diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 496c755a..e46aa017 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ The available options are:
                                 `pure_funcs`  List of functions that can be safely
                                               removed when their return values are
                                               not used.
-    -m, --mangle [options]      Mangle names/specify mangler options.
+    -m, --mangle [options]      Mangle names/specify mangler options:
+                                `reserved`  List of names that should not be mangled.
     --mangle-props [options]    Mangle properties/specify mangler options:
                                 `builtins`  Mangle property names that overlaps
                                             with standard JavaScript globals.
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ The available options are:
                                             with DOM properties.
                                 `ignore_quoted`  Only mangle unquoted properies.
                                 `regex`  Only mangle matched property names.
+                                `reserved`  List of names that should not be mangled.
     -b, --beautify [options]    Beautify output/specify output options:
                                 `beautify`  Enabled with `--beautify` by default.
                                 `preamble`  Preamble to prepend to the output. You
@@ -203,10 +205,10 @@ To enable the mangler you need to pass `--mangle` (`-m`).  The following
   (disabled by default).
 
 When mangling is enabled but you want to prevent certain names from being
-mangled, you can declare those names with `--mangle except` — pass a
+mangled, you can declare those names with `--mangle reserved` — pass a
 comma-separated list of names.  For example:
 
-    uglifyjs ... -m except=[$,require,exports]
+    uglifyjs ... -m reserved=[$,require,exports]
 
 to prevent the `require`, `exports` and `$` names from being changed.
 
@@ -716,7 +718,7 @@ Other options:
 
 ##### mangle
 
- - `except` - pass an array of identifiers that should be excluded from mangling
+ - `reserved` - pass an array of identifiers that should be excluded from mangling
 
  - `toplevel` — mangle names declared in the toplevel scope (disabled by
   default).
@@ -741,7 +743,7 @@ Other options:
   UglifyJS.minify("tst.js").code;
   // 'function funcName(a,n){}var globalVar;'
 
-  UglifyJS.minify("tst.js", { mangle: { except: ['firstLongName'] } }).code;
+  UglifyJS.minify("tst.js", { mangle: { reserved: ['firstLongName'] } }).code;
   // 'function funcName(firstLongName,a){}var globalVar;'
 
   UglifyJS.minify("tst.js", { mangle: { toplevel: true } }).code;
diff --git a/lib/minify.js b/lib/minify.js
index 7d5c9578..fe762db6 100644
--- a/lib/minify.js
+++ b/lib/minify.js
@@ -53,10 +53,10 @@ function minify(files, options) {
             options.mangle = defaults(options.mangle, {
                 cache: null,
                 eval: false,
-                except: [],
                 ie8: false,
                 keep_fnames: false,
                 properties: false,
+                reserved: [],
                 toplevel: false,
             }, true);
         }
diff --git a/lib/scope.js b/lib/scope.js
index 53c2b5b8..2ffca25a 100644
--- a/lib/scope.js
+++ b/lib/scope.js
@@ -325,8 +325,8 @@ AST_Scope.DEFMETHOD("next_mangled", function(options){
         if (!is_identifier(m)) continue; // skip over "do"
 
         // https://github.com/mishoo/UglifyJS2/issues/242 -- do not
-        // shadow a name excepted from mangling.
-        if (options.except.indexOf(m) >= 0) continue;
+        // shadow a name reserved from mangling.
+        if (options.reserved.indexOf(m) >= 0) continue;
 
         // we must ensure that the mangled name does not shadow a name
         // from some parent scope that is referenced in this or in
@@ -399,9 +399,9 @@ AST_Symbol.DEFMETHOD("global", function(){
 AST_Toplevel.DEFMETHOD("_default_mangler_options", function(options){
     return defaults(options, {
         eval        : false,
-        except      : [],
         ie8         : false,
         keep_fnames : false,
+        reserved    : [],
         toplevel    : false,
     });
 });
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ AST_Toplevel.DEFMETHOD("mangle_names", function(options){
     options = this._default_mangler_options(options);
 
     // Never mangle arguments
-    options.except.push('arguments');
+    options.reserved.push('arguments');
 
     // We only need to mangle declaration nodes.  Special logic wired
     // into the code generator will display the mangled name if it's
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ AST_Toplevel.DEFMETHOD("mangle_names", function(options){
 
     if (options.cache) {
         this.globals.each(function(symbol){
-            if (options.except.indexOf(symbol.name) < 0) {
+            if (options.reserved.indexOf(symbol.name) < 0) {
                 to_mangle.push(symbol);
             }
         });
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ AST_Toplevel.DEFMETHOD("mangle_names", function(options){
         if (node instanceof AST_Scope) {
             var p = tw.parent(), a = [];
             node.variables.each(function(symbol){
-                if (options.except.indexOf(symbol.name) < 0) {
+                if (options.reserved.indexOf(symbol.name) < 0) {
                     a.push(symbol);
                 }
             });