diff --git a/IPython/core/magic.py b/IPython/core/magic.py
index d61ea88..8173417 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magic.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ from IPython.utils.warn import error, warn
 
 # A dict we'll use for each class that has magics, used as temporary storage to
 # pass information between the @line/cell_magic method decorators and the
-# @register_magics class decorator, because the method decorators have no
+# @magics_class class decorator, because the method decorators have no
 # access to the class when they run.  See for more details:
 # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2366713/can-a-python-decorator-of-an-instance-method-access-the-class
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def needs_local_scope(func):
 # Class and method decorators for registering magics
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-def register_magics(cls):
+def magics_class(cls):
     cls.registered = True
     cls.magics = dict(line = magics['line'],
                       cell = magics['cell'])
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ class Magics(object):
     - Use the method decorators `@line_magic` and `@cell_magic` to decorate
     individual methods as magic functions, AND
 
-    - Use the class decorator `@register_magics` to ensure that the magic
+    - Use the class decorator `@magics_class` to ensure that the magic
     methods are properly registered at the instance level upon instance
     initialization.
 
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ class Magics(object):
     def __init__(self, shell):
         if not(self.__class__.registered):
             raise ValueError('Magics subclass without registration - '
-                             'did you forget to apply @register_magics?')
+                             'did you forget to apply @magics_class?')
         self.shell = shell
         self.options_table = {}
         # The method decorators are run when the instance doesn't exist yet, so
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/__init__.py b/IPython/core/magics/__init__.py
index fa82e20..23479b5 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/__init__.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/__init__.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # Imports
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-from ..magic import Magics, register_magics
+from ..magic import Magics, magics_class
 from .auto import AutoMagics
 from .basic import BasicMagics
 from .code import CodeMagics, MacroToEdit
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from .pylab import PylabMagics
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class UserMagics(Magics):
     """Placeholder for user-defined magics to be added at runtime.
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/auto.py b/IPython/core/magics/auto.py
index bfa5059..348d982 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/auto.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/auto.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # Our own packages
-from IPython.core.magic import Bunch, Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Bunch, Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils.warn import error
 
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from IPython.utils.warn import error
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class AutoMagics(Magics):
     """Magics that control various autoX behaviors."""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/basic.py b/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
index 57b5953..707bbf0 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/basic.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ from pprint import pformat
 
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core.error import UsageError
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.core.prefilter import ESC_MAGIC
 from IPython.utils.text import format_screen
 from IPython.core import magic_arguments, page
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from IPython.utils.warn import warn, error
 # Magics class implementation
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class BasicMagics(Magics):
     """Magics that provide central IPython functionality.
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/code.py b/IPython/core/magics/code.py
index 7052d58..9bf5e6c 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/code.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/code.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from urllib2 import urlopen
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core.error import TryNext
 from IPython.core.macro import Macro
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils import openpy
 from IPython.utils import py3compat
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ from IPython.utils.warn import warn
 class MacroToEdit(ValueError): pass
 
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class CodeMagics(Magics):
     """Magics related to code management (loading, saving, editing, ...)."""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/config.py b/IPython/core/magics/config.py
index 204e881..5480d12 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/config.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/config.py
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ import re
 
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core.error import UsageError
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.utils.warn import error
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class ConfigMagics(Magics):
 
     def __init__(self, shell):
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/deprecated.py b/IPython/core/magics/deprecated.py
index 4f544c6..254b101 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/deprecated.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/deprecated.py
@@ -13,13 +13,13 @@
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # Our own packages
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class DeprecatedMagics(Magics):
     """Magics slated for later removal."""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/execution.py b/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
index 30a1a8f..7ddf6db 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/execution.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ from IPython.core import debugger, oinspect
 from IPython.core import page
 from IPython.core.error import UsageError
 from IPython.core.macro import Macro
-from IPython.core.magic import (Magics, register_magics, line_magic,
+from IPython.core.magic import (Magics, magics_class, line_magic,
                                 on_off, needs_local_scope)
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils import py3compat
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ from IPython.utils.warn import warn, error
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class ExecutionMagics(Magics):
     """Magics related to code execution, debugging, profiling, etc.
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/extension.py b/IPython/core/magics/extension.py
index 9425eff..37982e5 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/extension.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/extension.py
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@
 import os
 
 # Our own packages
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class ExtensionMagics(Magics):
     """Magics to manage the IPython extensions system."""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/history.py b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
index 4516582..594824d 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/history.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/history.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from io import open as io_open
 
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core.error import StdinNotImplementedError
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils import io
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from IPython.utils import io
 # Magics class implementation
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class HistoryMagics(Magics):
 
     @skip_doctest
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/logging.py b/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
index f8606fb..23b5567 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/logging.py
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ import os
 import sys
 
