diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/quiver.py b/lib/matplotlib/quiver.py
index 9b63e7734198..6f080e94c874 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/quiver.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/quiver.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 import weakref
 
 import numpy as np
-
 from numpy import ma
 import matplotlib.collections as mcollections
 import matplotlib.transforms as transforms
@@ -381,27 +380,60 @@ def contains(self, mouseevent):
 # This is a helper function that parses out the various combination of
 # arguments for doing colored vector plots.  Pulling it out here
 # allows both Quiver and Barbs to use it
-def _parse_args(*args):
+def _parse_args(*args, **kw):
+    """
+    >>> print(_parse_args(1, 1, 2, 2, (0, 0, 0)))
+    (array([1]), array([1]), array([2]), array([2]), array([0, 0, 0]))
+    >>> _parse_args(2, 2, 1)
+    (array([0]), array([0]), array([2]), array([2]), array([1]))
+
+    >>> print(_parse_args(X = 1, Y = 1, U = 2, V = 2, C = (0, 0, 0)))
+    (array([0]), array([0]), array([2]), array([2]), array([0, 0, 0]))
+    >>> _parse_args(U = 2, V =  2, C = 1)
+    (array([0]), array([0]), array([2]), array([2]), array([1]))
+
+    """
     X, Y, U, V, C = [None] * 5
-    args = list(args)
-
-    # The use of atleast_1d allows for handling scalar arguments while also
-    # keeping masked arrays
-    if len(args) == 3 or len(args) == 5:
-        C = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
-    V = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
-    U = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
-    if U.ndim == 1:
-        nr, nc = 1, U.shape[0]
-    else:
-        nr, nc = U.shape
-    if len(args) == 2:  # remaining after removing U,V,C
-        X, Y = [np.array(a).ravel() for a in args]
-        if len(X) == nc and len(Y) == nr:
-            X, Y = [a.ravel() for a in np.meshgrid(X, Y)]
-    else:
-        indexgrid = np.meshgrid(np.arange(nc), np.arange(nr))
-        X, Y = [np.ravel(a) for a in indexgrid]
+    if len(kw) == 0:#No keyword arguments.
+        args = list(args)
+        # The use of atleast_1d allows for handling scalar arguments while also
+        # keeping masked arrays
+        if len(args) == 3 or len(args) == 5:
+            C = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
+        V = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
+        U = np.atleast_1d(args.pop(-1))
+        if U.ndim == 1:
+            nr, nc = 1, U.shape[0]
+        else:
+            nr, nc = U.shape
+        if len(args) == 2:  # remaining after removing U,V,C CASE-1
+            X, Y = [np.array(a).ravel() for a in args]
+            if len(X) == nc and len(Y) == nr:
+                X, Y = [a.ravel() for a in np.meshgrid(X, Y)]
+        else:#CASE 2
+            indexgrid = np.meshgrid(np.arange(nc), np.arange(nr))
+            X, Y = [np.ravel(a) for a in indexgrid]
+    
+    elif len(args) == 0:#only keyword arguments
+        # The use of atleast_1d allows for handling scalar arguments while also
+        # keeping masked arrays
+        C = np.atleast_1d(kw.get('C'))
+        V = np.atleast_1d(kw.get('V'))
+        U = np.atleast_1d(kw.get('U'))
+        if U.ndim == 1:
+            nr, nc = 1, U.shape[0]
+        else:
+            nr, nc = U.shape
+        
+        X = np.array(kw.get('X')).ravel()
+        Y = np.array(kw.get('Y')).ravel()
+        if (X == [None] and Y == [None]) or (X != [None] and Y != [None]):#CASE 2 of *args
+            indexgrid = np.meshgrid(np.arange(nc), np.arange(nr))
+            X, Y = [np.ravel(a) for a in indexgrid]
+        else:#CASE 1 of *args
+            if len(X) == nc and len(Y) == nr:
+                X, Y = [a.ravel() for a in np.meshgrid(X, Y)]
+
     return X, Y, U, V, C
 
 
@@ -442,8 +474,9 @@ def __init__(self, ax, *args,
         by the following pyplot interface documentation:
         %s
         """
+
         self.ax = ax
-        X, Y, U, V, C = _parse_args(*args)
+        X, Y, U, V, C = _parse_args(*args, **kw)
         self.X = X
         self.Y = Y
         self.XY = np.column_stack((X, Y))