diff --git a/skimage/measure/__init__.py b/skimage/measure/__init__.py
index be4a1b43..422db569 100755
--- a/skimage/measure/__init__.py
+++ b/skimage/measure/__init__.py
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 from .find_contours import find_contours
-from .regionprops import regionprops
+from ._regionprops import regionprops
diff --git a/skimage/measure/_regionprops.pyx b/skimage/measure/_moments.pyx
similarity index 100%
rename from skimage/measure/_regionprops.pyx
rename to skimage/measure/_moments.pyx
diff --git a/skimage/measure/regionprops.py b/skimage/measure/_regionprops.py
similarity index 96%
rename from skimage/measure/regionprops.py
rename to skimage/measure/_regionprops.py
index 5b2286d4..d5c1c211 100644
--- a/skimage/measure/regionprops.py
+++ b/skimage/measure/_regionprops.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import numpy as np
 from scipy import ndimage
 
 from skimage.morphology import convex_hull_image
-from . import _regionprops
+from . import _moments
 
 
 __all__ = ['regionprops']
@@ -159,11 +159,11 @@ def regionprops(image, properties='all'):
         r0 = sl[0].start
         c0 = sl[1].start
 
-        m = _regionprops._central_moments(array, 0, 0, 3)
+        m = _moments.central_moments(array, 0, 0, 3)
         # centroid
         cr = m[0,1] / m[0,0]
         cc = m[1,0] / m[0,0]
-        mu = _regionprops.central_moments(array, cr, cc, 3)
+        mu = _moments.central_moments(array, cr, cc, 3)
 
         # elements of second order central moment covariance matrix
         a = mu[2,0] / mu[0,0]
@@ -219,8 +219,8 @@ def regionprops(image, properties='all'):
 
         if 'HuMoments' in properties:
             if _nu is None:
-                _nu = _regionprops.normalized_moments(mu, 3)
-            obj_props['HuMoments'] = _regionprops.hu_moments(_nu)
+                _nu = _moments.normalized_moments(mu, 3)
+            obj_props['HuMoments'] = _moments.hu_moments(_nu)
 
         if 'Image' in properties:
             obj_props['Image'] = array
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ def regionprops(image, properties='all'):
 
         if 'NormalizedMoments' in properties:
             if _nu is None:
-                _nu = _regionprops.normalized_moments(mu, 3)
+                _nu = _moments.normalized_moments(mu, 3)
             obj_props['NormalizedMoments'] = _nu
 
         if 'Orientation' in properties:
diff --git a/skimage/measure/setup.py b/skimage/measure/setup.py
index 267487c1..4b02a1d1 100644
--- a/skimage/measure/setup.py
+++ b/skimage/measure/setup.py
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ def configuration(parent_package='', top_path=None):
     config.add_data_dir('tests')
 
     cython(['_find_contours.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
-    cython(['_regionprops.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
+    cython(['_moments.pyx'], working_path=base_path)
 
     config.add_extension('_find_contours', sources=['_find_contours.c'],
                          include_dirs=[get_numpy_include_dirs()])
-    config.add_extension('_regionprops', sources=['_regionprops.c'],
+    config.add_extension('_moments', sources=['_moments.c'],
                          include_dirs=[get_numpy_include_dirs()])
 
     return config