diff --git a/app/models/application_record.rb b/app/models/application_record.rb
index ed2ca68135e7..90ee016639a8 100644
--- a/app/models/application_record.rb
+++ b/app/models/application_record.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ class ApplicationRecord < ActiveRecord::Base
   include ArNestedCountBy
   include ArHrefSlug
   include ToModelHash
-  include ArVisibleAttribute
+  include ArPrivateAttribute
 
   extend ArTableLock
   extend ArReferences
diff --git a/app/models/ext_management_system.rb b/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
index 81d6a766d01d..e9a772980c2c 100644
--- a/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
+++ b/app/models/ext_management_system.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ class ExtManagementSystem < ApplicationRecord
   include VerifyCredentialsMixin
   include DeprecationMixin
 
-  hide_attribute "aggregate_memory" # better to use total_memory (coin toss - they're similar)
+  private_attribute "aggregate_memory" # better to use total_memory (coin toss - they're similar)
 
   def self.with_tenant(tenant_id)
     tenant = Tenant.find(tenant_id)
diff --git a/app/models/mixins/deprecation_mixin.rb b/app/models/mixins/deprecation_mixin.rb
index bf905b1f1410..08bd24169eef 100644
--- a/app/models/mixins/deprecation_mixin.rb
+++ b/app/models/mixins/deprecation_mixin.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def deprecate_belongs_to(old_belongs_to, new_belongs_to)
     def deprecate_attribute(old_attribute, new_attribute)
       deprecate_attribute_methods(old_attribute, new_attribute)
       virtual_attribute(old_attribute, -> { type_for_attribute(new_attribute.to_s) })
-      hide_attribute(old_attribute)
+      private_attribute(old_attribute)
     end
 
     def deprecate_attribute_methods(old_attribute, new_attribute)
diff --git a/lib/acts_as_ar_model.rb b/lib/acts_as_ar_model.rb
index 70aa219a9fcc..6712fd95b711 100644
--- a/lib/acts_as_ar_model.rb
+++ b/lib/acts_as_ar_model.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 class ActsAsArModel
   include Vmdb::Logging
-  include ArVisibleAttribute
+  include ArPrivateAttribute
 
   def self.connection
     ActiveRecord::Base.connection
diff --git a/lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute.rb b/lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute.rb
similarity index 55%
rename from lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute.rb
rename to lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute.rb
index e74cf521aca7..99197a7478db 100644
--- a/lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute.rb
+++ b/lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute.rb
@@ -1,22 +1,22 @@
-module ArVisibleAttribute
+module ArPrivateAttribute
   extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
   included do
-    class_attribute :hidden_attribute_names, :default => []
+    class_attribute :private_attribute_names, :default => []
   end
 
   class_methods do
-    # @param [String|Symbol] attribute name of attribute to be hidden from the api and reporting
+    # @param [String|Symbol] attribute name of attribute to be private from the api and reporting
     # this attribute is accessible to all ruby methods. But it is not advertised.
     # we do this when deprecating an attribute or when introducing an internal attribute
-    def hide_attribute(attribute)
-      self.hidden_attribute_names += [attribute.to_s]
+    def private_attribute(attribute)
+      self.private_attribute_names += [attribute.to_s]
     end
 
     # @return Array[String] attribute names that can be advertised in the api and reporting
     # Other attributes are accessible, they are just no longer in our public api (or never were)
-    def visible_attribute_names
-      self.attribute_names - self.hidden_attribute_names
+    def public_attribute_names
+      self.attribute_names - self.private_attribute_names
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/miq_expression.rb b/lib/miq_expression.rb
index 2be55e0380a7..b8b7338adf72 100644
--- a/lib/miq_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/miq_expression.rb
@@ -909,7 +909,7 @@ def self.build_relats(model, parent = {}, seen = [])
     parent[:class_path] ||= model.name
     parent[:assoc_path] ||= model.name
     parent[:root] ||= model.name
-    result = {:columns => model.visible_attribute_names, :parent => parent}
+    result = {:columns => model.public_attribute_names, :parent => parent}
     result[:reflections] = {}
 
     model.reflections_with_virtual.each do |assoc, ref|
diff --git a/spec/lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute_spec.rb b/spec/lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e6c65e321081
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/extensions/ar_private_attribute_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+RSpec.describe ArPrivateAttribute do
+  # NOTE: ApplicationRecord already included ArPrivateAttribute
+  let(:klass) { Class.new(ApplicationRecord) { self.table_name = "vms" } }
+  let(:other_klass) { Class.new(ApplicationRecord) { self.table_name = "vms" } }
+
+  context ".public_attribute_names" do
+    it "shows regular attributes" do
+      expect(klass.public_attribute_names).to include("type")
+    end
+
+    it "hides private attributes" do
+      klass.private_attribute :type
+      expect(klass.public_attribute_names).not_to include("type")
+    end
+
+    it "only hides attributes for the specified class" do
+      klass.private_attribute :type
+      expect(other_klass.public_attribute_names).to include("type")
+    end
+  end
+
+  context ".private_attribute_names" do
+    it "starts with no private attributes" do
+      expect(klass.private_attribute_names).to be_empty
+    end
+
+    it "hides private attributes" do
+      klass.private_attribute :type
+      expect(klass.private_attribute_names).to include("type")
+    end
+
+    it "only hides for specified class" do
+      klass.private_attribute :type
+      expect(other_klass.private_attribute_names).not_to include("type")
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute_spec.rb b/spec/lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute_spec.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 43e8d9bf59d0..000000000000
--- a/spec/lib/extensions/ar_visible_attribute_spec.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-RSpec.describe ArVisibleAttribute do
-  # NOTE: ApplicationRecord already included ArVisibleAttribute
-  let(:klass) { Class.new(ApplicationRecord) { self.table_name = "vms" } }
-  let(:other_klass) { Class.new(ApplicationRecord) { self.table_name = "vms" } }
-
-  context ".visible_attribute_names" do
-    it "shows regular attributes" do
-      expect(klass.visible_attribute_names).to include("type")
-    end
-
-    it "hides hidden attributes" do
-      klass.hide_attribute :type
-      expect(klass.visible_attribute_names).not_to include("type")
-    end
-
-    it "only hides for specified class" do
-      klass.hide_attribute :type
-      expect(other_klass.visible_attribute_names).to include("type")
-    end
-  end
-
-  context ".hidden_attribute_names" do
-    it "starts with no hidden attributes" do
-      expect(klass.hidden_attribute_names).to be_empty
-    end
-
-    it "hides hidden attributes" do
-      klass.hide_attribute :type
-      expect(klass.hidden_attribute_names).to include("type")
-    end
-
-    it "only hides for specified class" do
-      klass.hide_attribute :type
-      expect(other_klass.hidden_attribute_names).not_to include("type")
-    end
-  end
-end