diff --git a/opal/mca/base/Makefile.am b/opal/mca/base/Makefile.am
index bd6145d354..2e4cd3f2f3 100644
--- a/opal/mca/base/Makefile.am
+++ b/opal/mca/base/Makefile.am
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
 #                         All rights reserved.
 # Copyright (c) 2010 Cisco Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
+# Copyright (c) 2020      Google LLC. All rights reserved.
 # $COPYRIGHT$
 #
 # Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ dist_opaldata_DATA = help-mca-base.txt help-mca-var.txt
 
 headers = \
         base.h \
+        mca_base_alias.h \
         mca_base_component_repository.h \
         mca_base_var.h \
         mca_base_pvar.h \
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ headers = \
 
 libmca_base_la_SOURCES = \
         $(headers) \
+        mca_base_alias.c \
         mca_base_close.c \
         mca_base_cmd_line.c \
         mca_base_component_compare.c \
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.c b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fd1aeef1df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.c
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; c-basic-offset:4 ; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2020      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
+ * $COPYRIGHT$
+ *
+ * Additional copyrights may follow
+ *
+ * $HEADER$
+ */
+
+#include "mca_base_alias.h"
+#include "opal/class/opal_hash_table.h"
+#include "opal/runtime/opal.h"
+
+static void mca_base_alias_init (mca_base_alias_t *alias)
+{
+    OBJ_CONSTRUCT(&alias->component_aliases, opal_list_t);
+}
+
+static void mca_base_alias_fini (mca_base_alias_t *alias)
+{
+    OPAL_LIST_DESTRUCT(&alias->component_aliases);
+}
+
+OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(mca_base_alias_t, opal_object_t, mca_base_alias_init,
+                   mca_base_alias_fini);
+
+static void mca_base_alias_item_init (mca_base_alias_item_t *alias_item) {
+    alias_item->component_alias = NULL;
+}
+
+static void mca_base_alias_item_fini (mca_base_alias_item_t *alias_item) {
+    free (alias_item->component_alias);
+}
+
+OBJ_CLASS_INSTANCE(mca_base_alias_item_t, opal_list_item_t, mca_base_alias_item_init,
+                   mca_base_alias_item_fini);
+
+/*
+ * local variables
+ */
+static opal_hash_table_t *alias_hash_table;
+
+static void mca_base_alias_cleanup (void)
+{
+    if (!alias_hash_table) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    void *key;
+    opal_object_t *value;
+    OPAL_HASH_TABLE_FOREACH_PTR(key, value, alias_hash_table, {
+        OBJ_RELEASE(value);
+    });
+
+    OBJ_RELEASE(alias_hash_table);
+    alias_hash_table = NULL;
+}
+
+static int mca_base_alias_setup (void)
+{
+    if (NULL != alias_hash_table) {
+        return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+    }
+
+    opal_finalize_register_cleanup (mca_base_alias_cleanup);
+
+    alias_hash_table = OBJ_NEW(opal_hash_table_t);
+    if (NULL == alias_hash_table) {
+        return OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
+    }
+
+    int ret = opal_hash_table_init (alias_hash_table, 32);
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+        OBJ_RELEASE(alias_hash_table);
+        alias_hash_table = NULL;
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+static char *mca_base_alias_generate_name (const char *project, const char *framework, const char *component_name)
+{
+    size_t project_length = project ? strlen (project) : 0;
+    size_t framework_length = framework ? strlen (framework) : 0;
+    size_t component_name_length = strlen (component_name);
+    size_t length = project_length + framework_length + component_name_length + 2;
+    char *tmp = calloc (1, length + 1);
+    if (NULL == tmp) {
+        return tmp;
+    }
+
+    if (project_length) {
+        strncat (tmp, project, length);
+        strncat (tmp, "_", 1);
+        length -= project_length + 1;
+    }
+
+    if (framework_length) {
+        strncat (tmp, framework, length);
+        strncat (tmp, "_", 1);
+        length -= framework_length + 1;
+    }
+
+    strncat (tmp, component_name, length);
+
+    return tmp;
+}
+
+static mca_base_alias_t *mca_base_alias_lookup_internal (const char *name)
+{
+    mca_base_alias_t *alias = NULL;
+    if (NULL == alias_hash_table) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    (void) opal_hash_table_get_value_ptr (alias_hash_table, name, strlen (name), (void **) &alias);
+    return alias;
+}
+
+int mca_base_alias_register (const char *project, const char *framework, const char *component_name,
+                             const char *component_alias, uint32_t alias_flags)
+{
+    if (NULL == component_name) {
+        return OPAL_ERR_BAD_PARAM;
+    }
+
+    int ret = mca_base_alias_setup ();
+    if (OPAL_SUCCESS != ret) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    char *name = mca_base_alias_generate_name (project, framework, component_name);
+    assert (NULL != name);
+
+    mca_base_alias_t *alias = mca_base_alias_lookup_internal (name);
+    if (NULL == alias) {
+        alias = OBJ_NEW(mca_base_alias_t);
+        if (NULL == alias) {
+            return OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
+        }
+
