diff --git a/skimage/feature/_canny.py b/skimage/feature/_canny.py
index 6073c102..43695645 100644
--- a/skimage/feature/_canny.py
+++ b/skimage/feature/_canny.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ def smooth_with_function_and_mask(image, function, mask):
 
 
 def canny(image, sigma=1., low_threshold=None, high_threshold=None, mask=None,
-    quantile_threshold=False):
+    use_quantiles=False):
     """Edge filter an image using the Canny algorithm.
 
     Parameters
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def canny(image, sigma=1., low_threshold=None, high_threshold=None, mask=None,
         If None, high_threshold is set to 20% of dtype's max.
     mask : array, dtype=bool, optional
         Mask to limit the application of Canny to a certain area.
-    quantile_threshold : bool, optional
+    use_quantiles : bool, optional
         If True then treat low_threshold and high_threshold as quantiles of the
         edge magnitude image, rather than absolute edge magnitude values. If True
         then the thresholds must be in the range [0, 1].
@@ -253,9 +253,9 @@ def canny(image, sigma=1., low_threshold=None, high_threshold=None, mask=None,
     local_maxima[pts] = c_plus & c_minus
 
     #
-    #---- If quantile_threshold is set then calculate the thresholds to use
+    #---- If use_quantiles is set then calculate the thresholds to use
     #
-    if quantile_threshold:
+    if use_quantiles:
         if high_threshold > 1.0 or low_threshold > 1.0:
             raise ValueError("Quantile thresholds must not be > 1.0")
         if high_threshold < 0.0 or low_threshold < 0.0:
diff --git a/skimage/feature/tests/test_canny.py b/skimage/feature/tests/test_canny.py
index 17a147f3..21ffc52f 100644
--- a/skimage/feature/tests/test_canny.py
+++ b/skimage/feature/tests/test_canny.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ class TestCanny(unittest.TestCase):
         result2 = F.canny(np.zeros((20, 20)), 4, 0, 0)
         self.assertTrue(np.all(result1 == result2))
 
-    def test_quantile_threshold(self):
+    def test_use_quantiles(self):
         image = img_as_float(data.camera()[::50,::50])
 
         # Correct output produced manually with quantiles
@@ -87,26 +87,26 @@ class TestCanny(unittest.TestCase):
            [0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
            [0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]], dtype=bool)
 
-        result = F.canny(image, low_threshold=0.6, high_threshold=0.8, quantile_threshold=True)
+        result = F.canny(image, low_threshold=0.6, high_threshold=0.8, use_quantiles=True)
 
         assert_equal(result, correct_output)
 
-    def test_invalid_quantile_threshold(self):
+    def test_invalid_use_quantiles(self):
         image = img_as_float(data.camera()[::50,::50])
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            result = F.canny(image, quantile_threshold=True,
+            result = F.canny(image, use_quantiles=True,
                                 low_threshold=0.5, high_threshold=3.6)
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            result = F.canny(image, quantile_threshold=True,
+            result = F.canny(image, use_quantiles=True,
                                 low_threshold=99, high_threshold=0.9)
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            result = F.canny(image, quantile_threshold=True,
+            result = F.canny(image, use_quantiles=True,
                                 low_threshold=-5, high_threshold=0.5)
 
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            result = F.canny(image, quantile_threshold=True,
+            result = F.canny(image, use_quantiles=True,
                                 low_threshold=0.5, high_threshold=-100)