diff --git a/doc/api/repl.md b/doc/api/repl.md
index ebb83e89069495..c868106f2f946a 100644
--- a/doc/api/repl.md
+++ b/doc/api/repl.md
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ global or scoped variable, the input `fs` will be evaluated on-demand as
 changes:
   - version: REPLACEME
     pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/18919
-    description: Added `_err` support.
+    description: Added `_error` support.
 -->
 
 The default evaluator will, by default, assign the result of the most recently
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ Expression assignment to _ now disabled.
 4
 ```
 
-Similarly, `_err` will refer to the last seen error, if there was any.
-Explicitly setting `_err` to a value will disable this behavior.
+Similarly, `_error` will refer to the last seen error, if there was any.
+Explicitly setting `_error` to a value will disable this behavior.
 
 <!-- eslint-skip -->
 ```js
 > throw new Error('foo');
 Error: foo
-> _err.message
+> _error.message
 'foo'
 ```
 
diff --git a/lib/repl.js b/lib/repl.js
index 76b894d1b51b49..4bcbd1a2db09f4 100644
--- a/lib/repl.js
+++ b/lib/repl.js
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ REPLServer.prototype.resetContext = function() {
     }
   });
 
-  Object.defineProperty(this.context, '_err', {
+  Object.defineProperty(this.context, '_error', {
     configurable: true,
     get: () => this.lastError,
     set: (value) => {
@@ -824,7 +824,7 @@ REPLServer.prototype.resetContext = function() {
       if (!this.underscoreErrAssigned) {
         this.underscoreErrAssigned = true;
         this.outputStream.write(
-          'Expression assignment to _err now disabled.\n');
+          'Expression assignment to _error now disabled.\n');
       }
     }
   });
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl-underscore.js b/test/parallel/test-repl-underscore.js
index 4b609d83bbf38a..57929244ae4374 100644
--- a/test/parallel/test-repl-underscore.js
+++ b/test/parallel/test-repl-underscore.js
@@ -157,12 +157,12 @@ function testResetContextGlobal() {
 function testError() {
   const r = initRepl(repl.REPL_MODE_STRICT);
 
-  r.write(`_err;                                  // initial value undefined
+  r.write(`_error;                                // initial value undefined
            throw new Error('foo');                // throws error
-           _err;                                  // shows error
+           _error;                                // shows error
            fs.readdirSync('/nonexistent?');       // throws error, sync
-           _err.code;                             // shows error code
-           _err.syscall;                          // shows error syscall
+           _error.code;                           // shows error code
+           _error.syscall;                        // shows error syscall
            setImmediate(() => { throw new Error('baz'); }); undefined;
                                                   // throws error, async
            `);
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ function testError() {
     const expectedLines = [
       'undefined',
 
-      // The error, both from the original throw and the `_err` echo.
+      // The error, both from the original throw and the `_error` echo.
       'Error: foo',
       'Error: foo',
 
@@ -203,17 +203,17 @@ function testError() {
     }
     assert.strictEqual(expectedLines.length, 0);
 
-    // Reset output, check that '_err' is the asynchronously caught error.
+    // Reset output, check that '_error' is the asynchronously caught error.
     r.output.accum = '';
-    r.write(`_err.message                 // show the message
-             _err = 0;                    // disable auto-assignment
-             throw new Error('quux');     // new error
-             _err;                        // should not see the new error
+    r.write(`_error.message                 // show the message
+             _error = 0;                    // disable auto-assignment
+             throw new Error('quux');       // new error
+             _error;                        // should not see the new error
              `);
 
     assertOutput(r.output, [
       "'baz'",
-      'Expression assignment to _err now disabled.',
+      'Expression assignment to _error now disabled.',
       '0',
       'Error: quux',
       '0'