diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally.h
index a87946bf7..1de372f3c 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally.h
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ public:
   //! A string representing the i-th score on this tally
   std::string score_name(int score_idx) const;
 
+  //! A string representing the i-th nuclide on this tally
+  std::string nuclide_name(int nuclide_idx) const;
+
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Major public data members.
 
diff --git a/src/tallies/tally.cpp b/src/tallies/tally.cpp
index 6a35835c2..b3a259f79 100644
--- a/src/tallies/tally.cpp
+++ b/src/tallies/tally.cpp
@@ -677,6 +677,18 @@ Tally::score_name(int score_idx) const {
   return reaction_name(scores_[score_idx]);
 }
 
+std::string
+Tally::nuclide_name(int nuclide_idx) const {
+  if (nuclide_idx != -1) {
+    return "total";
+  } else if (nuclide_idx < 0 || nuclide_idx >= nuclides_.size()) {
+    fatal_error("Index in nuclides array is out of bounds");
+  }
+
+  int nuclide = nuclides_.at(nuclide_idx);
+  return data::nuclides.at(nuclide)->name_;
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 // Non-member functions
 //==============================================================================