diff --git a/cmd/mmc.c b/cmd/mmc.c
index 2d5430a..0231679 100644
--- a/cmd/mmc.c
+++ b/cmd/mmc.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <part.h>
 #include <sparse_format.h>
 #include <image-sparse.h>
+#include <linux/ctype.h>
 
 static int curr_device = -1;
 
@@ -918,8 +919,9 @@
 
 	printf("EXT_CSD[179], PARTITION_CONFIG:\n"
 		"BOOT_ACK: 0x%x\n"
-		"BOOT_PARTITION_ENABLE: 0x%x\n"
-		"PARTITION_ACCESS: 0x%x\n", ack, part, access);
+		"BOOT_PARTITION_ENABLE: 0x%x (%s)\n"
+		"PARTITION_ACCESS: 0x%x (%s)\n", ack, part, emmc_boot_part_names[part],
+		access, emmc_hwpart_names[access]);
 
 	return CMD_RET_SUCCESS;
 }
@@ -948,9 +950,26 @@
 	if (argc == 2 || argc == 3)
 		return mmc_partconf_print(mmc, cmd_arg2(argc, argv));
 
+	/* BOOT_ACK */
 	ack = dectoul(argv[2], NULL);
-	part_num = dectoul(argv[3], NULL);
-	access = dectoul(argv[4], NULL);
+	/* BOOT_PARTITION_ENABLE */
+	if (!isdigit(*argv[3])) {
+		for (part_num = ARRAY_SIZE(emmc_boot_part_names) - 1; part_num > 0; part_num--) {
+			if (!strcmp(argv[3], emmc_boot_part_names[part_num]))
+				break;
+		}
+	} else {
+		part_num = dectoul(argv[3], NULL);
+	}
+	/* PARTITION_ACCESS */
+	if (!isdigit(*argv[4])) {
+		for (access = ARRAY_SIZE(emmc_hwpart_names) - 1; access > 0; access--) {
+			if (!strcmp(argv[4], emmc_hwpart_names[access]))
+				break;
+		}
+	} else {
+		access = dectoul(argv[4], NULL);
+	}
 
 	/* acknowledge to be sent during boot operation */
 	ret = mmc_set_part_conf(mmc, ack, part_num, access);
diff --git a/drivers/mmc/mmc.c b/drivers/mmc/mmc.c
index 7b068c7..bfbf47a 100644
--- a/drivers/mmc/mmc.c
+++ b/drivers/mmc/mmc.c
@@ -29,6 +29,41 @@
 
 #define DEFAULT_CMD6_TIMEOUT_MS  500
 
+/**
+ * names of emmc BOOT_PARTITION_ENABLE values
+ *
+ * Boot Area Partitions - name consistent with Linux
+ */
+const char *emmc_boot_part_names[] = {
+	"default",	/* EMMC_BOOT_PART_DEFAULT */
+	"boot0",	/* EMMC_BOOT_PART_BOOT1 */
+	"boot1",	/* EMMC_BOOT_PART_BOOT2 */
+	"",
+	"",
+	"",
+	"",
+	"user",		/* EMMC_BOOT_PART_USER */
+};
+
+/**
+ * names of emmc 'hardware partitions' consistent with:
+ *  - value used in mmc_switch()
+ *  - value used by PARTITION_CONFIG PARTITION_ACCESS field
+ *
+ * Boot Area Partitions - name consistent with Linux
+ * General Perpose Partitions - name consistent with 'mmc hwpartition' usage
+ */
+const char *emmc_hwpart_names[] = {
+	"user",		/* EMMC_HWPART_DEFAULT */
+	"boot0",	/* EMMC_HWPART_BOOT1 */
+	"boot1",	/* EMMC_HWPART_BOOT2 */
+	"rpmb",		/* EMMC_HWPART_RPMB */
+	"gp1",		/* EMMC_HWPART_GP1 */
+	"gp2",		/* EMMC_HWPART_GP2 */
+	"gp3",		/* EMMC_HWPART_GP3 */
+	"gp4",		/* EMMC_HWPART_GP4 */
+};
+
 static int mmc_set_signal_voltage(struct mmc *mmc, uint signal_voltage);
 
 #if !CONFIG_IS_ENABLED(DM_MMC)
diff --git a/include/mmc.h b/include/mmc.h
index 0f3f1ed..2e2f5dd 100644
--- a/include/mmc.h
+++ b/include/mmc.h
@@ -389,6 +389,9 @@
 	EMMC_BOOT_PART_USER = 7,
 };
 
+/* emmc PARTITION_CONFIG BOOT_PARTITION_ENABLE names */
+extern const char *emmc_boot_part_names[8];
+
 /* emmc PARTITION_CONFIG ACCESS_ENABLE values */
 enum emmc_hwpart {
 	EMMC_HWPART_DEFAULT = 0, /* user */
@@ -401,6 +404,9 @@
 	EMMC_HWPART_GP4 = 7,
 };
 
+/* emmc PARTITION_CONFIG ACCESS_ENABLE names */
+extern const char *emmc_hwpart_names[8];
+
 /* Driver model support */
 
 /**