diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 58cf3f5..63144ed 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -111,6 +111,53 @@ user.active_address!
 user.archived_address!
 ```
 
+## Migrating columns from Rails built-in `enum` to `str_enum`
+
+If you are migrating legacy columns away from Rails built-in `enum`, but wish
+to retain the same enum name, you may want to take a multi-step migration
+process, especially if you have large tables.
+
+One possible migration strategy involves specifying a column that differs from
+your desired `str_enum` name.
+
+For example, if you have an enum called `rank`
+
+  1. Create a migration to add a new column for your `str_enum`, e.g.
+     `rank_str`.
+  2. Set up a double writing scheme to make sure all writes to the legacy
+     enum are also written to the new `str_enum` column, for example via
+     a callback:
+
+      ```ruby
+      before_validation :populate_str_enum_for_migration
+      private def populate_str_enum_for_migration
+        if rank_changed?
+          self.rank_str = rank
+        end
+      end
+      ```
+
+  3. Create a data migration to copy all existing values from `rank` to
+     `rank_str` as their string equivalents.
+  4. Remove the legacy `enum` declaration and replace it with a `str_enum`
+     declaration with an explicit `:column` property. Existing aliases and
+     scopes should now refer to the those defined by `str_enum`. (**NOTE**: SQL
+     statements that specify the column explicitly may need to be changed!)
+
+      ```ruby
+      class User < ActiveRecord::Base
+        # DEPRECATED rank field that previously used the "rank
+        # enum rank: [:lowly, :middling, :high_falutin]
+
+        str_enum :rank, [:lowly, :middling, :high_falutin], column: :rank_str
+      end
+      ```
+
+  5. Once you have validated that legacy column is no longer being written to,
+     you may create a migration that deletes it, renames the new `str_enum`
+     column to its name, then remove the `:column` specification from the
+     `str_enum` above.
+
 ## History
 
 View the [changelog](https://github.com/ankane/str_enum/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md)
diff --git a/lib/str_enum/model.rb b/lib/str_enum/model.rb
index da57e79..a4cb6d9 100644
--- a/lib/str_enum/model.rb
+++ b/lib/str_enum/model.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Model
     extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
     class_methods do
-      def str_enum(column, values, validate: true, scopes: true, accessor_methods: true, update_methods: true, prefix: false, suffix: false, default: true, allow_nil: false)
+      def str_enum(enum_name, values, validate: true, scopes: true, accessor_methods: true, update_methods: true, prefix: false, suffix: false, default: true, allow_nil: false, column: enum_name)
         values = values.map(&:to_s)
         if validate
           validate_options = {}
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ def str_enum(column, values, validate: true, scopes: true, accessor_methods: tru
           validates column, validate_options
         end
         values.each do |value|
-          prefix = column if prefix == true
-          suffix = column if suffix == true
+          prefix = enum_name if prefix == true
+          suffix = enum_name if suffix == true
           method_name = [prefix, value, suffix].select { |v| v }.join("_")
           if scopes
             scope method_name, -> { where(column => value) } unless respond_to?(method_name)
@@ -40,9 +40,19 @@ def str_enum(column, values, validate: true, scopes: true, accessor_methods: tru
         after_initialize do
           send("#{column}=", default_value) unless try(column)
         end
-        define_singleton_method column.to_s.pluralize do
+        define_singleton_method enum_name.to_s.pluralize do
           values
         end
+        if enum_name.to_s != column.to_s
+          # the enum_name is then an alias to the column
+          define_method(enum_name) do
+            read_attribute(column)
+          end
+
+          define_method("#{enum_name}=") do |value|
+            send("#{column}=", value)
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/str_enum_test.rb b/test/str_enum_test.rb
index fe22e08..4a44e7e 100644
--- a/test/str_enum_test.rb
+++ b/test/str_enum_test.rb
@@ -84,4 +84,48 @@ def test_negative_scopes
     assert_equal 0, User.not_active.count
     assert_equal 1, User.not_archived.count
   end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_defaults
+    user = User.new
+    assert_equal "lowly", user.rank
+    assert_equal "lowly", user.rank_str
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_scopes
+    User.create!
+    assert_equal 1, User.lowly.count
+    assert_equal 0, User.high_falutin.count
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_accessors
+    user = User.new
+    assert user.lowly?
+    assert !user.high_falutin?
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_state_change_methods
+    user = User.create!
+    user.middling!
+    assert user.middling?
+    user.reload
+    assert user.middling?
+    user.high_falutin!
+    assert user.high_falutin?
+    user.reload
+    assert user.high_falutin?
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_validation
+    user = User.new(rank: "unknown")
+    assert !user.save
+    assert_equal ["Rank str is not included in the list"], user.errors.full_messages
+
+    user = User.new(rank_str: "unknown")
+    assert !user.save
+    assert_equal ["Rank str is not included in the list"], user.errors.full_messages
+  end
+
+  def test_explicit_column_list_values
+    assert_equal %w(lowly middling high_falutin), User.ranks
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index a49226d..02d8eb8 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@
   t.string :status
   t.string :address_status
   t.string :kind
+  t.string :rank_str
 end
 
 class User < ActiveRecord::Base
   str_enum :status, [:active, :archived]
   str_enum :address_status, [:active, :archived], prefix: :address
   str_enum :kind, [:guest, :vip], suffix: true
+  str_enum :rank, [:lowly, :middling, :high_falutin], column: :rank_str
 end