diff --git a/sphinx/ext/napoleon/docstring.py b/sphinx/ext/napoleon/docstring.py
index 95fb1e538a0..a7c799697c5 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/napoleon/docstring.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/napoleon/docstring.py
@@ -1151,6 +1151,41 @@ def push_item(name: str, rest: List[str]) -> None:
             items.append((name, list(rest), role))
             del rest[:]
 
+        def search_inventory(inventory, name, hint=None):
+            roles = list(inventory.keys())
+            if hint is not None:
+                preferred = [
+                    role
+                    for role in roles
+                    if role.split(":", 1)[-1].startswith(hint)
+                ]
+                roles = preferred + [role for role in roles if role not in preferred]
+
+            for role in roles:
+                objects = inventory[role]
+                found = objects.get(name, None)
+                if found is not None:
+                    domain, role = role.split(":", 1)
+                    return role
+
+            return None
+
+        def translate(func, description, role):
+            translations = self._config.napoleon_type_aliases
+            if role is not None or not translations:
+                return func, description, role
+
+            translated = translations.get(func, func)
+            match = self._name_rgx.match(translated)
+            if not match:
+                return translated, description, role
+
+            groups = match.groupdict()
+            role = groups["role"]
+            new_func = groups["name"] or groups["name2"]
+
+            return new_func, description, role
+
         current_func = None
         rest = []  # type: List[str]
 
@@ -1181,37 +1216,20 @@ def push_item(name: str, rest: List[str]) -> None:
         if not items:
             return []
 
-        roles = {
-            'method': 'meth',
-            'meth': 'meth',
-            'function': 'func',
-            'func': 'func',
-            'class': 'class',
-            'exception': 'exc',
-            'exc': 'exc',
-            'object': 'obj',
-            'obj': 'obj',
-            'module': 'mod',
-            'mod': 'mod',
-            'data': 'data',
-            'constant': 'const',
-            'const': 'const',
-            'attribute': 'attr',
-            'attr': 'attr'
-        }
-        if self._what is None:
-            func_role = 'obj'
-        else:
-            func_role = roles.get(self._what, '')
+        # apply type aliases
+        items = [
+            translate(func, description, role)
+            for func, description, role in items
+        ]
+
+        func_role = 'obj'
         lines = []  # type: List[str]
         last_had_desc = True
         for func, desc, role in items:
             if role:
                 link = ':%s:`%s`' % (role, func)
-            elif func_role:
-                link = ':%s:`%s`' % (func_role, func)
             else:
-                link = "`%s`_" % func
+                link = ':%s:`%s`' % (func_role, func)
             if desc or last_had_desc:
                 lines += ['']
                 lines += [link]
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_napoleon_docstring.py b/tests/test_ext_napoleon_docstring.py
index 56812d19390..18a7cc88bf1 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_napoleon_docstring.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_napoleon_docstring.py
@@ -1372,9 +1372,38 @@ def test_see_also_refs(self):
 
 .. seealso::
 
-   :meth:`some`, :meth:`other`, :meth:`funcs`
+   :obj:`some`, :obj:`other`, :obj:`funcs`
+   \n\
+   :obj:`otherfunc`
+       relationship
+"""
+        self.assertEqual(expected, actual)
+
+        docstring = """\
+numpy.multivariate_normal(mean, cov, shape=None, spam=None)
+
+See Also
+--------
+some, other, :func:`funcs`
+otherfunc : relationship
+
+"""
+        translations = {
+            "other": "MyClass.other",
+            "otherfunc": ":func:`~my_package.otherfunc`",
+        }
+        config = Config(napoleon_type_aliases=translations)
+        app = mock.Mock()
+        actual = str(NumpyDocstring(docstring, config, app, "method"))
+
+        expected = """\
+numpy.multivariate_normal(mean, cov, shape=None, spam=None)
+
+.. seealso::
+
+   :obj:`some`, :obj:`MyClass.other`, :func:`funcs`
    \n\
-   :meth:`otherfunc`
+   :func:`~my_package.otherfunc`
        relationship
 """
         self.assertEqual(expected, actual)