diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/CSharpOperators.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/CSharpOperators.cs
index b869388229..ae6361230a 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/CSharpOperators.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/CSharpOperators.cs
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Resolver
 				get { return false; }
 			}
 			
-			EntityType IEntity.EntityType {
+			EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
 				get { return EntityType.Operator; }
 			}
 			
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Resolver
 				get { return "operator"; }
 			}
 			
-			string INamedElement.Name {
+			public string Name {
 				get { return "operator"; }
 			}
 			
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/ResolveVisitor.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/ResolveVisitor.cs
index 97b568b23d..12458abeed 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/ResolveVisitor.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/Resolver/ResolveVisitor.cs
@@ -3145,6 +3145,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.Resolver
 				this.name = name;
 			}
 			
+			public EntityType EntityType {
+				get { return EntityType.Variable; }
+			}
+			
 			public string Name {
 				get { return name; }
 			}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/CSharpAssembly.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/CSharpAssembly.cs
index 3dada0d603..7dfa6c3b00 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/CSharpAssembly.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/CSharpAssembly.cs
@@ -268,10 +268,14 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.TypeSystem
 				get { return fullName; }
 			}
 			
-			string INamespace.Name {
+			public string Name {
 				get { return name; }
 			}
 			
+			EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+				get { return EntityType.Namespace; }
+			}
+			
 			INamespace INamespace.ParentNamespace {
 				get { return parentNamespace; }
 			}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/ResolvedUsingScope.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/ResolvedUsingScope.cs
index 026260ad74..7197689660 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/ResolvedUsingScope.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp/TypeSystem/ResolvedUsingScope.cs
@@ -162,10 +162,14 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.CSharp.TypeSystem
 				get { return NamespaceDeclaration.BuildQualifiedName(parentNamespace.FullName, name); }
 			}
 			
-			string INamespace.Name {
+			public string Name {
 				get { return name; }
 			}
 			
+			EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+				get { return EntityType.Namespace; }
+			}
+			
 			INamespace INamespace.ParentNamespace {
 				get { return parentNamespace; }
 			}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.csproj b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.csproj
index 6b1ee2d1b8..aab5480a98 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.csproj
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/ICSharpCode.NRefactory.csproj
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\DefaultSolutionSnapshot.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\DomRegion.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\EntityType.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="TypeSystem\ISymbol.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\TypeParameterSubstitution.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\TypeSystemExtensions.cs" />
     <Compile Include="TypeSystem\FullTypeName.cs" />
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/EntityType.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/EntityType.cs
index 513da15bca..e47b349fcd 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/EntityType.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/EntityType.cs
@@ -23,15 +23,51 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 	public enum EntityType : byte
 	{
 		None,
+		/// <seealso cref="ITypeDefinition"/>
 		TypeDefinition,
+		/// <seealso cref="IField"/>
 		Field,
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The symbol is a property, but not an indexer.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IProperty"/>
 		Property,
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The symbol is an indexer, not a regular property.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IProperty"/>
 		Indexer,
+		/// <seealso cref="IEvent"/>
 		Event,
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The symbol is a method which is not an operator/constructor/destructor or accessor.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IMethod"/>
 		Method,
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The symbol is a user-defined operator.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IMethod"/>
 		Operator,
+		/// <seealso cref="IMethod"/>
 		Constructor,
+		/// <seealso cref="IMethod"/>
 		Destructor,
-		Accessor
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The accessor method for a property getter/setter or event add/remove.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IMethod"/>
+		Accessor,
+		/// <seealso cref="INamespace"/>
+		Namespace,
+		/// <summary>
+		/// The symbol is a variable, but not a parameter.
+		/// </summary>
+		/// <seealso cref="IVariable"/>
+		Variable,
+		/// <seealso cref="IParameter"/>
+		Parameter,
+		/// <seealso cref="ITypeParameter"/>
+		TypeParameter,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IEntity.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IEntity.cs
index 6877254a5c..147c658780 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IEntity.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IEntity.cs
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Represents a resolved entity.
 	/// </summary>
-	public interface IEntity : ICompilationProvider, INamedElement, IHasAccessibility
+	public interface IEntity : ISymbol, ICompilationProvider, INamedElement, IHasAccessibility
 	{
 		/// <summary>
-		/// Gets the entity type.
+		/// Gets the short name of the entity.
 		/// </summary>
-		EntityType EntityType { get; }
+		new string Name { get; }
 		
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the complete entity region (including header+body)
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/INamespace.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/INamespace.cs
index c272749da6..213f2f87b4 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/INamespace.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/INamespace.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Represents a resolved namespace.
 	/// </summary>
-	public interface INamespace : ICompilationProvider
+	public interface INamespace : ISymbol, ICompilationProvider
 	{
 		// No pointer back to unresolved namespace:
 		// multiple unresolved namespaces (from different assemblies) get
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the short name of this namespace (e.g. "Collections").
 		/// </summary>
-		string Name { get; }
+		new string Name { get; }
 		
