diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.c b/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.c
index 29c854bbca44..47cf48b51c9d 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.c
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.c
@@ -744,10 +744,11 @@ static struct device_type gadget_type = {
 };
 
 /**
- * gether_setup - initialize one ethernet-over-usb link
+ * gether_setup_name - initialize one ethernet-over-usb link
  * @g: gadget to associated with these links
  * @ethaddr: NULL, or a buffer in which the ethernet address of the
  *	host side of the link is recorded
+ * @netname: name for network device (for example, "usb")
  * Context: may sleep
  *
  * This sets up the single network link that may be exported by a
@@ -756,7 +757,8 @@ static struct device_type gadget_type = {
  *
  * Returns negative errno, or zero on success
  */
-int gether_setup(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN])
+int gether_setup_name(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN],
+		const char *netname)
 {
 	struct eth_dev		*dev;
 	struct net_device	*net;
@@ -780,7 +782,7 @@ int gether_setup(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN])
 
 	/* network device setup */
 	dev->net = net;
-	strcpy(net->name, "usb%d");
+	snprintf(net->name, sizeof(net->name), "%s%%d", netname);
 
 	if (get_ether_addr(dev_addr, net->dev_addr))
 		dev_warn(&g->dev,
diff --git a/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.h b/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.h
index 8012357e98aa..6f128cd0d599 100644
--- a/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.h
+++ b/drivers/usb/gadget/u_ether.h
@@ -69,9 +69,28 @@ struct gether {
 			|USB_CDC_PACKET_TYPE_PROMISCUOUS \
 			|USB_CDC_PACKET_TYPE_DIRECTED)
 
+/* variant of gether_setup that allows customizing network device name */
+int gether_setup_name(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN],
+		const char *netname);
 
 /* netdev setup/teardown as directed by the gadget driver */
-int gether_setup(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN]);
+/* gether_setup - initialize one ethernet-over-usb link
+ * @g: gadget to associated with these links
+ * @ethaddr: NULL, or a buffer in which the ethernet address of the
+ *	host side of the link is recorded
+ * Context: may sleep
+ *
+ * This sets up the single network link that may be exported by a
+ * gadget driver using this framework.  The link layer addresses are
+ * set up using module parameters.
+ *
+ * Returns negative errno, or zero on success
+ */
+static inline int gether_setup(struct usb_gadget *g, u8 ethaddr[ETH_ALEN])
+{
+	return gether_setup_name(g, ethaddr, "usb");
+}
+
 void gether_cleanup(void);
 
 /* connect/disconnect is handled by individual functions */