--- a/src/oct-obj.h
+++ b/src/oct-obj.h
@@ -27,11 +27,10 @@
 #pragma interface
 #endif
 
-class string_vector;
-
 #include <string>
 
 #include "Array.h"
+#include "str-vec.h"
 
 #include "ov.h"
 
@@ -129,10 +128,18 @@
 
   string_vector make_argv (const string&) const;
 
+  void stash_name_tags (const string_vector& nm) { names = nm; }
+
+  string_vector name_tags (void) const { return names; }
+
 private:
 
   Array<octave_value> data;
 
+  // This list of strings can be used to tag each element of data with
+  // a name.  By default, it is empty.
+  string_vector names;
+
   // This constructor is private with no definition to keep statements
   // like
   //