diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 98093398daf..99dc03547dd 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,6 +71,13 @@ mark_as_advanced (HDF5_EXTERNAL_LIB_PREFIX)
 #   If the parent project needs to install hdf libraries, but avoid
 #   name conflicts with system versions, then a prefix may be added
 #   to ensure that the correct versions configured are used.
+set (HDF5_LIB_INFIX "" CACHE STRING "Use infix for custom library naming.")
+mark_as_advanced (HDF5_LIB_INFIX)
+# HDF5_LIB_INFIX :
+#   This infix is added to all library names after 'hdf5'.
+#   e.g. the infix '_openmpi' results in the library name 'libhdf5_openmpi.so'
+#   This name is used in packages on debian based systems.
+#   (see https://packages.debian.org/jessie/amd64/libhdf5-openmpi-8/filelist)
 #
 # HDF5_INSTALL_BIN_DIR, HDF5_INSTALL_LIB_DIR, HDF5_INSTALL_INCLUDE_DIR, HDF5_INSTALL_DATA_DIR :
 #   Customize the 'bin', 'lib', 'include', and 'share' installation directories.
@@ -130,20 +137,20 @@ mark_as_advanced (ALLOW_UNSUPPORTED)
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Set the core names of all the libraries
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-set (HDF5_LIB_CORENAME              "hdf5")
-set (HDF5_TEST_LIB_CORENAME         "hdf5_test")
-set (HDF5_CPP_LIB_CORENAME          "hdf5_cpp")
-set (HDF5_HL_LIB_CORENAME           "hdf5_hl")
-set (HDF5_HL_CPP_LIB_CORENAME       "hdf5_hl_cpp")
-set (HDF5_TOOLS_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5_tools")
-set (HDF5_UTILS_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5_utils")
-set (HDF5_F90_LIB_CORENAME          "hdf5_fortran")
-set (HDF5_F90_C_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5_f90cstub")
-set (HDF5_F90_TEST_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5_test_fortran")
-set (HDF5_F90_C_TEST_LIB_CORENAME   "hdf5_test_f90cstub")
-set (HDF5_HL_F90_LIB_CORENAME       "hdf5_hl_fortran")
-set (HDF5_HL_F90_C_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5_hl_f90cstub")
-set (HDF5_JAVA_JNI_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5_java")
+set (HDF5_LIB_CORENAME              "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}")
+set (HDF5_TEST_LIB_CORENAME         "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_test")
+set (HDF5_CPP_LIB_CORENAME          "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_cpp")
+set (HDF5_HL_LIB_CORENAME           "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_hl")
+set (HDF5_HL_CPP_LIB_CORENAME       "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_hl_cpp")
+set (HDF5_TOOLS_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_tools")
+set (HDF5_UTILS_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_utils")
+set (HDF5_F90_LIB_CORENAME          "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_fortran")
+set (HDF5_F90_C_LIB_CORENAME        "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_f90cstub")
+set (HDF5_F90_TEST_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_test_fortran")
+set (HDF5_F90_C_TEST_LIB_CORENAME   "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_test_f90cstub")
+set (HDF5_HL_F90_LIB_CORENAME       "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_hl_fortran")
+set (HDF5_HL_F90_C_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_hl_f90cstub")
+set (HDF5_JAVA_JNI_LIB_CORENAME     "hdf5${HDF5_LIB_INFIX}_java")
 set (HDF5_JAVA_HDF5_LIB_CORENAME    "jarhdf5")
 set (HDF5_JAVA_TEST_LIB_CORENAME    "jartest5")
 
diff --git a/release_docs/RELEASE.txt b/release_docs/RELEASE.txt
index 8b6f48834fd..39260c0558e 100644
--- a/release_docs/RELEASE.txt
+++ b/release_docs/RELEASE.txt
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ New Features
 
       (DER - 2021/03/22)
 
+    - Add CMake variable HDF5_LIB_INFIX
+
+      This infix is added to all library names after 'hdf5'.
+      e.g. the infix '_openmpi' results in the library name 'libhdf5_openmpi.so'
+      This name is used in packages on debian based systems.
+      (see https://packages.debian.org/jessie/amd64/libhdf5-openmpi-8/filelist)
+
+      (barcode - 2021/03/22)
+
     - On macOS, Universal Binaries can now be built, allowing native execution on
       both Intel and Apple Silicon (ARM) based Macs.