diff --git a/arch/arc/timer/arcv2_timer0.c b/arch/arc/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
index d16376488af..ab60a910a4e 100644
--- a/arch/arc/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
+++ b/arch/arc/timer/arcv2_timer0.c
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ void _timer_int_handler(void *unused)
 
 	accumulatedCount += sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_tick;
 
-	nanoTicks++;
+	_nano_ticks++;
 
 	if (nanoTimerList) {
 		nanoTimerList->ticks--;
diff --git a/arch/arm/timer/systick.c b/arch/arm/timer/systick.c
index 08f386ed04b..a6bdff4eeb7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/timer/systick.c
+++ b/arch/arm/timer/systick.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ void _TIMER_INT_HANDLER(void *unused)
 	 */
 	nano_isr_stack_push(&K_Args, TICK_EVENT);
 #else
-	nanoTicks++;
+	_nano_ticks++;
 
 	if (nanoTimerList) {
 		nanoTimerList->ticks--;
diff --git a/arch/x86/timer/hpet.c b/arch/x86/timer/hpet.c
index 9cbf0e28b36..4615eb582b8 100644
--- a/arch/x86/timer/hpet.c
+++ b/arch/x86/timer/hpet.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ void _timer_int_handler(void *unused)
 #endif /* !TIMER_SUPPORTS_TICKLESS */
 
 #else
-	nanoTicks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
+	_nano_ticks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
 
 	if (nanoTimerList) {
 		nanoTimerList->ticks--;
diff --git a/arch/x86/timer/loApicTimer.c b/arch/x86/timer/loApicTimer.c
index 06e912849f5..759695ada81 100644
--- a/arch/x86/timer/loApicTimer.c
+++ b/arch/x86/timer/loApicTimer.c
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ void _timer_int_handler(void *unused /* parameter is not used */
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_NANOKERNEL)
 
-	nanoTicks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
+	_nano_ticks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
 
 	if (nanoTimerList != NULL) {
 		nanoTimerList->ticks--;
diff --git a/drivers/timer/i8253.c b/drivers/timer/i8253.c
index 73b5a2c3072..0471be3b45f 100644
--- a/drivers/timer/i8253.c
+++ b/drivers/timer/i8253.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ void _timer_int_handler(void *unusedArg /* not used */
 	}
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_NANOKERNEL)
-	nanoTicks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
+	_nano_ticks++; /* increment nanokernel ticks var */
 
 	if (nanoTimerList) {
 		nanoTimerList->ticks--;
diff --git a/include/clock_vars.h b/include/clock_vars.h
index ecd639638b1..81d6f064c00 100644
--- a/include/clock_vars.h
+++ b/include/clock_vars.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ extern int sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_tick;
 #define SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_TO_NS(X) (uint32_t)(SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_TO_NS64 (X))
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_NANOKERNEL
-extern uint32_t nanoTicks;
+extern uint32_t _nano_ticks;
 extern struct nano_timer *nanoTimerList;
 #endif /* CONFIG_NANOKERNEL */
 
diff --git a/kernel/nanokernel/core/nanotime.c b/kernel/nanokernel/core/nanotime.c
index c33395fc987..de31d99d91b 100644
--- a/kernel/nanokernel/core/nanotime.c
+++ b/kernel/nanokernel/core/nanotime.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ int sys_clock_us_per_tick = 1000000 / sys_clock_ticks_per_sec;
 int sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_tick =
 	sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_sec / sys_clock_ticks_per_sec;
 
-uint32_t nanoTicks = 0;
+uint32_t _nano_ticks = 0;
 struct nano_timer *nanoTimerList = NULL;
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void (*__ctor_nano_time_init)(void) __attribute__((section(".ctors.250"))) =
 
 uint32_t nano_node_tick_get_32(void)
 {
-	return nanoTicks;
+	return _nano_ticks;
 }
 
 /*******************************************************************************
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ uint32_t nano_node_tick_delta(uint64_t *reftime)
 	uint32_t  delta;
 	uint32_t  saved;
 
-	saved = nanoTicks;
+	saved = _nano_ticks;
 	delta = saved - (uint32_t)(*reftime);
 	*reftime = (uint64_t) saved;