diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2f154c447..50492dfb4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1444,7 +1444,7 @@ that have helped us get this far!
 
 0.13.1 - 2017-02-16
 ===================
-- Fix dummy gem for ruby local hooks
+- Fix placeholder gem for ruby local hooks
 
 0.13.0 - 2017-02-16
 ===================
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_Makefile.PL b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_Makefile.PL
index ac75fe531..45a0ba377 100644
--- a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_Makefile.PL
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_Makefile.PL
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use ExtUtils::MakeMaker;
 
 WriteMakefile(
-    NAME => "PreCommitDummy",
+    NAME => "PreCommitPlaceholder",
     VERSION => "0.0.1",
 );
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_go.mod b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_go.mod
index de3e24157..892c4e59d 100644
--- a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_go.mod
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_go.mod
@@ -1 +1 @@
-module pre-commit-dummy-empty-module
+module pre-commit-placeholder-empty-module
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_package.json b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_package.json
index ac7b72592..042e9583c 100644
--- a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_package.json
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_package.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "name": "pre_commit_dummy_package",
+    "name": "pre_commit_placeholder_package",
     "version": "0.0.0"
 }
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_dummy_package.gemspec b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_dummy_package.gemspec
deleted file mode 100644
index 8bfb40cad..000000000
--- a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_dummy_package.gemspec
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-Gem::Specification.new do |s|
-    s.name = 'pre_commit_dummy_package'
-    s.version = '0.0.0'
-    s.summary = 'dummy gem for pre-commit hooks'
-    s.authors = ['Anthony Sottile']
-end
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_placeholder_package.gemspec b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_placeholder_package.gemspec
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..630f0d4da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_pre_commit_placeholder_package.gemspec
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Gem::Specification.new do |s|
+    s.name = 'pre_commit_placeholder_package'
+    s.version = '0.0.0'
+    s.summary = 'placeholder gem for pre-commit hooks'
+    s.authors = ['Anthony Sottile']
+end
diff --git a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_setup.py b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_setup.py
index 68860648b..ef05eef84 100644
--- a/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_setup.py
+++ b/pre_commit/resources/empty_template_setup.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 from setuptools import setup
 
 
-setup(name='pre-commit-dummy-package', version='0.0.0')
+setup(name='pre-commit-placeholder-package', version='0.0.0')
diff --git a/pre_commit/store.py b/pre_commit/store.py
index 494e688f1..0fd5e6238 100644
--- a/pre_commit/store.py
+++ b/pre_commit/store.py
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ def _git_cmd(*args: str) -> None:
 
     LOCAL_RESOURCES = (
         'Cargo.toml', 'main.go', 'go.mod', 'main.rs', '.npmignore',
-        'package.json', 'pre_commit_dummy_package.gemspec', 'setup.py',
+        'package.json', 'pre_commit_placeholder_package.gemspec', 'setup.py',
         'environment.yml', 'Makefile.PL',
         'renv.lock', 'renv/activate.R', 'renv/LICENSE.renv',
     )
diff --git a/tests/commands/run_test.py b/tests/commands/run_test.py
index 8dcb5796b..e184340c2 100644
--- a/tests/commands/run_test.py
+++ b/tests/commands/run_test.py
@@ -526,9 +526,9 @@ def test_merge_conflict(cap_out, store, in_merge_conflict):
 
 def test_merge_conflict_modified(cap_out, store, in_merge_conflict):
     # Touch another file so we have unstaged non-conflicting things
-    assert os.path.exists('dummy')
-    with open('dummy', 'w') as dummy_file:
-        dummy_file.write('bar\nbaz\n')
+    assert os.path.exists('placeholder')
+    with open('placeholder', 'w') as placeholder_file:
+        placeholder_file.write('bar\nbaz\n')
 
     ret, printed = _do_run(cap_out, store, in_merge_conflict, run_opts())
     assert ret == 1
@@ -831,9 +831,9 @@ def test_local_hook_passes(cap_out, store, repo_with_passing_hook):
     }
     add_config_to_repo(repo_with_passing_hook, config)
 
-    with open('dummy.py', 'w') as staged_file:
+    with open('placeholder.py', 'w') as staged_file:
         staged_file.write('"""TODO: something"""\n')
-    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'dummy.py')
+    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'placeholder.py')
 
     _test_run(
         cap_out,
@@ -858,9 +858,9 @@ def test_local_hook_fails(cap_out, store, repo_with_passing_hook):
     }
     add_config_to_repo(repo_with_passing_hook, config)
 
-    with open('dummy.py', 'w') as staged_file:
+    with open('placeholder.py', 'w') as staged_file:
         staged_file.write('"""TODO: something"""\n')
-    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'dummy.py')
+    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'placeholder.py')
 
     _test_run(
         cap_out,
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index b36ce5ac5..f38f9693c 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ def _make_conflict():
 @pytest.fixture
 def in_merge_conflict(tempdir_factory):
     path = make_consuming_repo(tempdir_factory, 'script_hooks_repo')
-    open(os.path.join(path, 'dummy'), 'a').close()
-    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'dummy', cwd=path)
+    open(os.path.join(path, 'placeholder'), 'a').close()
+    cmd_output('git', 'add', 'placeholder', cwd=path)
     git_commit(msg=in_merge_conflict.__name__, cwd=path)
 
     conflict_path = tempdir_factory.get()
diff --git a/tests/languages/ruby_test.py b/tests/languages/ruby_test.py
index 0c6cfede4..7dff0466b 100644
--- a/tests/languages/ruby_test.py
+++ b/tests/languages/ruby_test.py
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ def test_uses_system_if_both_gem_and_ruby_are_available(find_exe_mck):
 def fake_gem_prefix(tmpdir):
     gemspec = '''\
 Gem::Specification.new do |s|
-    s.name = 'pre_commit_dummy_package'
+    s.name = 'pre_commit_placeholder_package'
     s.version = '0.0.0'
-    s.summary = 'dummy gem for pre-commit hooks'
+    s.summary = 'placeholder gem for pre-commit hooks'
     s.authors = ['Anthony Sottile']
 end
 '''
-    tmpdir.join('dummy_gem.gemspec').write(gemspec)
+    tmpdir.join('placeholder_gem.gemspec').write(gemspec)
     yield Prefix(tmpdir)
 
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def test_install_ruby_system(fake_gem_prefix):
     # Should be able to activate and use rbenv install
     with ruby.in_env(fake_gem_prefix, 'system'):
         _, out, _ = cmd_output('gem', 'list')
-        assert 'pre_commit_dummy_package' in out
+        assert 'pre_commit_placeholder_package' in out
 
 
 @xfailif_windows  # pragma: win32 no cover