+        opal_hash_table_set_value_ptr (alias_hash_table, name, strlen(name), alias);
+        free (name);
+    }
+
+    mca_base_alias_item_t *alias_item = OBJ_NEW(mca_base_alias_item_t);
+    if (NULL == alias_item) {
+        return OPAL_ERR_OUT_OF_RESOURCE;
+    }
+    
+    alias_item->component_alias = strdup (component_alias);
+    alias_item->alias_flags = alias_flags;
+
+    opal_list_append (&alias->component_aliases, &alias_item->super);
+
+    return OPAL_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+const mca_base_alias_t *mca_base_alias_lookup(const char *project, const char *framework, const char *component_name)
+{
+    if (NULL == component_name) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    char *name = mca_base_alias_generate_name (project, framework, component_name);
+    assert (NULL != name);
+    const mca_base_alias_t *alias = mca_base_alias_lookup_internal (name);
+    free (name);
+
+    return alias;
+}
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.h b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..552464ce6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.h
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+/* -*- Mode: C; c-basic-offset:4 ; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2020      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
+ * $COPYRIGHT$
+ *
+ * Additional copyrights may follow
+ *
+ * $HEADER$
+ */
+
+#ifndef OPAL_MCA_BASE_ALIAS_H
+#define OPAL_MCA_BASE_ALIAS_H
+
+#include "opal_config.h"
+#include "opal/class/opal_list.h"
+
+BEGIN_C_DECLS
+
+enum mca_base_alias_flags_t {
+      MCA_BASE_ALIAS_FLAG_NONE       = 0,
+      /** The aliased name has been deprecated. */
+      MCA_BASE_ALIAS_FLAG_DEPRECATED = 1,
+};
+
+typedef enum mca_base_alias_flags_t mca_base_alias_flags_t;
+
+struct mca_base_alias_item_t {
+    opal_list_item_t super;
+    /** Name aias. */
+    char *component_alias;
+    /** Alias flags. */
+    uint32_t alias_flags;
+};
+
+typedef struct mca_base_alias_item_t mca_base_alias_item_t;
+
+OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(mca_base_alias_item_t);
+
+struct mca_base_alias_t {
+    opal_object_t super;
+    /** List of name aliases. */
+    opal_list_t component_aliases;
+};
+
+typedef struct mca_base_alias_t mca_base_alias_t;
+
+OBJ_CLASS_DECLARATION(mca_base_alias_t);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Create a alias for a component name.
+ *
+ * @param[in] project         Project name (may be NULL)
+ * @param[in] framework       Framework name (may be NULL)
+ * @param[in] component_name  Name of component to alias (may not be NULL)
+ * @param[in] component_alias Aliased name (may not be NULL)
+ * @param[in] alias_flags     Flags (see mca_base_alias_flags_t)
+ *
+ * This function aliases one component name to another. When aliased
+ * any variable registered with this project, framework, and
+ * component_name will have synonyms created. For example, if
+ * opal_btl_vader is aliased to sm then registers a variable
+ * named btl_vader_flags then a synonym will be created with the
+ * name btl_sm_flags. If an alias is registered early enough
+ * (during framework registration for example) then the alias can
+ * also be used for component selection. In the previous example
+ * --mca btl vader and --mca btl sm would select the same
+ * component if the synonym is registered in the btl framework
+ * registration function.
+ */
+OPAL_DECLSPEC int mca_base_alias_register (const char *project, const char *framework,
+                                           const char *component_name,
+                                           const char *component_alias,
+                                           uint32_t alias_flags);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Check for aliases for a component.
+ *
+ * @param[in] project        Project name (may be NULL)
+ * @param[in] frameworek     Framework name (may be NULL)
+ * @param[in] component_name Component name (may not be NULL)
+ */
+OPAL_DECLSPEC const mca_base_alias_t *mca_base_alias_lookup(const char *project,
+                                                            const char *framework,
+                                                            const char *component_name);
+
+#endif /* OPAL_MCA_BASE_ALIAS_H */
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_component_find.c b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_component_find.c
index 45d2eff776..477fd3f16c 100644
--- a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_component_find.c
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_component_find.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  *                         reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2019      Triad National Security, LLC. All rights
  *                         reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@
 #include "opal/class/opal_list.h"
 #include "opal/mca/mca.h"
 #include "opal/mca/base/base.h"
+#include "opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.h"
 #include "opal/mca/base/mca_base_component_repository.h"
 #include "opal/constants.h"
 #include "opal/mca/dl/base/base.h"
@@ -84,7 +86,8 @@ typedef struct mca_base_open_only_dummy_component_t mca_base_open_only_dummy_com
 
