diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index fd25103b76..30724b21e0 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use errors::*;
 use inputfile::InputFile;
 use line_range::LineRange;
 use style::{OutputComponent, OutputComponents, OutputWrap};
+use syntax_mapping::SyntaxMapping;
 use util::transpose;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
@@ -66,6 +67,9 @@ pub struct Config<'a> {
 
     /// The syntax highlighting theme
     pub theme: String,
+
+    /// File extension/name mappings
+    pub syntax_mapping: SyntaxMapping,
 }
 
 fn is_truecolor_terminal() -> bool {
@@ -146,6 +150,20 @@ impl App {
             }
         };
 
+        let mut syntax_mapping = SyntaxMapping::new();
+
+        if let Some(values) = self.matches.values_of("map-syntax") {
+            for from_to in values {
+                let parts: Vec<_> = from_to.split(":").collect();
+
+                if parts.len() != 2 {
+                    return Err("Invalid syntax mapping. The format of the -m/--map-syntax option is 'from:to'.".into());
+                }
+
+                syntax_mapping.insert(parts[0].into(), parts[1].into());
+            }
+        }
+
         Ok(Config {
             true_color: is_truecolor_terminal(),
             language: self.matches.value_of("language"),
@@ -202,6 +220,7 @@ impl App {
                 .unwrap_or(String::from(BAT_THEME_DEFAULT)),
             line_range: transpose(self.matches.value_of("line-range").map(LineRange::from))?,
             output_components,
+            syntax_mapping,
         })
     }
 
diff --git a/src/assets.rs b/src/assets.rs
index 119e91c9fd..ab9f0e4afc 100644
--- a/src/assets.rs
+++ b/src/assets.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ use dirs::PROJECT_DIRS;
 
 use errors::*;
 use inputfile::{InputFile, InputFileReader};
+use syntax_mapping::SyntaxMapping;
 
 pub const BAT_THEME_DEFAULT: &str = "Monokai Extended";
 
@@ -167,6 +168,7 @@ impl HighlightingAssets {
         language: Option<&str>,
         filename: InputFile,
         reader: &mut InputFileReader,
+        mapping: &SyntaxMapping,
     ) -> &SyntaxReference {
         let syntax = match (language, filename) {
             (Some(language), _) => self.syntax_set.find_syntax_by_token(language),
@@ -174,10 +176,14 @@ impl HighlightingAssets {
                 let path = Path::new(filename);
                 let file_name = path.file_name().and_then(|n| n.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
                 let extension = path.extension().and_then(|x| x.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
+
+                let file_name = mapping.replace(file_name);
+                let extension = mapping.replace(extension);
+
                 let ext_syntax = self
                     .syntax_set
-                    .find_syntax_by_extension(file_name)
-                    .or_else(|| self.syntax_set.find_syntax_by_extension(extension));
+                    .find_syntax_by_extension(&file_name)
+                    .or_else(|| self.syntax_set.find_syntax_by_extension(&extension));
                 let line_syntax = if ext_syntax.is_none() {
                     String::from_utf8(reader.first_line.clone())
                         .ok()
diff --git a/src/clap_app.rs b/src/clap_app.rs
index eab2e29c18..fd917ee594 100644
--- a/src/clap_app.rs
+++ b/src/clap_app.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,22 @@ pub fn build_app(interactive_output: bool) -> ClapApp<'static, 'static> {
                 .help("Display all supported languages.")
                 .long_help("Display a list of supported languages for syntax highlighting."),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::with_name("map-syntax")
+                .short("m")
+                .long("map-syntax")
+                .multiple(true)
+                .takes_value(true)
+                .value_name("from:to")
+                .help("Map a file extension or name to an existing syntax")
+                .long_help(
+                    "Map a file extension or file name to an existing syntax. For example, \
+                     to highlight *.conf files with the INI syntax, use '-m conf:ini'. \
+                     To highlight files named '.myignore' with the Git Ignore syntax, use \
+                     '-m .myignore:gitignore'.",
+                )
+                .takes_value(true),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("theme")
                 .long("theme")
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 31f9503fd3..a031728379 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ mod output;
 mod preprocessor;
 mod printer;
 mod style;
+mod syntax_mapping;
 mod terminal;
 mod util;
 
diff --git a/src/printer.rs b/src/printer.rs
index 5bb72fc83e..fbe141209d 100644
--- a/src/printer.rs
+++ b/src/printer.rs
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ impl<'a> InteractivePrinter<'a> {
             };
 
             // Determine the type of syntax for highlighting
-            let syntax = assets.get_syntax(config.language, file, reader);
+            let syntax = assets.get_syntax(config.language, file, reader, &config.syntax_mapping);
             Some(HighlightLines::new(syntax, theme))
         };
 
diff --git a/src/syntax_mapping.rs b/src/syntax_mapping.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bf0e7351f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/syntax_mapping.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+pub struct SyntaxMapping(HashMap<String, String>);
+
+impl SyntaxMapping {
+    pub fn new() -> SyntaxMapping {
+        SyntaxMapping(HashMap::new())
+    }
+
+    pub fn insert(&mut self, from: String, to: String) -> Option<String> {
+        self.0.insert(from, to)
+    }
+
+    pub fn replace<'a>(&self, input: &'a str) -> Cow<'a, str> {
+        let mut out = Cow::from(input);
+        if let Some(value) = self.0.get(input) {
+            out = Cow::from(value.clone())
+        }
+        out
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn basic() {
+    let mut map = SyntaxMapping::new();
+    map.insert("Cargo.lock".into(), "toml".into());
+    map.insert(".ignore".into(), ".gitignore".into());
+
+    assert_eq!("toml", map.replace("Cargo.lock"));
+    assert_eq!("other.lock", map.replace("other.lock"));
+
+    assert_eq!(".gitignore", map.replace(".ignore"));
+}