diff --git a/less/dropdowns.less b/less/dropdowns.less
index 601210d7ff..29913c66ab 100644
--- a/less/dropdowns.less
+++ b/less/dropdowns.less
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
   padding: 5px 0;
   margin: 2px 0 0; // override default ul
   list-style: none;
-  background-color: @dropdown-background;
+  background-color: @dropdown-bg;
   border: 1px solid #ccc; // IE8 fallback
   border: 1px solid @dropdown-border;
   border-radius: @border-radius-base;
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@
 .dropdown-submenu:hover > a,
 .dropdown-submenu:focus > a {
   text-decoration: none;
-  color: @dropdown-link-color-hover;
-  #gradient > .vertical(@dropdown-link-background-hover, darken(@dropdown-link-background-hover, 5%));
+  color: @dropdown-link-hover-color;
+  #gradient > .vertical(@dropdown-link-hover-bg, darken(@dropdown-link-hover-bg, 5%));
 }
 
 // Active state
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@
 .dropdown-menu > .active > a,
 .dropdown-menu > .active > a:hover,
 .dropdown-menu > .active > a:focus {
-  color: @dropdown-link-color-active;
+  color: @dropdown-link-active-color;
   text-decoration: none;
   outline: 0;
-  #gradient > .vertical(@dropdown-link-background-active, darken(@dropdown-link-background-active, 5%));
+  #gradient > .vertical(@dropdown-link-active-bg, darken(@dropdown-link-active-bg, 5%));
 }
 
 // Disabled state
@@ -185,12 +185,12 @@
   border-color: transparent;
   border-style: solid;
   border-width: 5px 0 5px 5px;
-  border-left-color: darken(@dropdown-background, 20%);
+  border-left-color: darken(@dropdown-bg, 20%);
   margin-top: 5px;
   margin-right: -10px;
 }
 .dropdown-submenu:hover > a:after {
-  border-left-color: @dropdown-link-color-hover;
+  border-left-color: @dropdown-link-hover-color;
 }
 
 // Left aligned submenus
diff --git a/less/variables.less b/less/variables.less
index bf51a7d33c..e016c43ad8 100644
--- a/less/variables.less
+++ b/less/variables.less
@@ -126,17 +126,17 @@
 // Dropdowns
 // -------------------------
 
-@dropdown-background:            #fff;
+@dropdown-bg:                    #fff;
 @dropdown-border:                rgba(0,0,0,.15);
 @dropdown-divider-top:           #e5e5e5;
 @dropdown-divider-bottom:        #fff;
 
 @dropdown-link-color:            @grayDark;
-@dropdown-link-color-hover:      #fff;
-@dropdown-link-color-active:     #fff;
+@dropdown-link-hover-color:      #fff;
+@dropdown-link-hover-bg:         @dropdown-link-active-bg;
 
-@dropdown-link-background-active:  @component-active-bg;
-@dropdown-link-background-hover:   @dropdown-link-background-active;
+@dropdown-link-active-color:     #fff;
+@dropdown-link-active-bg:        @component-active-bg;