diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.C
index 7f918060fd..88d16f872e 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.C
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     \\  /    A nd           | www.openfoam.com
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Copyright (C) 2017 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2017-2022 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -34,10 +34,15 @@ Foam::Ostream& Foam::operator<<(Ostream& os, const CStringList& list)
 {
     const int n = list.size();
 
-    for (int i = 0; i<n; ++i)
+    for (int i = 0, space = 0; i < n; ++i)
     {
-        if (i) os << ' ';
-        if (list[i]) os << list[i];
+        const char* p = list.get(i);
+
+        if (p && *p)
+        {
+            if (space++) os << ' ';
+            os << p;
+        }
     }
 
     return os;
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.H
index 7dff8d3f56..e562ad2052 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringList.H
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     \\  /    A nd           | www.openfoam.com
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Copyright (C) 2016-2021 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2016-2022 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ Description
 
 \*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-#ifndef CStringList_H
-#define CStringList_H
+#ifndef Foam_CStringList_H
+#define Foam_CStringList_H
 
 #include "fileNameList.H"
 #include "stringList.H"
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class CStringList
 
         //- Overall length of the raw content
         //  Does not include the final nul-character
-        size_t len_;
+        size_t nbytes_;
 
         //- List of strings, including trailing nullptr
         char** argv_;
@@ -90,9 +90,8 @@ class CStringList
         //- Copy string characters into dest as NUL-terminated string.
         //  Forces conversion of std::sub_match to string form
         //
-        //  \return the location one-past the end of dest, which is used
-        //      for the next destination
-        static inline char* stringCopy(char *dest, const std::string& str);
+        //  \return location one-past end of dest (ie, the next destination)
+        static inline char* stringCopy(char *dest, const std::string& src);
 
         //- Copy the input list of strings.
         //  \return number of arguments (argc)
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ public:
     // Constructors
 
         //- Default construct, adding content later (via reset).
-        inline CStringList();
+        inline constexpr CStringList() noexcept;
 
         //- Copy construct from a list of strings
         //  Copies the input characters.
@@ -138,15 +137,31 @@ public:
 
     // Access
 
-        //- True if the size is zero.
+        //- True if the size (ie, argc) is zero.
         inline bool empty() const noexcept;
 
         //- Return the number of C-strings (ie, argc)
         inline int size() const noexcept;
 
+        //- The flattened character content, with interspersed nul-chars
+        const char* cdata_bytes() const noexcept { return data_; }
+
+        //- Overall length of the flattened character (data) content
+        //- including interspersed nul-chars but not the trailing nul-char
+        size_t size_bytes() const noexcept { return nbytes_; }
+
+        //- Same as cdata_bytes()
+        const char* data() const noexcept { return data_; }
+
+        //- Same as size_bytes()
+        size_t length() const noexcept { return nbytes_; }
+
+        //- Return string element at the given index. No bounds checking.
+        const char* get(int i) const;
+
         //- Return the list of C-strings (ie, argv)
         //  The position at argc is a nullptr
-        inline char** strings() const;
+        inline char** strings() const noexcept;
 
         //- Return the sublist of C-strings (ie, argv) starting at the
         //- specified offset.
@@ -154,13 +169,6 @@ public:
         inline char** strings(int start) const;
 
 
-        //- Overall length of the flattened character (data) content
-        inline size_t length() const;
-
-        //- The flattened character content, with interspersed nul-chars
-        inline const char* data() const;
-
-
     // Edit
 
         //- Clear contents and free memory
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListI.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListI.H
index 6367161d0d..f7fa66ac08 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListI.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListI.H
@@ -27,11 +27,13 @@ License
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * Private Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-inline char* Foam::CStringList::stringCopy(char *dest, const std::string& str)
+inline char* Foam::CStringList::stringCopy(char *dest, const std::string& src)
 {
-    for (auto iter = str.cbegin(); iter != str.cend(); ++iter)
+    // Like string::copy() but without extra checks
+    const size_t len = src.length();
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < len; ++i)
     {
-        *dest = *iter;
+        *dest = src[i];
         ++dest;
     }
     *(dest++) = '\0';
@@ -58,10 +60,10 @@ inline int Foam::CStringList::count(const char * const argv[])
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
-inline Foam::CStringList::CStringList()
+inline constexpr Foam::CStringList::CStringList() noexcept
 :
     argc_(0),
-    len_(0),
+    nbytes_(0),
     argv_(nullptr),
     data_(nullptr)
 {}
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ inline Foam::CStringList::~CStringList()
 inline void Foam::CStringList::clear()
 {
     argc_ = 0;
-    len_  = 0;
+    nbytes_ = 0;
 
     if (data_)
     {
@@ -125,13 +127,7 @@ inline int Foam::CStringList::size() const noexcept
 }
 
 
-inline size_t Foam::CStringList::length() const
-{
-    return len_;
-}
-
-
-inline char** Foam::CStringList::strings() const
+inline char** Foam::CStringList::strings() const noexcept
 {
     return argv_;
 }
@@ -143,12 +139,6 @@ inline char** Foam::CStringList::strings(int start) const
 }
 
 
-inline const char* Foam::CStringList::data() const
-{
-    return data_;
-}
-
-
 template<class StringType>
 inline int Foam::CStringList::reset(const UList<StringType>& input)
 {
@@ -165,6 +155,12 @@ inline int Foam::CStringList::reset(const SubStrings<StringType>& input)
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Operators  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+inline const char* Foam::CStringList::get(int i) const
+{
+    return argv_[i];
+}
+
+
 inline const char* Foam::CStringList::operator[](int i) const
 {
     return argv_[i];
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListTemplates.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListTemplates.C
index 6ba99497b9..9d52052659 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListTemplates.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/strings/lists/CStringListTemplates.C
@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@ License
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * Private Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 template<class ListType>
-int Foam::CStringList::resetContent
-(
-    const ListType& input
-)
+int Foam::CStringList::resetContent(const ListType& input)
 {
     clear();
 
@@ -48,12 +45,12 @@ int Foam::CStringList::resetContent
     // Count overall required string length, including each trailing nul char
     for (const auto& str : input)
     {
-        len_ += str.length() + 1;
+        nbytes_ += str.length() + 1;
     }
-    --len_; // No final nul in overall count
+    --nbytes_;  // Do not include final nul char in overall count
 
     argv_ = new char*[input.size()+1];  // Extra +1 for terminating nullptr
-    data_ = new char[len_+1];           // Extra +1 for terminating nul char
+    data_ = new char[nbytes_+1];        // Extra +1 for terminating nul char
 
     argv_[0] = data_;   // Starts here
 
@@ -75,14 +72,14 @@ template<class StringType>
 Foam::List<StringType>
 Foam::CStringList::asList(int argc, const char * const argv[])
 {
-    List<StringType> lst(argc);
+    List<StringType> list(argc);
 
     for (int i=0; i < argc; ++i)
     {
-        lst[i] = argv[i];
+        list[i] = argv[i];
     }
 
-    return lst;
+    return list;
 }