 # Our own packages
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.utils.warn import warn
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class LoggingMagics(Magics):
     """Magics related to all logging machinery."""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/namespace.py b/IPython/core/magics/namespace.py
index e20d0de..08e0dc9 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/namespace.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/namespace.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import sys
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.core import page
 from IPython.core.error import StdinNotImplementedError
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils.encoding import DEFAULT_ENCODING
 from IPython.utils.path import get_py_filename
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from IPython.utils.path import get_py_filename
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class NamespaceMagics(Magics):
     """Magics to manage various aspects of the user's namespace.
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/osm.py b/IPython/core/magics/osm.py
index f4eae8c..0a358b9 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/osm.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/osm.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from pprint import pformat
 from IPython.core import oinspect
 from IPython.core import page
 from IPython.core.error import UsageError
-from IPython.core.magic import  (Magics, compress_dhist, register_magics,
+from IPython.core.magic import  (Magics, compress_dhist, magics_class,
                                  line_magic)
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils.io import file_read, nlprint
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from IPython.utils.terminal import set_term_title
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class OSMagics(Magics):
     """Magics to interact with the underlying OS (shell-type functionality).
     """
diff --git a/IPython/core/magics/pylab.py b/IPython/core/magics/pylab.py
index d64c929..f07b717 100644
--- a/IPython/core/magics/pylab.py
+++ b/IPython/core/magics/pylab.py
@@ -14,14 +14,14 @@
 
 # Our own packages
 from IPython.config.application import Application
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Magic implementation classes
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class PylabMagics(Magics):
     """Magics related to matplotlib's pylab support"""
 
diff --git a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
index 8fa2153..d664931 100644
--- a/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
+++ b/IPython/core/tests/test_magic.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from IPython.utils.tempdir import TemporaryDirectory
 # Test functions begin
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@magic.register_magics
+@magic.magics_class
 class DummyMagics(magic.Magics): pass
 
 def test_rehashx():
diff --git a/IPython/extensions/autoreload.py b/IPython/extensions/autoreload.py
index 75b71c6..6ca4635 100644
--- a/IPython/extensions/autoreload.py
+++ b/IPython/extensions/autoreload.py
@@ -406,10 +406,10 @@ def superreload(module, reload=reload, old_objects={}):
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 from IPython.core.hooks import TryNext
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.core.plugin import Plugin
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class AutoreloadMagics(Magics):
     def __init__(self, *a, **kw):
         super(AutoreloadMagics, self).__init__(*a, **kw)
diff --git a/IPython/extensions/parallelmagic.py b/IPython/extensions/parallelmagic.py
index f2b910a..abb49fb 100644
--- a/IPython/extensions/parallelmagic.py
+++ b/IPython/extensions/parallelmagic.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Usage
 import ast
 import re
 
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ Use activate() on a DirectView object to activate it for magics.
 """
 
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class ParallelMagics(Magics):
     """A set of magics useful when controlling a parallel IPython cluster.
     """
diff --git a/IPython/extensions/storemagic.py b/IPython/extensions/storemagic.py
index 607d2ab..20cb84d 100644
--- a/IPython/extensions/storemagic.py
+++ b/IPython/extensions/storemagic.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import inspect, os, sys, textwrap
 
 from IPython.core.error import UsageError
 from IPython.core.fakemodule import FakeModule
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.core.plugin import Plugin
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils.traitlets import Bool, Instance
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def restore_data(ip):
     restore_dhist(ip)
 
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class StoreMagics(Magics):
     """Lightweight persistence for python variables.
 
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/terminal/embed.py b/IPython/frontend/terminal/embed.py
index 5cdead6..f1430a7 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/terminal/embed.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/terminal/embed.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ from contextlib import nested
 import warnings
 
 from IPython.core import ultratb
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.frontend.terminal.interactiveshell import TerminalInteractiveShell
 from IPython.frontend.terminal.ipapp import load_default_config
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ from IPython.utils.io import ask_yes_no
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 # This is an additional magic that is exposed in embedded shells.
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class EmbeddedMagics(Magics):
 
     @line_magic
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
index 7b45eb1..1086edd 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/terminal/interactiveshell.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from contextlib import nested
 from IPython.core.error import TryNext, UsageError
 from IPython.core.usage import interactive_usage, default_banner
 from IPython.core.interactiveshell import InteractiveShell, InteractiveShellABC
-from IPython.core.magic import Magics, register_magics, line_magic
+from IPython.core.magic import Magics, magics_class, line_magic
 from IPython.testing.skipdoctest import skip_doctest
 from IPython.utils.encoding import get_stream_enc
 from IPython.utils import py3compat
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ def rerun_pasted(shell, name='pasted_block'):
 # Terminal-specific magics
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-@register_magics
+@magics_class
 class TerminalMagics(Magics):
 
     @line_magic