diff --git a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
index e11eef1..c2bbdd4 100644
--- a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
@@ -2053,6 +2053,12 @@ class InteractiveShell(SingletonConfigurable):
             m.NamespaceMagics, m.OSMagics, m.PylabMagics, m.ScriptMagics,
         )
 
+        # Register Magic Aliases
+        mman = self.magics_manager
+        mman.register_alias('ed', 'edit')
+        mman.register_alias('hist', 'history')
+        mman.register_alias('rep', 'recall')
+
         # FIXME: Move the color initialization to the DisplayHook, which
         # should be split into a prompt manager and displayhook. We probably
         # even need a centralize colors management object.
diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index 1be6d12..010f311 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -452,6 +452,36 @@ class MagicsManager(Configurable):
         setattr(self.user_magics, name, meth)
         record_magic(self.magics, 'line', name, meth)
 
+    def register_alias(self, alias_name, magic_name, magic_kind='line'):
+        """Register an alias to a magic function.
+
+        The alias is an instance of :class:`MagicAlias`, which holds the
+        name and kind of the magic it should call. Binding is done at
+        call time, so if the underlying magic function is changed the alias
+        will call the new function.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        alias_name : str
+          The name of the magic to be registered.
+
+        magic_name : str
+          The name of an existing magic.
+
+        magic_kind : str
+          Kind of magic, one of 'line' or 'cell'
+        """
+
+        # `validate_type` is too permissive, as it allows 'line_cell'
+        # which we do not handle.
+        if magic_kind not in magic_kinds:
+            raise ValueError('magic_kind must be one of %s, %s given' %
+                             magic_kinds, magic_kind)
+
+        alias = MagicAlias(self.shell, magic_name, magic_kind)
+        setattr(self.user_magics, alias_name, alias)
+        record_magic(self.magics, magic_kind, alias_name, alias)
+
 # Key base class that provides the central functionality for magics.
 
 class Magics(object):
@@ -615,3 +645,45 @@ class Magics(object):
         if fn not in self.lsmagic():
             error("%s is not a magic function" % fn)
         self.options_table[fn] = optstr
+
+class MagicAlias(object):
+    """Store a magic alias.
+
+    An alias is determined by its magic name and magic kind. Lookup
+    is done at call time, so if the underlying magic changes the alias
+    will call the new function.
+
+    Use the :meth:`MagicsManager.register_alias` method or the
+    `%alias_magic` magic function to create and register a new alias.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, shell, magic_name, magic_kind):
+        self.shell = shell
+        self.magic_name = magic_name
+        self.magic_kind = magic_kind
+
+        self._in_call = False
+
+    @property
+    def pretty_target(self):
+        """A formatted version of the target of the alias."""
+        return '%s%s' % (magic_escapes[self.magic_kind], self.magic_name)
+
+    @property
+    def __doc__(self):
+        return "Alias for `%s`." % self.pretty_target
+
+    def __call__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        """Call the magic alias."""
+        fn = self.shell.find_magic(self.magic_name, self.magic_kind)
+        if fn is None:
+            raise UsageError("Magic `%s` not found." % self.pretty_target)
+
+        # Protect against infinite recursion.
+        if self._in_call:
+            raise UsageError("Infinite recursion detected; "
+                             "magic aliases cannot call themselves.")
+        self._in_call = True
+        try:
+            return fn(*args, **kwargs)
+        finally:
+            self._in_call = False
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/basic.py b/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
index 6b75f17..5825640 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ class BasicMagics(Magics):
         --------
         ::
           In [1]: %alias_magic t timeit
+          Created `%t` as an alias for `%timeit`.
+          Created `%%t` as an alias for `%%timeit`.
 
           In [2]: %t -n1 pass
           1 loops, best of 3: 954 ns per loop
@@ -77,12 +79,14 @@ class BasicMagics(Magics):
           In [4]: %alias_magic --cell whereami pwd
           UsageError: Cell magic function `%%pwd` not found.
           In [5]: %alias_magic --line whereami pwd
+          Created `%whereami` as an alias for `%pwd`.
 