 static char negate[] = "^";
 
-static bool use_component(const bool include_mode,
+static bool use_component(const mca_base_framework_t *framework,
+                          const bool include_mode,
                           const char **requested_component_names,
                           const char *component_name);
 
@@ -118,7 +121,7 @@ int mca_base_component_find (const char *directory, mca_base_framework_t *framew
     /* Find all the components that were statically linked in */
     if (static_components) {
         for (int i = 0 ; NULL != static_components[i]; ++i) {
-            if ( use_component(include_mode,
+            if ( use_component(framework, include_mode,
                                (const char**)requested_component_names,
                                static_components[i]->mca_component_name) ) {
                 cli = OBJ_NEW(mca_base_component_list_item_t);
@@ -192,7 +195,7 @@ int mca_base_components_filter (mca_base_framework_t *framework, uint32_t filter
         mca_base_open_only_dummy_component_t *dummy =
             (mca_base_open_only_dummy_component_t *) cli->cli_component;
 
-        can_use = use_component (include_mode, (const char **) requested_component_names,
+        can_use = use_component (framework, include_mode, (const char **) requested_component_names,
                                  cli->cli_component->mca_component_name);
 
         if (!can_use || (filter_flags & dummy->data.param_field) != filter_flags) {
@@ -263,7 +266,7 @@ static void find_dyn_components(const char *path, mca_base_framework_t *framewor
 
     /* Iterate through the repository and find components that can be included */
     OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(ri, dy_components, mca_base_component_repository_item_t) {
-        if (use_component(include_mode, names, ri->ri_name)) {
+        if (use_component(framework, include_mode, names, ri->ri_name)) {
             mca_base_component_repository_open (framework, ri);
         }
     }
@@ -271,27 +274,44 @@ static void find_dyn_components(const char *path, mca_base_framework_t *framewor
 
 #endif /* OPAL_HAVE_DL_SUPPORT */
 
-static bool use_component(const bool include_mode,
+static bool component_in_list (const char **requested_component_names,
+                               const char *component_name)
+{
+    for (int i = 0 ; requested_component_names[i] ; ++i) {
+        if (strcmp(component_name, requested_component_names[i]) == 0) {
+            return true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+static bool use_component(const mca_base_framework_t *framework,
+                          const bool include_mode,
                           const char **requested_component_names,
                           const char *component_name)
 {
-    bool found = false;
-    const char **req_comp_name = requested_component_names;
-
     /*
      * If no selection is specified then we use all components
      * we can find.
      */
-    if (NULL == req_comp_name) {
+    if (NULL == requested_component_names) {
         return true;
     }
 
