diff --git a/doc/src/create_atoms.rst b/doc/src/create_atoms.rst
index 7f67670506..8aedf62d82 100644
--- a/doc/src/create_atoms.rst
+++ b/doc/src/create_atoms.rst
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Syntax
 
    create_atoms type style args keyword values ...
 
-* type = atom type (1-Ntypes) of atoms to create (offset for molecule creation)
+* type = atom type (1-Ntypes or type label) of atoms to create (offset for molecule creation)
 * style = *box* or *region* or *single* or *mesh* or *random*
 
   .. parsed-literal::
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Syntax
          seed = random # seed (positive integer)
        *basis* values = M itype
          M = which basis atom
-         itype = atom type (1-N) to assign to this basis atom
+         itype = atom type (1-Ntypes or type label) to assign to this basis atom
        *ratio* values = frac seed
          frac = fraction of lattice sites (0 to 1) to populate randomly
          seed = random # seed (positive integer)
@@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ Examples
 .. code-block:: LAMMPS
 
    create_atoms 1 box
-   create_atoms 3 region regsphere basis 2 3
+
+   labelmap atom 1 Pt
+   create_atoms Pt box
+
+   labelmap atom 1 C 2 Si
+   create_atoms C region regsphere basis Si C
+
    create_atoms 3 region regsphere basis 2 3 ratio 0.5 74637
    create_atoms 3 single 0 0 5
    create_atoms 1 box var v set x xpos set y ypos
diff --git a/src/create_atoms.cpp b/src/create_atoms.cpp
index 578ce999f5..ec9d8078a2 100644
--- a/src/create_atoms.cpp
+++ b/src/create_atoms.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ void CreateAtoms::command(int narg, char **arg)
   // parse arguments
 
   if (narg < 2) utils::missing_cmd_args(FLERR, "create_atoms", error);
-  ntype = utils::inumeric(FLERR, arg[0], false, lmp);
+  char *typestr = utils::expand_type(FLERR, arg[0], Atom::ATOM, lmp);
+  ntype = utils::inumeric(FLERR, typestr?typestr:arg[0], false, lmp);
+  delete[] typestr;
 
   const char *meshfile;
   int iarg;
@@ -163,7 +165,9 @@ void CreateAtoms::command(int narg, char **arg)
     if (strcmp(arg[iarg], "basis") == 0) {
       if (iarg + 3 > narg) utils::missing_cmd_args(FLERR, "create_atoms basis", error);
       int ibasis = utils::inumeric(FLERR, arg[iarg + 1], false, lmp);
-      int itype = utils::inumeric(FLERR, arg[iarg + 2], false, lmp);
+      char *typestr = utils::expand_type(FLERR, arg[iarg + 2], Atom::ATOM, lmp);
+      int itype = utils::inumeric(FLERR, typestr?typestr:arg[iarg + 2], false, lmp);
+      delete[] typestr;
       if (ibasis <= 0 || ibasis > nbasis || itype <= 0 || itype > atom->ntypes)
         error->all(FLERR, "Out of range basis setting '{} {}' in create_atoms command", ibasis,
                    itype);