diff --git a/doc/src/mass.rst b/doc/src/mass.rst
index 3da580df1c..f359ccf3a5 100644
--- a/doc/src/mass.rst
+++ b/doc/src/mass.rst
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Syntax
 
    mass I value
 
-* I = atom type (see asterisk form below)
+* I = atom type (see asterisk form below), or type label
 * value = mass
 
 Examples
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ Examples
    mass * 62.5
    mass 2* 62.5
 
+   labelmap atom 1 C
+   mass C 12.01
+
 Description
 """""""""""
 
@@ -30,12 +33,16 @@ values can also be set in the :doc:`read_data <read_data>` data file
 using the "Masses" keyword.  See the :doc:`units <units>` command for
 what mass units to use.
 
-The I index can be specified in one of two ways.  An explicit numeric
-value can be used, as in the first example above.  Or a wild-card
-asterisk can be used to set the mass for multiple atom types.  This
-takes the form "\*" or "\*n" or "n\*" or "m\*n".  If N = the number of
-atom types, then an asterisk with no numeric values means all types
-from 1 to N.  A leading asterisk means all types from 1 to n
+The I index can be specified in one of several ways.  An explicit
+numeric value can be used, as in the first example above.  Or I can be
+a type label, which is an alphanumeric string defined by the
+:doc:`labelmap <labelmap>` command or in a section of a data file read
+by the :doc:`read_data <read_data>` command, and which converts
+internally to a numeric type. Or a wild-card asterisk can be used to
+set the mass for multiple atom types.  This takes the form "\*" or
+"\*n" or "n\*" or "m\*n", where m and n are numbers.  If N = the
+number of atom types, then an asterisk with no numeric values means
+all types from 1 to N.  A leading asterisk means all types from 1 to n
 (inclusive).  A trailing asterisk means all types from n to N
 (inclusive).  A middle asterisk means all types from m to n
 (inclusive).
diff --git a/doc/src/pair_coeff.rst b/doc/src/pair_coeff.rst
index 1065ec0fe0..1704afdbf0 100644
--- a/doc/src/pair_coeff.rst
+++ b/doc/src/pair_coeff.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ Examples
    pair_coeff * 3 morse.table ENTRY1
    pair_coeff 1 2 lj/cut 1.0 1.0 2.5 (for pair_style hybrid)
 
+   labelmap atom 1 C
+   labelmap atom 2 H
+   pair_coeff C H 1.0 1.0 2.5
+
 Description
 """""""""""
 
@@ -41,7 +45,7 @@ alphanumeric string defined by the :doc:`labelmap <labelmap>` command
 or in a section of a data file read by the :doc:`read_data
 <read_data>` command, and which converts internally to a numeric type.
 Internally, LAMMPS will set coefficients for the symmetric J,I
-interaction to the same values as the I <= J interaction.
+interaction to the same values as the I,J interaction.
 
 For numeric values only, a wildcard asterisk can be used in place of
 or in conjunction with the I,J arguments to set the coefficients for
diff --git a/src/atom.cpp b/src/atom.cpp
index a82dab77bb..15880f186e 100644
--- a/src/atom.cpp
+++ b/src/atom.cpp
@@ -1849,15 +1849,24 @@ void Atom::set_mass(const char *file, int line, int /*narg*/, char **arg)
 {
   if (mass == nullptr) error->all(file,line,"Cannot set mass for this atom style");
 
-  int lo,hi;
-  utils::bounds(file,line,arg[0],1,ntypes,lo,hi,error);
-  if (lo < 1 || hi > ntypes) error->all(file,line,"Invalid type for mass set");
-
-  for (int itype = lo; itype <= hi; itype++) {
+  if (!isdigit(arg[0][0]) && arg[0][0] != '*') {
+    std::string typestr(arg[0]);
+    int itype = atom->find_label(typestr,Atom::ATOM);
     mass[itype] = utils::numeric(FLERR,arg[1],false,lmp);
     mass_setflag[itype] = 1;
 
     if (mass[itype] <= 0.0) error->all(file,line,"Invalid mass value");
+  } else {
+    int lo,hi;
+    utils::bounds(file,line,arg[0],1,ntypes,lo,hi,error);
+    if (lo < 1 || hi > ntypes) error->all(file,line,"Invalid type for mass set");
+
+    for (int itype = lo; itype <= hi; itype++) {
+      mass[itype] = utils::numeric(FLERR,arg[1],false,lmp);
+      mass_setflag[itype] = 1;
+
+      if (mass[itype] <= 0.0) error->all(file,line,"Invalid mass value");
+    }
   }
 }