diff --git a/examples/tep_termination/main.c b/examples/tep_termination/main.c
index 2b67e64..f97d552 100644
--- a/examples/tep_termination/main.c
+++ b/examples/tep_termination/main.c
@@ -1249,7 +1249,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		if (ret != 0)
 			rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE, "Cannot create print-stats thread\n");
 		snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "print-stats");
-		ret = pthread_setname_np(tid, thread_name);
+		ret = rte_thread_setname(tid, thread_name);
 		if (ret != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG, "Cannot set print-stats name\n");
 	}
diff --git a/examples/vhost/main.c b/examples/vhost/main.c
index c081b18..9bfda6d 100644
--- a/examples/vhost/main.c
+++ b/examples/vhost/main.c
@@ -3027,7 +3027,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		/* Set thread_name for aid in debugging.  */
 		snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "print-stats");
-		ret = pthread_setname_np(tid, thread_name);
+		ret = rte_thread_setname(tid, thread_name);
 		if (ret != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"Cannot set print-stats name\n");
diff --git a/examples/vhost_xen/main.c b/examples/vhost_xen/main.c
index 3fcc138..ca725f2 100644
--- a/examples/vhost_xen/main.c
+++ b/examples/vhost_xen/main.c
@@ -1510,7 +1510,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		/* Set thread_name for aid in debugging. */
 		snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "print-xen-stats");
-		ret = pthread_setname_np(tid, thread_name);
+		ret = rte_thread_setname(tid, thread_name);
 		if (ret != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, VHOST_CONFIG,
 				"Cannot set print-stats name\n");
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_lcore.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_lcore.h
index e03264e..25460b9 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_lcore.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/include/rte_lcore.h
@@ -247,6 +247,26 @@ int rte_thread_set_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp);
  */
 void rte_thread_get_affinity(rte_cpuset_t *cpusetp);
 
+/**
+ * Set thread names.
+ *
+ * Macro to wrap `pthread_setname_np()` with a glibc version check.
+ * Only glibc >= 2.12 supports this feature.
+ *
+ * This macro only used for Linux, BSD does direct libc call.
+ * BSD libc version of function is `pthread_set_name_np()`.
+ */
+#if defined(__DOXYGEN__)
+#define rte_thread_setname(...) pthread_setname_np(__VA_ARGS__)
+#endif
+
+#if defined(__GLIBC__) && defined(__GLIBC_PREREQ)
+#if __GLIBC_PREREQ(2, 12)
+#define rte_thread_setname(...) pthread_setname_np(__VA_ARGS__)
+#else
+#define rte_thread_setname(...) 0
+#endif
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal.c b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal.c
index 06536f2..635ec36 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal.c
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 		/* Set thread_name for aid in debugging. */
 		snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN,
 			"lcore-slave-%d", i);
-		ret = pthread_setname_np(lcore_config[i].thread_id,
+		ret = rte_thread_setname(lcore_config[i].thread_id,
 						thread_name);
 		if (ret != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_interrupts.c b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_interrupts.c
index 95beb4c..470d6a1 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_interrupts.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_interrupts.c
@@ -887,7 +887,7 @@ rte_eal_intr_init(void)
 		/* Set thread_name for aid in debugging. */
 		snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN,
 			"eal-intr-thread");
-		ret_1 = pthread_setname_np(intr_thread, thread_name);
+		ret_1 = rte_thread_setname(intr_thread, thread_name);
 		if (ret_1 != 0)
 			RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
 			"Failed to set thread name for interrupt handling\n");
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci_vfio_mp_sync.c b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci_vfio_mp_sync.c
index 277565d..d9188fd 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci_vfio_mp_sync.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci_vfio_mp_sync.c
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ pci_vfio_mp_sync_setup(void)
 
 	/* Set thread_name for aid in debugging. */
 	snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "pci-vfio-sync");
-	ret = pthread_setname_np(socket_thread, thread_name);
+	ret = rte_thread_setname(socket_thread, thread_name);
 	if (ret)
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
 			"Failed to set thread name for secondary processes!\n");
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_timer.c b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_timer.c
index e0642de..9ceff33 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_timer.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_timer.c
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ rte_eal_hpet_init(int make_default)
 	 * Set thread_name for aid in debugging.
 	 */
 	snprintf(thread_name, RTE_MAX_THREAD_NAME_LEN, "hpet-msb-inc");
-	ret = pthread_setname_np(msb_inc_thread_id, thread_name);
+	ret = rte_thread_setname(msb_inc_thread_id, thread_name);
 	if (ret != 0)
 		RTE_LOG(ERR, EAL,
 			"ERROR: Cannot set HPET timer thread name!\n");
