diff --git a/include/openmc/cell.h b/include/openmc/cell.h
index 752945ceec..602da98e7a 100644
--- a/include/openmc/cell.h
+++ b/include/openmc/cell.h
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ public:
 
   //! Get the name of a cell
   //! \return Cell name
-  std::string name() const { return name_; };
+  const std::string& name() const { return name_; };
 
   //! Set the temperature of a cell instance
   //! \param[in] name Cell name
diff --git a/include/openmc/material.h b/include/openmc/material.h
index aa0a4bad0a..652f3db8e1 100644
--- a/include/openmc/material.h
+++ b/include/openmc/material.h
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public:
 
   //! Get name
   //! \return Material name
-  std::string name() const { return name_; }
+  const std::string& name() const { return name_; }
 
   //! Set name
   void set_name(const std::string& name) { name_ = name; }
diff --git a/src/cell.cpp b/src/cell.cpp
index 7cc74ed9f3..49d8cb1b41 100644
--- a/src/cell.cpp
+++ b/src/cell.cpp
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ openmc_cell_get_name(int32_t index, const char** name) {
     return OPENMC_E_OUT_OF_BOUNDS;
   }
 
-  *name = model::cells[index]->name_.data();
+  *name = model::cells[index]->name().data();
 
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/material.cpp b/src/material.cpp
index 699649d31c..685fd1da2e 100644
--- a/src/material.cpp
+++ b/src/material.cpp
@@ -1388,7 +1388,7 @@ openmc_material_get_name(int32_t index, const char** name) {
     return OPENMC_E_OUT_OF_BOUNDS;
   }
 
-  *name = model::materials[index]->name_.data();
+  *name = model::materials[index]->name().data();
 
   return 0;
 }