diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/expose-loop-var-name.yml b/changelogs/fragments/expose-loop-var-name.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..802664555bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/expose-loop-var-name.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+minor_changes:
+- loop - expose loop var name as ``ansible_loop_var``
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/special_variables.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/special_variables.rst
index 1b388eac74d..41324834d6c 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/special_variables.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/special_variables.rst
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ ansible_limit
 ansible_loop
     A dictionary/map containing extended loop information when enabled via ``loop_control.extended``
 
+ansible_loop_var
+    The name of the value provided to ``loop_control.loop_var``. Added in ``2.8``
+
 ansible_play_batch
     List of active hosts in the current play run limited by the serial, aka 'batch'. Failed/Unreachable hosts are not considered 'active'.
 
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/user_guide/playbooks_loops.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/user_guide/playbooks_loops.rst
index ea91d611dc5..8b09330e4cc 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/user_guide/playbooks_loops.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/user_guide/playbooks_loops.rst
@@ -400,6 +400,14 @@ Variable                    Description
       loop_control:
         extended: yes
 
+.. versionadded:: 2.8
+
+As of Ansible 2.8 you can get the name of the value provided to ``loop_control.loop_var`` using the ``ansible_loop_var`` variable
+
+For role authors, writing roles that allow loops, instead of dictating the required ``loop_var`` value, you can gather the value via::
+
+    "{{ lookup('vars', ansible_loop_var) }}"
+
 .. _migrating_to_loop:
 
 Migrating from with_X to loop
diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
index 0786660f2cb..0763909c3c0 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/task_executor.py
@@ -319,6 +319,8 @@ class TaskExecutor:
         no_log = False
         items_len = len(items)
         for item_index, item in enumerate(items):
+            task_vars['ansible_loop_var'] = loop_var
+
             task_vars[loop_var] = item
             if index_var:
                 task_vars[index_var] = item_index
@@ -376,6 +378,7 @@ class TaskExecutor:
             # now update the result with the item info, and append the result
             # to the list of results
             res[loop_var] = item
+            res['ansible_loop_var'] = loop_var
             if index_var:
                 res[index_var] = item_index
             if extended:
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/assert/assert_quiet.out.quiet.stdout b/test/integration/targets/assert/assert_quiet.out.quiet.stdout
index 65b82a6f283..b62aac6cd9f 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/assert/assert_quiet.out.quiet.stdout
+++ b/test/integration/targets/assert/assert_quiet.out.quiet.stdout
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ ok: [localhost] => (item=item_A)
 
 TASK [assert] ******************************************************************
 ok: [localhost] => (item=item_A) => {
+    "ansible_loop_var": "item",
     "changed": false,
     "item": "item_A",
     "msg": "All assertions passed"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/loops/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/loops/tasks/main.yml
index db666873611..85fb5ce4b38 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/loops/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/loops/tasks/main.yml
@@ -325,3 +325,12 @@
   loop_control:
     extended: true
   when: item == 'banana'
+
+- name: Validate the loop_var name
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - ansible_loop_var == 'alvin'
+  loop:
+    - 1
+  loop_control:
+    loop_var: alvin