-    while ( *req_comp_name != NULL ) {
-        if ( strcmp(component_name, *req_comp_name) == 0 ) {
-            found = true;
-            break;
+    bool found = component_in_list (requested_component_names, component_name);
+
+    if (!found) {
+        const mca_base_alias_t *alias = mca_base_alias_lookup (framework->framework_project,
+                                                               framework->framework_name, component_name);
+        if (alias) {
+            OPAL_LIST_FOREACH_DECL(alias_item, &alias->component_aliases, mca_base_alias_item_t) {
+                found = component_in_list (requested_component_names, alias_item->component_alias);
+                if (found) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
         }
-        req_comp_name++;
     }
 
     /*
@@ -315,21 +335,34 @@ static bool use_component(const bool include_mode,
 static int component_find_check (mca_base_framework_t *framework, char **requested_component_names)
 {
     opal_list_t *components = &framework->framework_components;
-    mca_base_component_list_item_t *cli;
 
     if (NULL == requested_component_names) {
         return OPAL_SUCCESS;
     }
 
-    for (int i = 0; NULL != requested_component_names[i]; ++i) {
+    for (int i = 0 ; requested_component_names[i] ; ++i) {
         bool found = false;
 
-        OPAL_LIST_FOREACH(cli, components, mca_base_component_list_item_t) {
-            if (0 == strcmp(requested_component_names[i],
-                            cli->cli_component->mca_component_name)) {
+        OPAL_LIST_FOREACH_DECL(cli, components, mca_base_component_list_item_t) {
+            if (0 == strcmp (requested_component_names[i], cli->cli_component->mca_component_name)) {
                 found = true;
                 break;
             }
+
+            const mca_base_alias_t *alias = mca_base_alias_lookup (framework->framework_project,
+                                                                   framework->framework_name,
+                                                                   cli->cli_component->mca_component_name);
+            if (alias) {
+                OPAL_LIST_FOREACH_DECL(alias_item, &alias->component_aliases, mca_base_alias_item_t) {
+                    if (0 == strcmp (requested_component_names[i], alias_item->component_alias)) {
+                        found = true;
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (found) {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
         }
 
         if (!found) {
diff --git a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
index 539ef3d192..c66da5475e 100644
--- a/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
+++ b/opal/mca/base/mca_base_var.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
  * Copyright (c) 2018      Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.  All Rights reserved.
  * Copyright (c) 2018      Triad National Security, LLC. All rights
  *                         reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 2020      Google, LLC. All rights reserved.
  * $COPYRIGHT$
  *
  * Additional copyrights may follow
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@
 #include "opal/util/argv.h"
 #include "opal/mca/mca.h"
 #include "opal/mca/base/mca_base_vari.h"
+#include "opal/mca/base/mca_base_alias.h"
 #include "opal/constants.h"
 #include "opal/util/output.h"
 #include "opal/util/opal_environ.h"
@@ -1545,12 +1547,33 @@ int mca_base_var_register (const char *project_name, const char *framework_name,
                            mca_base_var_info_lvl_t info_lvl,
                            mca_base_var_scope_t scope, void *storage)
 {
+    int ret;
     /* Only integer variables can have enumerator */
     assert (NULL == enumerator || (MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_INT == type || MCA_BASE_VAR_TYPE_UNSIGNED_INT == type));
 
-    return register_variable (project_name, framework_name, component_name,
-                              variable_name, description, type, enumerator,
-                              bind, flags, info_lvl, scope, -1, storage);
+    ret = register_variable (project_name, framework_name, component_name,
+                             variable_name, description, type, enumerator,
+                             bind, flags, info_lvl, scope, -1, storage);
+    if (OPAL_UNLIKELY(0 > ret)) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    /* Register aliases if any exist */
+    const mca_base_alias_t *alias = mca_base_alias_lookup (project_name, framework_name, component_name);
+    if (NULL == alias) {
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    OPAL_LIST_FOREACH_DECL(alias_item, &alias->component_aliases, mca_base_alias_item_t) {
+        mca_base_var_syn_flag_t flags = 0;
+        if (alias_item->alias_flags & MCA_BASE_ALIAS_FLAG_DEPRECATED) {
+            flags = MCA_BASE_VAR_SYN_FLAG_DEPRECATED;
+        }
+        (void) mca_base_var_register_synonym (ret, project_name, framework_name, alias_item->component_alias,
+                                              variable_name, flags);
+    }
+
+    return ret;
 }
 
 int mca_base_component_var_register (const mca_base_component_t *component,