diff --git a/rcl/include/rcl/publisher.h b/rcl/include/rcl/publisher.h
index fb7aacc..ba5a169 100644
--- a/rcl/include/rcl/publisher.h
+++ b/rcl/include/rcl/publisher.h
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ rcl_publisher_get_default_options(void);
 /// Borrow a loaned message.
 /**
  * The memory allocated for the ros message belongs to the middleware and must not be deallocated
- * other than by a call to \sa rcl_return_loaned_message.
+ * other than by a call to \sa rcl_return_loaned_message_from_publisher.
  *
  * <hr>
  * Attribute          | Adherence
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ rcl_borrow_loaned_message(
   const rosidl_message_type_support_t * type_support,
   void ** ros_message);
 
-/// Return a loaned message
+/// Return a loaned message previously borrowed from a publisher.
 /**
  * The ownership of the passed in ros message will be transferred back to the middleware.
  * The middleware might deallocate and destroy the message so that the pointer is no longer
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ rcl_borrow_loaned_message(
 RCL_PUBLIC
 RCL_WARN_UNUSED
 rcl_ret_t
-rcl_return_loaned_message(
+rcl_return_loaned_message_from_publisher(
   const rcl_publisher_t * publisher,
   void * loaned_message);
 
diff --git a/rcl/include/rcl/subscription.h b/rcl/include/rcl/subscription.h
index 430eea4..b6e85c9 100644
--- a/rcl/include/rcl/subscription.h
+++ b/rcl/include/rcl/subscription.h
@@ -349,10 +349,10 @@ rcl_take_loaned_message(
   rmw_message_info_t * message_info,
   rmw_subscription_allocation_t * allocation);
 
-/// Release a loaned message from a topic using a rcl subscription.
+/// Return a loaned message from a topic using a rcl subscription.
 /**
  * If a loaned message was previously obtained from the middleware with a call to
- * \sa rcl_take_loaned_message, this message has to be released to indicate to the middleware
+ * \sa rcl_take_loaned_message, this message has to be returned to indicate to the middleware
  * that the user no longer needs that memory.
  * The user must not delete the message.
  *
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ rcl_take_loaned_message(
 RCL_PUBLIC
 RCL_WARN_UNUSED
 rcl_ret_t
-rcl_release_loaned_message(
+rcl_return_loaned_message_from_subscription(
   const rcl_subscription_t * subscription,
   void * loaned_message);
 
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
index 930db93..cdd11ca 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/publisher.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ rcl_borrow_loaned_message(
 }
 
 rcl_ret_t
-rcl_return_loaned_message(
+rcl_return_loaned_message_from_publisher(
   const rcl_publisher_t * publisher,
   void * loaned_message)
 {
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ rcl_return_loaned_message(
     return RCL_RET_PUBLISHER_INVALID;  // error already set
   }
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(loaned_message, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
-  return rmw_return_loaned_message(publisher->impl->rmw_handle, loaned_message);
+  return rmw_return_loaned_message_from_publisher(publisher->impl->rmw_handle, loaned_message);
 }
 
 rcl_ret_t
diff --git a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
index 5b352ee..8747f54 100644
--- a/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
+++ b/rcl/src/rcl/subscription.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ rcl_take_loaned_message(
 }
 
 rcl_ret_t
-rcl_release_loaned_message(
+rcl_return_loaned_message_from_subscription(
   const rcl_subscription_t * subscription,
   void * loaned_message)
 {
@@ -365,7 +365,8 @@ rcl_release_loaned_message(
     return RCL_RET_SUBSCRIPTION_INVALID;  // error already set
   }
   RCL_CHECK_ARGUMENT_FOR_NULL(loaned_message, RCL_RET_INVALID_ARGUMENT);
-  return rmw_release_loaned_message(subscription->impl->rmw_handle, loaned_message);
+  return rmw_return_loaned_message_from_subscription(
+    subscription->impl->rmw_handle, loaned_message);
 }
 
 const char *