diff --git a/applications/test/fileName/Test-fileName.C b/applications/test/fileName/Test-fileName.C
index 42b3fe4d7a..3ad28e5f77 100644
--- a/applications/test/fileName/Test-fileName.C
+++ b/applications/test/fileName/Test-fileName.C
@@ -617,6 +617,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     fileName pathName(wrdList);
 
     Info<< "pathName = " << pathName << nl
+        << "nameOp   = " << nameOp<fileName>()(pathName) << nl
         << "pathName.name()     = >" << pathName.name() << "<\n"
         << "pathName.path()     = "  << pathName.path() << nl
         << "pathName.ext()      = >" << pathName.ext() << "<\n"
diff --git a/applications/test/string/Test-string.C b/applications/test/string/Test-string.C
index 2d6bdfac2e..81c126b8af 100644
--- a/applications/test/string/Test-string.C
+++ b/applications/test/string/Test-string.C
@@ -271,32 +271,31 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     Info<< "hash: = " << word::printf("0x%012X", string::hash()(s2)) << endl;
 
-    // test formatting on int
+    // Test formatting on int
     {
         label val = 25;
-        Info<<"val: " << val << "\n";
-
-        Info<< "int " << val << " as word >"
-            << Foam::name(val) << "< or "
-            << word::printf("formatted >%08d<", val) << "\n";
+        Info<< "int " << val << " nameOp='"
+            << nameOp<label>()(val) << "', name='"
+            << Foam::name(val) << "' or "
+            << word::printf("formatted '%08d'", val) << "\n";
     }
 
-    // test formatting on scalar
+    // Test formatting on scalar
     {
         scalar val = 3.1415926535897931;
-        Info<< "scalar " << val << " as word >"
-            << Foam::name(val) << "< or "
-            << word::printf("formatted >%.9f<", val) << "\n";
+        Info<< "scalar " << val << " nameOp='"
+            << nameOp<scalar>()(val) << "', name='"
+            << Foam::name(val) << "' or "
+            << word::printf("formatted '%.9f'", val) << "\n";
     }
 
-    // test formatting on uint
+    // Test formatting on uint
     {
         uint64_t val = 25000000ul;
-        Info<<"val: " << val << "\n";
-
-        Info<< "uint64 " << val << " as word >"
-            << Foam::name(val) << "< or "
-            << word::printf("formatted >%08d<", val) << "\n";
+        Info<< "uint64 " << val << " nameOp='"
+            << nameOp<uint64_t>()(val) << "', name='"
+            << Foam::name(val) << "' or "
+            << word::printf("formatted '%08d'", val) << "\n";
     }
 
     // test startsWith, endsWith methods
diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamRestoreFields/foamRestoreFields.C b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamRestoreFields/foamRestoreFields.C
index 6acf46711f..ce8c452f42 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamRestoreFields/foamRestoreFields.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamRestoreFields/foamRestoreFields.C
@@ -87,12 +87,12 @@ static const Enum<restoreMethod> methodEndings
 
 
 // Files in given directory at time instant
-wordList getFiles(const fileName& dir, const word& instance)
+inline wordList getFiles(const fileName& dir, const word& instance)
 {
     return ListOps::create<word>
     (
         Foam::readDir(dir/instance, fileName::FILE),
-        [](const fileName& f){ return f.name(); }
+        nameOp<fileName>()
     );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Lists/UList/UList.H b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Lists/UList/UList.H
index 83ea75b1fd..0b10f5eae5 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Lists/UList/UList.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/containers/Lists/UList/UList.H
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
     \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
-     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2017 OpenCFD Ltd.
+     \\/     M anipulation  | Copyright (C) 2017-2018 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -612,6 +612,17 @@ struct Hash<UList<T>>
 };
 
 
+//- Extract size (as label) from an object, typically using its size() method.
+template<class T>
+struct sizeOp
+{
+    inline label operator()(const T& obj) const
+    {
+        return obj.size();
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 } // End namespace Foam
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Scalar/Scalar.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Scalar/Scalar.H
index ea2564075d..647d9ce923 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Scalar/Scalar.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/Scalar/Scalar.H
@@ -105,10 +105,22 @@ public:
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IO/Conversion * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of a Scalar.
+//- A word representation of a floating-point value.
 //  Uses stringstream instead of std::to_string for more consistent formatting.
 word name(const Scalar val);
 
