diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/cli/req_command.py b/src/pip/_internal/cli/req_command.py
index bfe3136b0..29bbb8fe7 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/cli/req_command.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/cli/req_command.py
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ class RequirementCommand(IndexGroupCommand):
             py_version_info=py_version_info,
         )
 
-    def populate_requirement_set(
+    def get_requirements(
         self,
         args,             # type: List[str]
         options,          # type: Values
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ class RequirementCommand(IndexGroupCommand):
     ):
         # type: (...) -> List[InstallRequirement]
         """
-        Marshal cmd line args into a requirement set.
+        Parse command-line arguments into the corresponding requirements.
         """
         requirement_set = RequirementSet(
             check_supported_wheels=check_supported_wheels
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
index ccc31a94f..5ad4b4544 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/download.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class DownloadCommand(RequirementCommand):
         with get_requirement_tracker() as req_tracker, TempDirectory(
             options.build_dir, delete=build_delete, kind="download"
         ) as directory:
-            reqs = self.populate_requirement_set(
+            reqs = self.get_requirements(
                 args,
                 options,
                 finder,
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
index c2e5517bc..811ecbc39 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/install.py
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ class InstallCommand(RequirementCommand):
             options.build_dir, delete=build_delete, kind="install"
         ) as directory:
             try:
-                reqs = self.populate_requirement_set(
+                reqs = self.get_requirements(
                     args, options, finder, session,
                     wheel_cache, check_supported_wheels=not options.target_dir,
                 )
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py b/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
index 67c8fd7f7..a5bf28c94 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/commands/wheel.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ class WheelCommand(RequirementCommand):
             options.build_dir, delete=build_delete, kind="wheel"
         ) as directory:
             try:
-                reqs = self.populate_requirement_set(
+                reqs = self.get_requirements(
                     args, options, finder, session,
                     wheel_cache
                 )
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_req.py b/tests/unit/test_req.py
index 1c97bfef0..29a239262 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_req.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_req.py
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ class TestRequirementSet(object):
         command = create_command('install')
         with requirements_file('--require-hashes', tmpdir) as reqs_file:
             options, args = command.parse_args(['-r', reqs_file])
-            command.populate_requirement_set(
+            command.get_requirements(
                 args, options, finder, session, wheel_cache=None,
             )
         assert options.require_hashes