diff --git a/dlib/all/source.cpp b/dlib/all/source.cpp
index b769649a8..dbd2c0d23 100644
--- a/dlib/all/source.cpp
+++ b/dlib/all/source.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
 #include "../threads/threads_kernel_2.cpp"
 #include "../threads/threads_kernel_shared.cpp"
 #include "../threads/thread_pool_extension.cpp"
-#include "../timer/timer_kernel_2.cpp"
+#include "../timer/timer.cpp"
 #include "../stack_trace.cpp"
 
 #ifdef DLIB_PNG_SUPPORT
diff --git a/dlib/timer.h b/dlib/timer.h
index 1badb7344..918078e4d 100644
--- a/dlib/timer.h
+++ b/dlib/timer.h
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 #ifndef DLIB_TIMEr_
 #define DLIB_TIMEr_
 
-#include "timer/timer_kernel_1.h"
-#include "timer/timer_kernel_2.h"
+#include "timer/timer.h"
+#include "timer/timer_heavy.h"
 
 #endif // DLIB_TIMEr_
 
diff --git a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.cpp b/dlib/timer/timer.cpp
similarity index 97%
rename from dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.cpp
rename to dlib/timer/timer.cpp
index f97beaaac..6221462d8 100644
--- a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.cpp
+++ b/dlib/timer/timer.cpp
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 // Copyright (C) 2007  Davis E. King (davis@dlib.net)
 // License: Boost Software License   See LICENSE.txt for the full license.
-#ifndef DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_CPP
-#define DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_CPP
+#ifndef DLIB_TIMER_cPP__
+#define DLIB_TIMER_cPP__
 
-#include "timer_kernel_2.h"
+#include "timer.h"
 
 namespace dlib
 {
@@ -204,5 +204,5 @@ namespace dlib
 
 }
 
-#endif // DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_CPP
+#endif // DLIB_TIMER_cPP__
 
diff --git a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.h b/dlib/timer/timer.h
similarity index 98%
rename from dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.h
rename to dlib/timer/timer.h
index ec0e94665..3689f6a43 100644
--- a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_2.h
+++ b/dlib/timer/timer.h
@@ -1,16 +1,16 @@
 // Copyright (C) 2007  Davis E. King (davis@dlib.net)
 // License: Boost Software License   See LICENSE.txt for the full license.
-#ifndef DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_
-#define DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_
+#ifndef DLIB_TIMEr_H__
+#define DLIB_TIMEr_H__
 
 #include "../threads.h"
 #include "../algs.h"
 #include "../misc_api.h"
-#include "timer_kernel_abstract.h"
+#include "timer_abstract.h"
 #include "../uintn.h"
 #include "../binary_search_tree.h"
 #include "../smart_pointers_thread_safe.h"
-#include "timer_kernel_1.h"
+#include "timer_heavy.h"
 
 namespace dlib
 {
@@ -418,9 +418,9 @@ namespace dlib
 }
 
 #ifdef NO_MAKEFILE
-#include "timer_kernel_2.cpp"
+#include "timer.cpp"
 #endif
 
-#endif // DLIB_TIMER_KERNEl_2_
+#endif // DLIB_TIMEr_H__
 
 
diff --git a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_abstract.h b/dlib/timer/timer_abstract.h
similarity index 100%
rename from dlib/timer/timer_kernel_abstract.h
rename to dlib/timer/timer_abstract.h
diff --git a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_1.h b/dlib/timer/timer_heavy.h
similarity index 99%
rename from dlib/timer/timer_kernel_1.h
rename to dlib/timer/timer_heavy.h
index 023e9558b..370b7add8 100644
--- a/dlib/timer/timer_kernel_1.h
+++ b/dlib/timer/timer_heavy.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include "../threads.h"
 #include "../algs.h"
 #include "../misc_api.h"
-#include "timer_kernel_abstract.h"
+#include "timer_abstract.h"
 
 namespace dlib
 {