diff --git a/jedi/api/classes.py b/jedi/api/classes.py
index 662c09e7..5a889d37 100644
--- a/jedi/api/classes.py
+++ b/jedi/api/classes.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class BaseDefinition(object):
 
         :rtype: str or None
         """
-        return self._name.string_name
+        return self._name.get_public_name()
 
     @property
     def type(self):
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ class BaseDefinition(object):
     @property
     def description(self):
         """A textual description of the object."""
-        return self._name.string_name
+        return self._name.get_public_name()
 
     @property
     def full_name(self):
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ class Completion(BaseDefinition):
                 # TODO this doesn't work for nested calls.
                 append += '='
 
-        name = self._name.string_name
+        name = self._name.get_public_name()
         if like_name:
             name = name[self._like_name_length:]
         return name + append
@@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ class Completion(BaseDefinition):
         return Definition.description.__get__(self)
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return '<%s: %s>' % (type(self).__name__, self._name.string_name)
+        return '<%s: %s>' % (type(self).__name__, self._name.get_public_name())
 
     @memoize_method
     def follow_definition(self):
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ class Definition(BaseDefinition):
             if typ == 'function':
                 # For the description we want a short and a pythonic way.
                 typ = 'def'
-            return typ + ' ' + self._name.string_name
+            return typ + ' ' + self._name.get_public_name()
 
         definition = tree_name.get_definition() or tree_name
         # Remove the prefix, because that's not what we want for get_code
diff --git a/jedi/inference/names.py b/jedi/inference/names.py
index 41799880..cad3537b 100644
--- a/jedi/inference/names.py
+++ b/jedi/inference/names.py
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ class AbstractNameDefinition(object):
     def get_root_context(self):
         return self.parent_context.get_root_context()
 
+    def get_public_name(self):
+        return self.string_name
+
     def __repr__(self):
         if self.start_pos is None:
             return '<%s: string_name=%s>' % (self.__class__.__name__, self.string_name)
@@ -225,7 +228,7 @@ class BaseTreeParamName(ParamNameInterface, AbstractTreeName):
     default_node = None
 
     def to_string(self):
-        output = self._kind_string() + self.string_name
+        output = self._kind_string() + self.get_public_name()
         annotation = self.annotation_node
         default = self.default_node
         if annotation is not None:
@@ -262,9 +265,8 @@ class ParamName(BaseTreeParamName):
     def default_node(self):
         return self._get_param_node().default
 
-    @property
-    def string_name(self):
-        name = self.tree_name.value
+    def get_public_name(self):
+        name = self.string_name
         if name.startswith('__'):
             # Params starting with __ are an equivalent to positional only
             # variables in typeshed.
diff --git a/jedi/inference/param.py b/jedi/inference/param.py
index 22d170a8..9f4a6614 100644
--- a/jedi/inference/param.py
+++ b/jedi/inference/param.py
@@ -24,12 +24,15 @@ class ExecutedParam(object):
         from jedi.inference.names import ParamName
         self._name = ParamName(execution_context, param_node.name)
         self._lazy_value = lazy_value
-        self.string_name = param_node.name.value
         self._is_default = is_default
 
     def infer(self, use_hints=True):
         return self._lazy_value.infer()
 
+    @property
+    def string_name(self):
+        return self._name.string_name
+
     def get_kind(self):
         return self._name.get_kind()