diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 87ab9b4..fdc6472 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -99,6 +99,20 @@ Qty.parse('foo') // => null
 Qty.getKinds(); // => Array of names of every well-known kind of units
 ```
 
+### Available units of a particular kind
+
+```javascript
+Qty.getUnits('currency'); // => [ 'dollar', 'cents' ]
+// Or all alphabetically sorted
+Qty.getUnits(); // => [ 'acre','Ah','ampere','AMU','angstrom']
+```
+
+### Alternative names of a unit
+
+```javascript
+Qty.getAliases('m'); // => [ 'm', 'meter', 'meters', 'metre', 'metres' ]
+```
+
 ### Quantity compatibility, kind and various queries
 
 ```javascript
diff --git a/spec/quantitiesSpec.js b/spec/quantitiesSpec.js
index d2cb152..d6a4ace 100644
--- a/spec/quantitiesSpec.js
+++ b/spec/quantitiesSpec.js
@@ -1239,6 +1239,26 @@ describe("js-quantities", function() {
     });
   });
 
+  describe("Qty.getUnits", function() {
+    it("should return an array of units of kind", function() {
+      expect(Qty.getUnits("currency")).toContain("dollar");
+    });
+    it("should return an array of all units without arg", function () {
+      expect(Qty.getUnits()).toContain("sievert");
+    });
+    it("should throw unknown kind", function () {
+      expect(function () {Qty.getUnits('bogusKind')}).toThrow("Kind not recognized");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("Qty.getAliases", function() {
+    it("should return array of alternative names for unit", function() {
+      expect(Qty.getAliases("m")).toContain("meter");
+      expect(Qty.getAliases("meter")).toContain("metre");
+      expect(Qty.getAliases("N")).toContain("newton");
+    });
+  });
+
   describe("information", function() {
     describe("bits and bytes", function() {
       it("should have 'information' as kind", function() {
diff --git a/src/quantities.js b/src/quantities.js
index 0e8d90e..1061d19 100644
--- a/src/quantities.js
+++ b/src/quantities.js
@@ -488,6 +488,55 @@ THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLI
     }));
   };
 
+  /**
+   * Returns a list of available units of kind
+   *
+   * @param {string} [kind]
+   * @returns {array} names of units
+   * @throws {QtyError} if kind is unknown
+   */
+  Qty.getUnits = function(kind) {
+    var units = [];
+    var unitKeys = Object.keys(UNITS);
+    if (typeof kind === 'undefined') {
+      for(var i = 0; i < unitKeys.length; i++) {
+        if (['', 'prefix'].indexOf(UNITS[unitKeys[i]][2]) == -1) {
+          units.push(unitKeys[i].substr(1, unitKeys[i].length - 2));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    else if (Qty.getKinds().indexOf(kind) === -1) {
+      throw new QtyError('Kind not recognized');
+    }
+    else {
+      for(var i = 0; i < unitKeys.length; i++) {
+        if (UNITS[unitKeys[i]][2] === kind) {
+          units.push(unitKeys[i].substr(1, unitKeys[i].length - 2));
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    return units.sort(function(a, b){
+      if(a.toLowerCase() < b.toLowerCase()) return -1;
+      if(a.toLowerCase() > b.toLowerCase()) return 1;
+      return 0;
+    });
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Returns a list of alternative names for a unit
+   *
+   * @param {string} unit
+   * @returns {string[]} aliases for unit
+   * @throws {QtyError} if unit is unknown
+   */
+  Qty.getAliases = function(unitName) {
+    if (!UNIT_MAP[unitName]) {
+        throw new QtyError('Unit not recognized');
+    }
+    return UNITS[UNIT_MAP[unitName]][0];
+  };
+
   /**
    * Default formatter
    *