diff --git a/sphinx/builders/__init__.py b/sphinx/builders/__init__.py
index 4c2a16715..8a352d6a1 100644
--- a/sphinx/builders/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/builders/__init__.py
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ class Builder(object):
             catalog.write_mo(self.config.language)
 
     def compile_all_catalogs(self):
-        catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs(
+        catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files(
             [path.join(self.srcdir, x) for x in self.config.locale_dirs],
             self.config.language,
             gettext_compact=self.config.gettext_compact,
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ class Builder(object):
             return dom
 
         specified_domains = set(map(to_domain, specified_files))
-        catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs(
+        catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files(
             [path.join(self.srcdir, x) for x in self.config.locale_dirs],
             self.config.language,
             domains=list(specified_domains),
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class Builder(object):
         self.compile_catalogs(catalogs, message)
 
     def compile_update_catalogs(self):
-        catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs(
+        catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files(
             [path.join(self.srcdir, x) for x in self.config.locale_dirs],
             self.config.language,
             gettext_compact=self.config.gettext_compact)
diff --git a/sphinx/locale/__init__.py b/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
index db8081516..4847c0845 100644
--- a/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
+++ b/sphinx/locale/__init__.py
@@ -211,9 +211,8 @@ def init(locale_dirs, language, catalog='sphinx'):
 
     # compile mo files if po file is updated
     # TODO: remove circular importing
-    from sphinx.util.i18n import get_catalogs
-    for catinfo in get_catalogs(locale_dirs, language, domains=[catalog],
-                                force_all=False):
+    from sphinx.util.i18n import find_catalog_source_files
+    for catinfo in find_catalog_source_files(locale_dirs, language, domains=[catalog]):
         catinfo.write_mo(language)
 
     # loading
diff --git a/sphinx/util/i18n.py b/sphinx/util/i18n.py
index e83ba4052..78830fca7 100644
--- a/sphinx/util/i18n.py
+++ b/sphinx/util/i18n.py
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ class CatalogInfo(LocaleFileInfoBase):
                 write_mo(mo, read_po(po, locale))
 
 
-def get_catalogs(locale_dirs, locale, domains=None,
-                 gettext_compact=False, force_all=False):
+def find_catalog_source_files(locale_dirs, locale, domains=None, gettext_compact=False,
+                              force_all=False):
     """
     :param list locale_dirs:
        list of path as `['locale_dir1', 'locale_dir2', ...]` to find
diff --git a/tests/test_util_i18n.py b/tests/test_util_i18n.py
index d8f0cd012..c74962fc5 100644
--- a/tests/test_util_i18n.py
+++ b/tests/test_util_i18n.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def test_get_catalogs_for_xx(dir):
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_ALL').makedirs()
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_ALL' / 'test7.po').write_text('#')
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=False)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=False)
     domains = set(c.domain for c in catalogs)
     assert domains == set([
         'test1',
@@ -89,22 +89,22 @@ def test_get_catalogs_for_en(dir):
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'en' / 'LC_MESSAGES').makedirs()
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'en' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'en_dom.po').write_text('#')
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'en', force_all=False)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'en', force_all=False)
     domains = set(c.domain for c in catalogs)
     assert domains == set(['en_dom'])
 
 
 @with_tempdir
 def test_get_catalogs_with_non_existent_locale(dir):
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx')
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx')
     assert not catalogs
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], None)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], None)
     assert not catalogs
 
 
 def test_get_catalogs_with_non_existent_locale_dirs():
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs(['dummy'], 'xx')
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files(['dummy'], 'xx')
     assert not catalogs
 
 
@@ -123,10 +123,10 @@ def test_get_catalogs_for_xx_without_outdated(dir):
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'sub' / 'test5.po').write_text('#')
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'sub' / 'test5.mo').write_text('#')
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=False)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=False)
     assert not catalogs
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=True)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', force_all=True)
     domains = set(c.domain for c in catalogs)
     assert domains == set([
         'test1',
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def test_get_catalogs_from_multiple_locale_dirs(dir):
     (dir / 'loc2' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'test1.po').write_text('#')
     (dir / 'loc2' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'test2.po').write_text('#')
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1', dir / 'loc2'], 'xx')
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1', dir / 'loc2'], 'xx')
     domains = sorted(c.domain for c in catalogs)
     assert domains == ['test1', 'test1', 'test2']
 
@@ -158,6 +158,6 @@ def test_get_catalogs_with_compact(dir):
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'sub' / 'test3.po').write_text('#')
     (dir / 'loc1' / 'xx' / 'LC_MESSAGES' / 'sub' / 'test4.po').write_text('#')
 
-    catalogs = i18n.get_catalogs([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', gettext_compact=True)
+    catalogs = i18n.find_catalog_source_files([dir / 'loc1'], 'xx', gettext_compact=True)
     domains = set(c.domain for c in catalogs)
     assert domains == set(['test1', 'test2', 'sub'])