           In [6]: %whereami
           Out[6]: u'/home/testuser'
         """
         args = magic_arguments.parse_argstring(self.alias_magic, line)
         shell = self.shell
+        mman = self.shell.magics_manager
         escs = ''.join(magic_escapes.values())
 
         target = args.target.lstrip(escs)
@@ -109,18 +113,16 @@ class BasicMagics(Magics):
             args.cell = bool(m_cell)
 
         if args.line:
-            def wrapper(line): return m_line(line)
-            wrapper.__name__ = str(name)
-            wrapper.__doc__ = "Alias for `%s%s`." % \
-                              (magic_escapes['line'], target)
-            shell.register_magic_function(wrapper, 'line', name)
+            mman.register_alias(name, target, 'line')
+            print('Created `%s%s` as an alias for `%s%s`.' % (
+                magic_escapes['line'], name,
+                magic_escapes['line'], target))
 
         if args.cell:
-            def wrapper(line, cell): return m_cell(line, cell)
-            wrapper.__name__ = str(name)
-            wrapper.__doc__ = "Alias for `%s%s`." % \
-                              (magic_escapes['cell'], target)
-            shell.register_magic_function(wrapper, 'cell', name)
+            mman.register_alias(name, target, 'cell')
+            print('Created `%s%s` as an alias for `%s%s`.' % (
+                magic_escapes['cell'], name,
+                magic_escapes['cell'], target))
 
     def _lsmagic(self):
         mesc = magic_escapes['line']
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/code.py b/IPython/core/magics/code.py
index 5414f4f..47df10f 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/code.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/code.py
@@ -333,11 +333,6 @@ class CodeMagics(Magics):
         mfile.close()
         self.shell.user_ns[mname] = Macro(mvalue)
 
-    @line_magic
-    def ed(self, parameter_s=''):
-        """Alias to %edit."""
-        return self.edit(parameter_s)
-
     @skip_doctest
     @line_magic
     def edit(self, parameter_s='',last_call=['','']):
@@ -431,7 +426,7 @@ class CodeMagics(Magics):
         This is an example of creating a simple function inside the editor and
         then modifying it. First, start up the editor::
 
-          In [1]: ed
+          In [1]: edit
           Editing... done. Executing edited code...
           Out[1]: 'def foo():\\n    print "foo() was defined in an editing
           session"\\n'
@@ -444,7 +439,7 @@ class CodeMagics(Magics):
         Now we edit foo.  IPython automatically loads the editor with the
         (temporary) file where foo() was previously defined::
 
-          In [3]: ed foo
+          In [3]: edit foo
           Editing... done. Executing edited code...
 
         And if we call foo() again we get the modified version::
@@ -455,21 +450,21 @@ class CodeMagics(Magics):
         Here is an example of how to edit a code snippet successive
         times. First we call the editor::
 
-          In [5]: ed
+          In [5]: edit
           Editing... done. Executing edited code...
           hello
           Out[5]: "print 'hello'\\n"
 
         Now we call it again with the previous output (stored in _)::
 
-          In [6]: ed _
+          In [6]: edit _
           Editing... done. Executing edited code...
           hello world
           Out[6]: "print 'hello world'\\n"
 
         Now we call it with the output #8 (stored in _8, also as Out[8])::
 
-          In [7]: ed _8
+          In [7]: edit _8
           Editing... done. Executing edited code...
           hello again
           Out[7]: "print 'hello again'\\n"
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/history.py b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
index f5076b6..501ba62 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/history.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
         --------
         ::
 
-          In [6]: %hist -n 4-6
+          In [6]: %history -n 4-6
           4:a = 12
           5:print a**2
-          6:%hist -n 4-6
+          6:%history -n 4-6
 
         """
 
@@ -187,15 +187,8 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
         if close_at_end:
             outfile.close()
 
-    # For a long time we've had %hist as well as %history
     @line_magic
-    def hist(self, arg):
-        return self.history(arg)
-
-    hist.__doc__ = history.__doc__
-
-    @line_magic
-    def rep(self, arg):
+    def recall(self, arg):
         r"""Repeat a command, or get command to input line for editing.
 
         %recall and %rep are equivalent.
@@ -209,7 +202,7 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
              In[1]: l = ["hei", "vaan"]
              In[2]: "".join(l)
             Out[2]: heivaan
-             In[3]: %rep
+             In[3]: %recall
              In[4]: heivaan_ <== cursor blinking
 
         %recall 45
@@ -244,7 +237,7 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
         except Exception:           # Search for term in history
             histlines = self.shell.history_manager.search("*"+arg+"*")
             for h in reversed([x[2] for x in histlines]):
-                if 'rep' in h:
+                if 'recall' in h or 'rep' in h:
                     continue
                 self.shell.set_next_input(h.rstrip())
                 return
@@ -292,10 +285,3 @@ class HistoryMagics(Magics):
         print(histlines)
         print("=== Output: ===")
         self.shell.run_cell("\n".join(hist), store_history=False)
-
-    @line_magic
-    def recall(self,arg):
-        self.rep(arg)
-
-    recall.__doc__ = rep.__doc__
-
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
index 60fa06d..0691ef6 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
     def init_magics(self):
         super(ZMQInteractiveShell, self).init_magics()
         self.register_magics(KernelMagics)
-        self.run_line_magic('alias_magic', 'ed edit')
+        self.magics_manager.register_alias('ed', 'edit')