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the parent namespace.
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ISymbol.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ISymbol.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..44bd70d172
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ISymbol.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2010-2013 AlphaSierraPapa for the SharpDevelop Team
+// 
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this
+// software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software
+// without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge,
+// publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons
+// to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+// 
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or
+// substantial portions of the Software.
+// 
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
+// INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
+// PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE
+// FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR
+// OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER
+// DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+
+using System;
+
+namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
+{
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Interface for type system symbols.
+	/// </summary>
+	public interface ISymbol
+	{
+		/// <summary>
+		/// This property returns an enum specifying which kind of symbol this is
+		/// (which derived interfaces of ISymbol are implemented)
+		/// </summary>
+		EntityType EntityType { get; }
+		
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Gets the short name of the symbol.
+		/// </summary>
+		string Name { get; }
+	}
+}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ITypeParameter.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ITypeParameter.cs
index 350ae19e09..53150cb332 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ITypeParameter.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/ITypeParameter.cs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Type parameter of a generic class/method.
 	/// </summary>
-	public interface ITypeParameter : IType
+	public interface ITypeParameter : IType, ISymbol
 	{
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Get the type of this type parameter's owner.
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 		/// </summary>
 		int Index { get; }
 		
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Gets the name of the type parameter.
+		/// </summary>
+		new string Name { get; }
+		
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the list of attributes declared on this type parameter.
 		/// </summary>
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IVariable.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IVariable.cs
index 33838d6e89..253fe99a57 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IVariable.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/IVariable.cs
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Represents a variable (name/type pair).
 	/// </summary>
-	public interface IVariable
+	public interface IVariable : ISymbol
 	{
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the name of the variable.
 		/// </summary>
-		string Name { get; }
+		new string Name { get; }
 		
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Gets the declaration region of the variable.
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/AbstractResolvedTypeParameter.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/AbstractResolvedTypeParameter.cs
index 29c957f879..7f42522f78 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/AbstractResolvedTypeParameter.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/AbstractResolvedTypeParameter.cs
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 			this.variance = variance;
 		}
 		
+		EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+			get { return EntityType.TypeParameter; }
+		}
+		
 		public EntityType OwnerType {
 			get { return ownerType; }
 		}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultParameter.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultParameter.cs
index 2abe29b165..29af6c5c45 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultParameter.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultParameter.cs
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 			this.defaultValue = defaultValue;
 		}
 		
+		EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+			get { return EntityType.Parameter; }
+		}
+		
 		public IList<IAttribute> Attributes {
 			get { return attributes; }
 		}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedAssembly.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedAssembly.cs
index 1aa07cb17b..7264312ec3 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedAssembly.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedAssembly.cs
@@ -403,7 +403,11 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 					get { return ns.FullName; }
 				}
 				
-				string INamespace.Name {
+				EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+					get { return EntityType.Namespace; }
+				}
+				
+				public string Name {
 					get { return ns.Name; }
 				}
 				
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedParameter.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedParameter.cs
index 7706e8c247..6e09244648 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedParameter.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DefaultUnresolvedParameter.cs
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 				this.context = context;
 			}
 			
+			EntityType ISymbol.EntityType { get { return EntityType.Parameter; } }
 			public IType Type { get; internal set; }
 			public string Name { get; internal set; }
 			public DomRegion Region { get; internal set; }
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DummyTypeParameter.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DummyTypeParameter.cs
index ecd6cb30a5..aa07c2995b 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DummyTypeParameter.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/DummyTypeParameter.cs
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 			this.index = index;
 		}
 		
+		EntityType ISymbol.EntityType {
+			get { return EntityType.TypeParameter; }
+		}
+		
 		public override string Name {
 			get {
 				return (ownerType == EntityType.Method ? "!!" : "!") + index;
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/MergedNamespace.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/MergedNamespace.cs
index cbdb7f2b98..5524d64e09 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/MergedNamespace.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/MergedNamespace.cs
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 			}
 		}
 		
+		public EntityType EntityType {
+			get { return EntityType.Namespace; }
+		}
+		
 		public ICompilation Compilation {
 			get { return compilation; }
 		}
diff --git a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/SpecializedMember.cs b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/SpecializedMember.cs
index 243b846401..b243ea47ed 100644
--- a/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/SpecializedMember.cs
+++ b/ICSharpCode.NRefactory/TypeSystem/Implementation/SpecializedMember.cs
@@ -405,6 +405,8 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.NRefactory.TypeSystem.Implementation
 				this.newType = newType;
 			}
 			
+			EntityType ISymbol.EntityType { get { return EntityType.Parameter; } }
+			
 			public IList<IAttribute> Attributes {
 				get { return originalParameter.Attributes; }
 			}