diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.test.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.test.ts
similarity index 91%
rename from packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.test.ts
rename to packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.test.ts
index d3d2ff96d..6627fd868 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.test.ts
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 import { test } from 'vitest'
 import { buildDesignSystem } from '../design-system'
 import { Theme } from '../theme'
-import { mergeIntoTheme } from './merge-into-theme'
+import { applyConfigToTheme } from './apply-config-to-theme'
 
 test('Config values can be merged into the theme', ({ expect }) => {
   let theme = new Theme()
   let design = buildDesignSystem(theme)
 
-  mergeIntoTheme(design, [
+  applyConfigToTheme(design, [
     {
       config: {
         theme: {
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.ts
similarity index 97%
rename from packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.ts
rename to packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.ts
index 479ff2d05..e62b2b741 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/merge-into-theme.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/compat/apply-config-to-theme.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import type { DesignSystem } from '../design-system'
 import { resolveConfig, type ConfigFile } from './config/resolve-config'
 import type { ResolvedConfig } from './config/types'
 
-export function mergeIntoTheme(designSystem: DesignSystem, configs: ConfigFile[]) {
+export function applyConfigToTheme(designSystem: DesignSystem, configs: ConfigFile[]) {
   let theme = resolveConfig(designSystem, configs).theme
 
   for (let [path, value] of themeableValues(theme)) {
diff --git a/packages/tailwindcss/src/plugin-api.ts b/packages/tailwindcss/src/plugin-api.ts
index 4b74811e0..6f86f30b0 100644
--- a/packages/tailwindcss/src/plugin-api.ts
+++ b/packages/tailwindcss/src/plugin-api.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import { substituteAtApply } from './apply'
 import { decl, rule, type AstNode } from './ast'
 import type { Candidate, NamedUtilityValue } from './candidate'
+import { applyConfigToTheme } from './compat/apply-config-to-theme'
 import { createCompatConfig } from './compat/config/create-compat-config'
 import { resolveConfig, type ConfigFile } from './compat/config/resolve-config'
 import type { ResolvedConfig, UserConfig } from './compat/config/types'
 import { darkModePlugin } from './compat/dark-mode'
-import { mergeIntoTheme } from './compat/merge-into-theme'
 import type { DesignSystem } from './design-system'
 import { createThemeFn } from './theme-fn'
 import { withAlpha, withNegative } from './utilities'
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ export function registerPlugins(
   // Merge the user-configured theme keys into the design system. The compat
   // config would otherwise expand into namespaces like `background-color` which
   // core utilities already read from.
-  mergeIntoTheme(designSystem, userConfig)
+  applyConfigToTheme(designSystem, userConfig)
 
   return {
     pluginApi,