diff --git a/backend/backend.c b/backend/backend.c
index d06abacc..fc8ccdb0 100644
--- a/backend/backend.c
+++ b/backend/backend.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
 #include "backend/udev.h"
 
-void wlr_backend_create(struct wlr_backend *backend,
+void wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend,
 		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl) {
 	assert(backend);
 	backend->impl = impl;
@@ -24,9 +24,9 @@ void wlr_backend_create(struct wlr_backend *backend,
 	wl_signal_init(&backend->events.output_remove);
 }
 
-bool wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend) {
-	if (backend->impl->init) {
-		return backend->impl->init(backend);
+bool wlr_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *backend) {
+	if (backend->impl->start) {
+		return backend->impl->start(backend);
 	}
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/backend/drm/backend.c b/backend/drm/backend.c
index 9458a6ec..d0cdc234 100644
--- a/backend/drm/backend.c
+++ b/backend/drm/backend.c
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 #include "backend/udev.h"
 #include "backend/drm.h"
 
-static bool wlr_drm_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
+static bool wlr_drm_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 	struct wlr_drm_backend *backend = (struct wlr_drm_backend *)_backend;
 	wlr_drm_scan_connectors(backend);
 	return true;
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static struct wlr_egl *wlr_drm_backend_get_egl(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 }
 
 static struct wlr_backend_impl backend_impl = {
-	.init = wlr_drm_backend_init,
+	.start = wlr_drm_backend_start,
 	.destroy = wlr_drm_backend_destroy,
 	.get_egl = wlr_drm_backend_get_egl
 };
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_drm_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		wlr_log_errno(L_ERROR, "Allocation failed");
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_backend_create(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
 
 	backend->session = session;
 	backend->udev = udev;
diff --git a/backend/libinput/backend.c b/backend/libinput/backend.c
index 8aec50bd..44a1a4a9 100644
--- a/backend/libinput/backend.c
+++ b/backend/libinput/backend.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ static void wlr_libinput_log(struct libinput *libinput_context,
 	_wlr_vlog(L_ERROR, fmt, args);
 }
 
-static bool wlr_libinput_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
+static bool wlr_libinput_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 	struct wlr_libinput_backend *backend = (struct wlr_libinput_backend *)_backend;
 	wlr_log(L_DEBUG, "Initializing libinput");
 	backend->libinput_context = libinput_udev_create_context(&libinput_impl, backend,
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ static void wlr_libinput_backend_destroy(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 }
 
 static struct wlr_backend_impl backend_impl = {
-	.init = wlr_libinput_backend_init,
+	.start = wlr_libinput_backend_start,
 	.destroy = wlr_libinput_backend_destroy
 };
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_libinput_backend_create(struct wl_display *display,
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Allocation failed: %s", strerror(errno));
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_backend_create(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
 
 	if (!(backend->wlr_device_lists = list_create())) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Allocation failed: %s", strerror(errno));
diff --git a/backend/multi/backend.c b/backend/multi/backend.c
index 63cad33e..99cf3db9 100644
--- a/backend/multi/backend.c
+++ b/backend/multi/backend.c
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ struct subbackend_state {
 	struct wl_listener output_remove;
 };
 
-static bool multi_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
+static bool multi_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 	struct wlr_multi_backend *backend = (struct wlr_multi_backend *)_backend;
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < backend->backends->length; ++i) {
 		struct subbackend_state *sub = backend->backends->items[i];
-		if (!wlr_backend_init(sub->backend)) {
+		if (!wlr_backend_start(sub->backend)) {
 			wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Failed to initialize backend %zd", i);
 			return false;
 		}
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static struct wlr_egl *multi_backend_get_egl(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 }
 
 struct wlr_backend_impl backend_impl = {
-	.init = multi_backend_init,
+	.start = multi_backend_start,
 	.destroy = multi_backend_destroy,
 	.get_egl = multi_backend_get_egl
 };
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_multi_backend_create(struct wlr_session *session,
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	wlr_backend_create(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
 
 	backend->session = session;
 	backend->udev = udev;
diff --git a/backend/wayland/backend.c b/backend/wayland/backend.c
index 86cedc89..8ca63036 100644
--- a/backend/wayland/backend.c
+++ b/backend/wayland/backend.c
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ static int dispatch_events(int fd, uint32_t mask, void *data) {
  * compositor and creates surfaces for each output, then registers globals on
  * the specified display.
  */
-static bool wlr_wl_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
+static bool wlr_wl_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 	struct wlr_wl_backend *backend = (struct wlr_wl_backend *)_backend;
 	wlr_log(L_INFO, "Initializating wayland backend");
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ static struct wlr_egl *wlr_wl_backend_get_egl(struct wlr_backend *_backend) {
 }
 
 static struct wlr_backend_impl backend_impl = {
-	.init = wlr_wl_backend_init,
+	.start = wlr_wl_backend_start,
 	.destroy = wlr_wl_backend_destroy,
 	.get_egl = wlr_wl_backend_get_egl
 };
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ struct wlr_backend *wlr_wl_backend_create(struct wl_display *display) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Allocation failed: %s", strerror(errno));
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	wlr_backend_create(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
+	wlr_backend_init(&backend->backend, &backend_impl);
 
 	if (!(backend->devices = list_create())) {
 		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Could not allocate devices list");
diff --git a/examples/shared.c b/examples/shared.c
index 0738a548..b2818578 100644
--- a/examples/shared.c
+++ b/examples/shared.c
@@ -512,8 +512,8 @@ void compositor_init(struct compositor_state *state) {
 
 	wlr_log(L_INFO, "Running compositor on wayland display '%s'", socket);
 	setenv("_WAYLAND_DISPLAY", socket, true);
-	if (!wlr_backend_init(state->backend)) {
-		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Failed to initialize backend");
+	if (!wlr_backend_start(state->backend)) {
+		wlr_log(L_ERROR, "Failed to start backend");
 		wlr_backend_destroy(wlr);
 		exit(1);
 	}
diff --git a/include/wlr/backend.h b/include/wlr/backend.h
index f87e88bd..f92857eb 100644
--- a/include/wlr/backend.h
+++ b/include/wlr/backend.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ struct wlr_backend {
 };
 
 struct wlr_backend *wlr_backend_autocreate(struct wl_display *display);
-bool wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend);
+bool wlr_backend_start(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 void wlr_backend_destroy(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 struct wlr_egl *wlr_backend_get_egl(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 
diff --git a/include/wlr/backend/interface.h b/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
index adca23eb..b0814da5 100644
--- a/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
+++ b/include/wlr/backend/interface.h
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 #include <wlr/egl.h>
 
 struct wlr_backend_impl {
-	bool (*init)(struct wlr_backend *backend);
+	bool (*start)(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 	void (*destroy)(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 	struct wlr_egl *(*get_egl)(struct wlr_backend *backend);
 };
 
-void wlr_backend_create(struct wlr_backend *backend,
+void wlr_backend_init(struct wlr_backend *backend,
 		const struct wlr_backend_impl *impl);
 
 #endif