diff --git a/diceware/__init__.py b/diceware/__init__.py
index fbd364d104fca135678dbe44b73cab6b0b0b4c5e..7d58d84b118cd462a46d257e6216d3935e849118 100644
--- a/diceware/__init__.py
+++ b/diceware/__init__.py
@@ -142,15 +142,16 @@ def get_wordlist(file_descriptor):
     return result
 
 
-def get_wordlist_path(lang):
-    """Get path to a wordlist file for language `lang`.
+def get_wordlist_path(name):
+    """Get path to a wordlist file for a wordlist named `name`.
 
-    The `lang` string is a 2-char country code. Invalid codes raise a
-    ValueError.
+    The `name` string must not contain special chars beside ``-``,
+    ``_``, regular chars ``A-Z`` (upper or lower case) or
+    numbers. Invalid names raise a ValueError.
     """
-    if not RE_WORDLIST_NAME.match(lang):
-        raise ValueError("Not a valid language code: %s" % lang)
-    basename = 'wordlist_%s.txt' % lang
+    if not RE_WORDLIST_NAME.match(name):
+        raise ValueError("Not a valid wordlist name: %s" % name)
+    basename = 'wordlist_%s.txt' % name
     return os.path.join(WORDLISTS_DIR, basename.lower())
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_diceware.py b/tests/test_diceware.py
index 52b49bc932704cc0189dd1ae7718385ba5b2865d..4f9efeebe651d52b3d9d414390abff5502decf0b 100644
--- a/tests/test_diceware.py
+++ b/tests/test_diceware.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class TestDicewareModule(object):
         with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
             get_wordlist_path('../../tmp')
         assert exc_info.value.args[0].startswith(
-            'Not a valid language code')
+            'Not a valid wordlist name')
 
     def test_get_wordlist_path_loweres_country_code(self):
         # upper case country codes are lowered