diff --git a/util/env_posix.cc b/util/env_posix.cc
index 356008225..16c3d1c61 100644
--- a/util/env_posix.cc
+++ b/util/env_posix.cc
@@ -1396,6 +1396,15 @@ class PosixEnv : public Env {
         fprintf(stdout,
                 "Created bg thread 0x%lx\n",
                 (unsigned long)t);
+
+        // Set the thread name to aid debugging
+#if defined(_GNU_SOURCE) && defined(__GLIBC_PREREQ) && (__GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 12))
+        char name_buf[16];
+        snprintf(name_buf, sizeof name_buf, "rocksdb:bg%zu", bgthreads_.size());
+        name_buf[sizeof name_buf - 1] = '\0';
+        pthread_setname_np(t, name_buf);
+#endif
+
         bgthreads_.push_back(t);
       }