, reset pp_ref_count back to 1 to
 	 * ensure all pages have been partitioned into 1 piece initially,
 	 * this should be the rare case when the last two fragment users call
-	 * page_pool_defrag_page() currently.
+	 * page_pool_unref_page() currently.
 	 */
 	if (unlikely(!ret))
-		atomic_long_set(&page->pp_frag_count, 1);
+		atomic_long_set(&page->pp_ref_count, 1);
 
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static inline bool page_pool_is_last_frag(struct page *page)
+static inline bool page_pool_is_last_ref(struct page *page)
 {
-	/* If page_pool_defrag_page() returns 0, we were the last user */
-	return page_pool_defrag_page(page, 1) == 0;
+	/* If page_pool_unref_page() returns 0, we were the last user */
+	return page_pool_unref_page(page, 1) == 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -301,10 +309,10 @@ static inline void page_pool_put_page(struct page_pool *pool,
 	 * allow registering MEM_TYPE_PAGE_POOL, but shield linker.
 	 */
 #ifdef CONFIG_PAGE_POOL
-	if (!page_pool_is_last_frag(page))
+	if (!page_pool_is_last_ref(page))
 		return;
 
-	page_pool_put_defragged_page(pool, page, dma_sync_size, allow_direct);
+	page_pool_put_unrefed_page(pool, page, dma_sync_size, allow_direct);
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/include/net/page_pool/types.h b/include/net/page_pool/types.h
index e1bb92c192de..6a5323619f6e 100644
--- a/include/net/page_pool/types.h
+++ b/include/net/page_pool/types.h
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ static inline void page_pool_put_page_bulk(struct page_pool *pool, void **data,
 }
 #endif
 
-void page_pool_put_defragged_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
-				  unsigned int dma_sync_size,
-				  bool allow_direct);
+void page_pool_put_unrefed_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
+				unsigned int dma_sync_size,
+				bool allow_direct);
 
 static inline bool is_page_pool_compiled_in(void)
 {
diff --git a/net/core/page_pool.c b/net/core/page_pool.c
index df2a06d7da52..106220b1f89c 100644
--- a/net/core/page_pool.c
+++ b/net/core/page_pool.c
@@ -650,8 +650,8 @@ __page_pool_put_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-void page_pool_put_defragged_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
-				  unsigned int dma_sync_size, bool allow_direct)
+void page_pool_put_unrefed_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
+				unsigned int dma_sync_size, bool allow_direct)
 {
 	page = __page_pool_put_page(pool, page, dma_sync_size, allow_direct);
 	if (page && !page_pool_recycle_in_ring(pool, page)) {
@@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ void page_pool_put_defragged_page(struct page_pool *pool, struct page *page,
 		page_pool_return_page(pool, page);
 	}
 }
-EXPORT_SYMBOL(page_pool_put_defragged_page);
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(page_pool_put_unrefed_page);
 
 /**
  * page_pool_put_page_bulk() - release references on multiple pages
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ void page_pool_put_page_bulk(struct page_pool *pool, void **data,
 		struct page *page = virt_to_head_page(data[i]);
 
 		/* It is not the last user for the page frag case */
-		if (!page_pool_is_last_frag(page))
+		if (!page_pool_is_last_ref(page))
 			continue;
 
 		page = __page_pool_put_page(pool, page, -1, false);
@@ -729,7 +729,7 @@ static struct page *page_pool_drain_frag(struct page_pool *pool,
 	long drain_count = BIAS_MAX - pool->frag_users;
 
 	/* Some user is still using the page frag */
-	if (likely(page_pool_defrag_page(page, drain_count)))
+	if (likely(page_pool_unref_page(page, drain_count)))
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (page_ref_count(page) == 1 && !page_is_pfmemalloc(page)) {
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ static void page_pool_free_frag(struct page_pool *pool)
 
 	pool->frag_page = NULL;
 
-	if (!page || page_pool_defrag_page(page, drain_count))
+	if (!page || page_pool_unref_page(page, drain_count))
 		return;
 
 	page_pool_return_page(pool, page);
