diff --git a/doc/api/api_changes.rst b/doc/api/api_changes.rst
index 907217713be6..63f4e41de716 100644
--- a/doc/api/api_changes.rst
+++ b/doc/api/api_changes.rst
@@ -21,12 +21,10 @@ added to Matplotlib, see :ref:`whats-new`.
    .. note::
 
       The list below is a table of contents of individual files from the
-      'next_api_changes' folder.
+      most recent :file:`api_changes_X.Y` folder.
 
       When a release is made
 
-       - The files in 'next_api_changes/' should be moved to a new file in
-         'prev_api_changes/'.
        - The include directive below should be changed to point to the new file
          created in the previous step.
 
@@ -35,6 +33,6 @@ added to Matplotlib, see :ref:`whats-new`.
       :glob:
       :maxdepth: 1
 
-      next_api_changes/*
+      api_changes_3.3/*
 
 .. include:: prev_api_changes/api_changes_3.2.0.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/2019-04-25-AL.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/2019-04-25-AL.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/2019-04-25-AL.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/2019-04-25-AL.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/README.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/README.rst
similarity index 87%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/README.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/README.rst
index 5c3171edea27..a8c7538e5618 100644
--- a/doc/api/next_api_changes/README.rst
+++ b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/README.rst
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 Adding API change notes
 =======================
 
-API change notes for future releases are collected in the directory
-:file:`next_api_changes`. They are divided into four categories:
+API change notes for future releases are collected in the most recent directory
+:file:`api_changes_X.Y`. They are divided into four categories:
 
 - **Deprecations**: Announcements of future changes. Typically, these will
   raise a deprecation warning and users of this API should change their code
@@ -27,4 +27,3 @@ A typical entry could look like this::
     ~~~~~~~~
     The unused `Locator.autoscale()` method is deprecated (pass the axis
     limits to `Locator.view_limits()` instead).
-
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/behaviour.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/behaviour.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/behaviour.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/behaviour.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/deprecations.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/deprecations.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/development.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/development.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/development.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/development.rst
diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/removals.rst b/doc/api/api_changes_3.3/removals.rst
similarity index 100%
rename from doc/api/next_api_changes/removals.rst
rename to doc/api/api_changes_3.3/removals.rst
diff --git a/doc/devel/coding_guide.rst b/doc/devel/coding_guide.rst
index c5140ac6bc82..ffac23812e95 100644
--- a/doc/devel/coding_guide.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/coding_guide.rst
@@ -95,7 +95,8 @@ Documentation
   :file:`doc/users/whats_new.rst`.
 
 * If you change the API in a backward-incompatible way, please
-  document it in the relevant file in :file:`doc/api/next_api_changes`.
+  document it in the relevant file in most recent
+  :file:`doc/api/api_changes_X.Y`.
 
 .. _pr-labels:
 
@@ -145,8 +146,8 @@ Merging
   the PR.
 
   Ensure that all API changes are documented in the relevant file in
-  :file:`doc/api/next_api_changes` and significant new features have and
-  entry in :file:`doc/user/whats_new`.
+  the most recent :file:`doc/api/api_changes_X.Y` and significant new features
+  have an entry in :file:`doc/user/whats_new`.
 
   - If a PR already has a positive review, a core developer (e.g. the first
     reviewer, but not necessarily) may champion that PR for merging.  In order
diff --git a/doc/devel/contributing.rst b/doc/devel/contributing.rst
index ab2360393a5e..07f6195f9b21 100644
--- a/doc/devel/contributing.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/contributing.rst
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ Changes to the public API must follow a standard deprecation procedure to
 prevent unexpected breaking of code that uses Matplotlib.
 
 - Deprecations must be announced via an entry in
-  :file:`doc/api/next_api_changes`.
+  the most recent :file:`doc/api/api_changes_X.Y`
 - Deprecations are targeted at the next point-release (i.e. 3.x.0).
 - The deprecated API should, to the maximum extent possible, remain fully
   functional during the deprecation period. In cases where this is not
diff --git a/doc/devel/release_guide.rst b/doc/devel/release_guide.rst
index c287b92d135b..41ec56dd0a8d 100644
--- a/doc/devel/release_guide.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/release_guide.rst
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ For the "what's new",
 Similarly for the "API changes",
 
  1. copy the current api changes to a file is :file:`doc/api/prev_api_changes`
- 2. merge all of the files in :file:`doc/api/next_api_changes/` into
-    :file:`doc//whats_new.rst`
- 3. comment out the next API changes at the top.
+ 2. merge all of the files in the most recent :file:`doc/api/api_changes_X.Y`
+    into :file:`doc/api/api_changes.rst`
+ 3. comment out the most recent API changes at the top.
 
 In both cases step 3 will have to be un-done right after the release.