diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
index b96f18f..0b54e90 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ define([
             // Create a new notebook in the same path as the current
             // notebook's path.
             var parent = utils.url_path_split(that.notebook.notebook_path)[0];
-            that.contents.new(parent, {
+            that.contents.new_untitled(parent, {
                     type: "notebook",
                     extra_settings: {async: false},  // So we can open a new window afterwards
                     success: function (data) {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js b/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
index 97e0839..481015c 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
@@ -92,15 +92,15 @@ define([
 
 
     /**
-     * Creates a new file at the specified directory path.
+     * Creates a new untitled file or directory in the specified directory path.
      *
      * @method new
-     * @param {String} path The path to create the new notebook at
+     * @param {String} path: the directory in which to create the new file/directory
      * @param {Object} options:
      *      ext: file extension to use
      *      type: model type to create ('notebook', 'file', or 'directory')
      */
-    Contents.prototype.new = function(path, options) {
+    Contents.prototype.new_untitled = function(path, options) {
         var data = JSON.stringify({
           ext: options.ext,
           type: options.type
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
index ea820d4..25ce905 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ require([
     var login_widget = new loginwidget.LoginWidget('#login_widget', common_options);
 
     $('#new_notebook').click(function (e) {
-        contents.new(common_options.notebook_path, {
+        contents.new_untitled(common_options.notebook_path, {
                 type: "notebook",
                 extra_settings: {async: false},  // So we can open a new window afterwards
                 success: function (data) {