diff --git a/src/rcu.h b/src/rcu.h
--- a/src/rcu.h
+++ b/src/rcu.h
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
 
     ~RCUPtr() {
         if (ptr != nullptr) {
-            ptr->release();
+            ptr->decrementRefCount();
         }
     }
 
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@
      */
     static RCUPtr copy(T *ptr) {
         if (ptr != nullptr) {
-            ptr->acquire();
+            ptr->incrementRefCount();
         }
 
         return RCUPtr::acquire(ptr);
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
      */
     RCUPtr(const RCUPtr &src) : ptr(src.ptr) {
         if (ptr != nullptr) {
-            ptr->acquire();
+            ptr->incrementRefCount();
         }
     }
 
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@
 private:                                                                       \
     mutable std::atomic<T> refcount{0};                                        \
                                                                                \
-    void acquire() const { refcount++; }                                       \
+    void incrementRefCount() const { refcount++; }                             \
                                                                                \
     bool tryDecrement() const {                                                \
         T count = refcount.load();                                             \
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@
         return false;                                                          \
     }                                                                          \
                                                                                \
-    void release() const {                                                     \
+    void decrementRefCount() const {                                           \
         if (tryDecrement()) {                                                  \
             return;                                                            \
         }                                                                      \
diff --git a/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp b/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
--- a/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rcu_tests.cpp
@@ -302,10 +302,10 @@
         : cleanupfun(fun) {}
     ~RCURefMoveTestItem() { cleanupfun(); }
 
-    void acquire() {
+    void incrementRefCount() {
         throw std::runtime_error("RCUPtr incremented the refcount");
     }
-    void release() {
+    void decrementRefCount() {
         RCULock::registerCleanup([this] { delete this; });
     }
 };
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@
     // Check tat copy is failing.
     auto rcuptr1 =
         RCUPtr<RCURefMoveTestItem>::make([&] { isDestroyed = true; });
-    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(rcuptr1->acquire(), std::runtime_error);
+    BOOST_CHECK_THROW(rcuptr1->incrementRefCount(), std::runtime_error);
     BOOST_CHECK_THROW(auto rcuptrcopy = rcuptr1;, std::runtime_error);
 
     // Try to move.