diff --git a/commit.c b/commit.c
index e2bcbe8149..a6c6f70a92 100644
--- a/commit.c
+++ b/commit.c
@@ -564,13 +564,13 @@ static struct commit_list *merge_bases_many(struct commit *one, int n, struct co
 	while (interesting(list)) {
 		struct commit *commit;
 		struct commit_list *parents;
-		struct commit_list *n;
+		struct commit_list *next;
 		int flags;
 
 		commit = list->item;
-		n = list->next;
+		next = list->next;
 		free(list);
-		list = n;
+		list = next;
 
 		flags = commit->object.flags & (PARENT1 | PARENT2 | STALE);
 		if (flags == (PARENT1 | PARENT2)) {
@@ -598,11 +598,11 @@ static struct commit_list *merge_bases_many(struct commit *one, int n, struct co
 	free_commit_list(list);
 	list = result; result = NULL;
 	while (list) {
-		struct commit_list *n = list->next;
+		struct commit_list *next = list->next;
 		if (!(list->item->object.flags & STALE))
 			insert_by_date(list->item, &result);
 		free(list);
-		list = n;
+		list = next;
 	}
 	return result;
 }