diff --git a/boards/arm/cyclonev_socdk/cyclonev_socdk_defconfig b/boards/arm/cyclonev_socdk/cyclonev_socdk_defconfig
index 477d9be9d9c..a3f431a8668 100644
--- a/boards/arm/cyclonev_socdk/cyclonev_socdk_defconfig
+++ b/boards/arm/cyclonev_socdk/cyclonev_socdk_defconfig
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ CONFIG_SYSCON=y
 # Serial Drivers
 CONFIG_SERIAL=y
 CONFIG_UART_NS16550=y
-CONFIG_UART_NS16950=y
+CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16950=y
 #CONFIG_UART_INTERRUPT_DRIVEN=y
 #CONFIG_UART_NS16550_ACCESS_WORD_ONLY=y
 #CONFIG_UART_ALTERA_JTAG=y
diff --git a/drivers/serial/Kconfig.ns16550 b/drivers/serial/Kconfig.ns16550
index c7d5a5bbaf2..016d1889473 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/Kconfig.ns16550
+++ b/drivers/serial/Kconfig.ns16550
@@ -29,18 +29,23 @@ config UART_NS16550_DRV_CMD
 	  Says n if not sure.
 
 choice
-	prompt "UART type"
-	default UART_NS16750
+	prompt "UART variant"
+	default UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16550
 	help
-	  Select UART device type
+	  Select UART device variant
 
-config UART_NS16750
+config UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16550
+	bool "UART 16550 (16-bytes FIFO)"
+	help
+	  This enables support for 16-bytes FIFO if UART controller is 16550.
+
+config UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16750
 	bool "UART 16750 (64-bytes FIFO and auto flow control)"
 	help
 	  This enables support for 64-bytes FIFO and automatic hardware
 	  flow control if UART controller is 16750.
 
-config UART_NS16950
+config UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16950
 	bool "UART 16950 (128-bytes FIFO and auto flow control)"
 	help
 	  This enables support for 128-bytes FIFO and automatic hardware flow control.
diff --git a/drivers/serial/uart_ns16550.c b/drivers/serial/uart_ns16550.c
index 739b6f2190a..130446384a6 100644
--- a/drivers/serial/uart_ns16550.c
+++ b/drivers/serial/uart_ns16550.c
@@ -448,7 +448,8 @@ static int uart_ns16550_configure(const struct device *dev,
 		uart_cfg.data_bits | uart_cfg.stop_bits | uart_cfg.parity);
 
 	mdc = MCR_OUT2 | MCR_RTS | MCR_DTR;
-#if defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16750) || defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16950)
+#if defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16750) || \
+	defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16950)
 	if (cfg->flow_ctrl == UART_CFG_FLOW_CTRL_RTS_CTS) {
 		mdc |= MCR_AFCE;
 	}
@@ -463,15 +464,15 @@ static int uart_ns16550_configure(const struct device *dev,
 	 */
 	OUTBYTE(FCR(dev),
 		FCR_FIFO | FCR_MODE0 | FCR_FIFO_8 | FCR_RCVRCLR | FCR_XMITCLR
-#ifdef CONFIG_UART_NS16750
+#ifdef CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16750
 		| FCR_FIFO_64
 #endif
 		);
 
 	if ((INBYTE(IIR(dev)) & IIR_FE) == IIR_FE) {
-#ifdef CONFIG_UART_NS16750
+#ifdef CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16750
 		dev_data->fifo_size = 64;
-#elif defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16950)
+#elif defined(CONFIG_UART_NS16550_VARIANT_NS16950)
 		dev_data->fifo_size = 128;
 #else
 		dev_data->fifo_size = 16;