diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index ee7e33cb1b0..4d063a6e3da 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ Features added
 
 * #8924: autodoc: Support ``bound`` argument for TypeVar
 * #7383: autodoc: Support typehints for properties
+* #5603: autodoc: Allow to refer to a python object using its canonical name
+  when the object has two different names; a canonical name and an alias name
 * #7549: autosummary: Enable :confval:`autosummary_generate` by default
 * #4826: py domain: Add ``:canonical:`` option to python directives to describe
   the location where the object is defined
diff --git a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
index a01402090bc..3d33b6a8e83 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/autodoc/__init__.py
@@ -1590,6 +1590,20 @@ def get_overloaded_signatures(self) -> List[Signature]:
 
         return []
 
+    def get_canonical_fullname(self) -> Optional[str]:
+        __modname__ = safe_getattr(self.object, '__module__', self.modname)
+        __qualname__ = safe_getattr(self.object, '__qualname__', None)
+        if __qualname__ is None:
+            __qualname__ = safe_getattr(self.object, '__name__', None)
+        if __qualname__ and '<locals>' in __qualname__:
+            # No valid qualname found if the object is defined as locals
+            __qualname__ = None
+
+        if __modname__ and __qualname__:
+            return '.'.join([__modname__, __qualname__])
+        else:
+            return None
+
     def add_directive_header(self, sig: str) -> None:
         sourcename = self.get_sourcename()
 
@@ -1600,6 +1614,10 @@ def add_directive_header(self, sig: str) -> None:
         if self.analyzer and '.'.join(self.objpath) in self.analyzer.finals:
             self.add_line('   :final:', sourcename)
 
+        canonical_fullname = self.get_canonical_fullname()
+        if not self.doc_as_attr and canonical_fullname and self.fullname != canonical_fullname:
+            self.add_line('   :canonical: %s' % canonical_fullname, sourcename)
+
         # add inheritance info, if wanted
         if not self.doc_as_attr and self.options.show_inheritance:
             sourcename = self.get_sourcename()
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/__init__.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4ca2b339c8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+from target.canonical.original import Bar, Foo
diff --git a/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/original.py b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/original.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..42049b2165e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/roots/test-ext-autodoc/target/canonical/original.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+class Foo:
+    """docstring"""
+
+    def meth(self):
+        """docstring"""
+
+
+def bar():
+    class Bar:
+        """docstring"""
+
+    return Bar
+
+
+Bar = bar()
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py b/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
index 8ea799f4973..824ee77c269 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_autodoc.py
@@ -2474,3 +2474,34 @@ def test_hide_value(app):
         '   :meta hide-value:',
         '',
     ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.sphinx('html', testroot='ext-autodoc')
+def test_canonical(app):
+    options = {'members': None,
+               'imported-members': None}
+    actual = do_autodoc(app, 'module', 'target.canonical', options)
+    assert list(actual) == [
+        '',
+        '.. py:module:: target.canonical',
+        '',
+        '',
+        '.. py:class:: Bar()',
+        '   :module: target.canonical',
+        '',
+        '   docstring',
+        '',
+        '',
+        '.. py:class:: Foo()',
+        '   :module: target.canonical',
+        '   :canonical: target.canonical.original.Foo',
+        '',
+        '   docstring',
+        '',
+        '',
+        '   .. py:method:: Foo.meth()',
+        '      :module: target.canonical',
+        '',
+        '      docstring',
+        '',
+    ]