diff --git a/sys/net/if.c b/sys/net/if.c
--- a/sys/net/if.c
+++ b/sys/net/if.c
@@ -868,6 +868,7 @@
 #ifdef MAC
 		mac_ifnet_create(ifp);
 #endif
+		strlcpy(ifp->if_orig_name, ifp->if_xname, sizeof(ifp->if_orig_name));
 
 		/*
 		 * Create a Link Level name for this device.
@@ -4294,6 +4295,12 @@
 	return (0);
 }
 
+const char *
+if_getorigname(if_t ifp)
+{
+	return (ifp->if_orig_name);
+}
+
 int 
 if_togglecapenable(if_t ifp, int togglecap)
 {
diff --git a/sys/net/if_private.h b/sys/net/if_private.h
--- a/sys/net/if_private.h
+++ b/sys/net/if_private.h
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@
 	struct debugnet_methods *if_debugnet_methods;
 	struct epoch_context	if_epoch_ctx;
 
+	char	if_orig_name[IFNAMSIZ];	/* original interface name */
 	/*
 	 * Spare fields to be added before branching a stable branch, so
 	 * that structure can be enhanced without changing the kernel
diff --git a/sys/net/if_var.h b/sys/net/if_var.h
--- a/sys/net/if_var.h
+++ b/sys/net/if_var.h
@@ -587,6 +587,7 @@
 int if_getindex(const if_t ifp);
 int if_getidxgen(const if_t ifp);
 const char *if_getdname(const if_t ifp);
+const char *if_getorigname(const if_t ifp);
 void if_setdname(if_t ifp, const char *name);
 const char *if_name(if_t ifp);
 int if_setname(if_t ifp, const char *name);