+
+//- A word representation of a floating-point value.
+template<>
+struct nameOp<Scalar>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const Scalar val) const
+    {
+        return Foam::name(val);
+    }
+};
+
+
 //- Parse entire buffer as a float/double, skipping leading/trailing whitespace.
 //  \return Parsed value or FatalIOError on any problem
 Scalar ScalarRead(const char* buf);
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpace.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpace.H
index 3c1eac359e..d210e5e625 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpace.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/VectorSpace/VectorSpace.H
@@ -216,9 +216,9 @@ public:
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a string representation of a VectorSpace
+//- A word representation of a VectorSpace
 template<class Form, class Cmpt, direction Ncmpts>
-word name(const VectorSpace<Form, Cmpt, Ncmpts>&);
+word name(const VectorSpace<Form, Cmpt, Ncmpts>& vs);
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int16/int16.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int16/int16.H
index b4f92c01ca..307eb24577 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int16/int16.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int16/int16.H
@@ -48,13 +48,22 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of an int16
+//- A word representation of int16 value
 inline word name(const int16_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
+//- A word representation of int16 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<int16_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const int16_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int32/int32.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int32/int32.H
index 37c66866f6..92f67ec88d 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int32/int32.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int32/int32.H
@@ -54,14 +54,24 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of an int32
+//- A word representation of int32 value
 inline word name(const int32_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(val), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
 
+//- A word representation of int32 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<int32_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const int32_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 //- Read int32_t from stream
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int64/int64.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int64/int64.H
index e30496b8ec..e60190ef42 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int64/int64.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/int64/int64.H
@@ -55,14 +55,24 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of an int64
+//- A word representation of int64 value
 inline word name(const int64_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(val), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
 
+//- A word representation of int64 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<int64_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const int64_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 //- Read int64_t from stream
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint16/uint16.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint16/uint16.H
index 9b23ce5660..269967c6d0 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint16/uint16.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint16/uint16.H
@@ -48,14 +48,24 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of a uint16
+//- A word representation of uint16 value
 inline word name(const uint16_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
 
+//- A word representation of uint16 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<uint16_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const uint16_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(int(val)), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 Istream& operator>>(Istream& is, uint16_t& val);
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint32/uint32.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint32/uint32.H
index 6605e8a570..a97efcb19f 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint32/uint32.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint32/uint32.H
@@ -54,13 +54,22 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of a uint32
+//- A word representation of uint32 value
 inline word name(const uint32_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(val), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
+//- A word representation of uint32 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<uint32_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const uint32_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint64/uint64.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint64/uint64.H
index 22e1078347..cb206ce116 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint64/uint64.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/ints/uint64/uint64.H
@@ -54,14 +54,24 @@ class Ostream;
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-//- Return a word representation of a uint64
+//- A word representation of uint64 value
 inline word name(const uint64_t val)
 {
-    // No stripping required
-    return word(std::to_string(val), false);
+    return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
 }
 
 
+//- A word representation of uint64 value
+template<>
+struct nameOp<uint64_t>
+{
+    inline word operator()(const uint64_t val) const
+    {
+        return word(std::to_string(val), false); // Needs no stripping
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * IOstream Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 //- Read uint64_t from stream.
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
index 009baae728..587a95ae81 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.C
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ Foam::fileName Foam::operator/(const string& a, const string& b)
 Foam::fileName Foam::search(const word& file, const fileName& directory)
 {
     // Search the current directory for the file
-    fileNameList files(fileHandler().readDir(directory));
+    fileNameList files(fileHandler().readDir(directory, fileName::FILE));
     for (const fileName& item : files)
     {
         if (item == file)
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.H
index 9201a7b212..f771b431c4 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/fileName/fileName.H
@@ -52,11 +52,11 @@ SourceFiles
 namespace Foam
 {
 
+// Forward declarations
 template<class T> class List;
 template<class T> class UList;
 typedef List<word> wordList;
 
-// Forward declaration of friend functions and operators
 class wordRe;
 class fileName;
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.H
index 4accabc805..fc77c8c222 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/word/word.H
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ SourceFiles
 namespace Foam
 {
 
-// Forward declaration of friend functions and operators
+// Forward declarations
 class word;
 Istream& operator>>(Istream& is, word& w);
 Ostream& operator<<(Ostream& os, const word& w);
@@ -218,13 +218,37 @@ public:
 };
 
 
-// Global Operators
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 //- Join words as camelCase, capitalizing the first letter of b.
 //  No effect if either argument is empty.
 word operator&(const word& a, const word& b);
 
 
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Global Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+//- Extract name (as a word) from an object, typically using its name() method.
+template<class T>
+struct nameOp
+{
+    inline word operator()(const T& obj) const
+    {
+        return obj.name();
+    }
+};
+
+
+//- Extract type (as a word) from an object, typically using its type() method.
+template<class T>
+struct typeOp
+{
+    inline word operator()(const T& obj) const
+    {
+        return obj.type();
+    }
+};
+
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 } // End namespace Foam