diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index ef5cdc971..868081491 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ def process_pos_args(args, via_ipc=False, cwd=None, target_arg=None):
             else:
                 background = open_target in ['tab-bg', 'tab-bg-silent']
                 tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=background,
-                                       explicit=True)
+                                       related=False)
 
 
 def _open_startpage(win_id=None):
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
index 8eecc797a..b72ccc248 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
         return widget
 
     def _open(self, url, tab=False, background=False, window=False,
-              explicit=True, private=None):
+              related=False, private=None):
         """Helper function to open a page.
 
         Args:
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
             tabbed_browser = self._new_tabbed_browser(private)
             tabbed_browser.tabopen(url)
         elif tab:
-            tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=False, explicit=explicit)
+            tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=False, related=related)
         elif background:
-            tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=True, explicit=explicit)
+            tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=True, related=related)
         else:
             widget = self._current_widget()
             widget.openurl(url)
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
                        maxsplit=0, scope='window')
     @cmdutils.argument('url', completion=usertypes.Completion.url)
     @cmdutils.argument('count', count=True)
-    def openurl(self, url=None, implicit=False,
+    def openurl(self, url=None, related=False,
                 bg=False, tab=False, window=False, count=None, secure=False,
                 private=False):
         """Open a URL in the current/[count]th tab.
@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
             bg: Open in a new background tab.
             tab: Open in a new tab.
             window: Open in a new window.
-            implicit: If opening a new tab, treat the tab as implicit (like
-                      clicking on a link).
+            related: If opening a new tab, position the tab as related to the
+                     current one (like clicking on a link).
             count: The tab index to open the URL in, or None.
             secure: Force HTTPS.
             private: Open a new window in private browsing mode.
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
                 bg = True
 
             if tab or bg or window or private:
-                self._open(cur_url, tab, bg, window, explicit=not implicit,
+                self._open(cur_url, tab, bg, window, related=related,
                            private=private)
             else:
                 curtab = self._cntwidget(count)
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
                         tab=tab, background=bg, window=window)
             elif where in ['up', 'increment', 'decrement']:
                 new_url = handlers[where](url, count)
-                self._open(new_url, tab, bg, window, explicit=False)
+                self._open(new_url, tab, bg, window, related=True)
             else:  # pragma: no cover
                 raise ValueError("Got called with invalid value {} for "
                                 "`where'.".format(where))
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
index 9cc8cff1d..13ba92c40 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.yml
@@ -1048,15 +1048,15 @@ tabs.mousewheel_switching:
   type: Bool
   desc: Switch between tabs using the mouse wheel.
 
-tabs.new_position:
+tabs.new_position.related:
   default: next
   type: NewTabPosition
-  desc: How new tabs are positioned.
+  desc: How new tabs opened from another tab are positioned.
 
-tabs.new_position_explicit:
+tabs.new_position.unrelated:
   default: last
   type: NewTabPosition
-  desc: How new tabs opened explicitly are positioned.
+  desc: "How new tabs which aren't opened from another tab are positioned."
 
 tabs.padding:
   default:
diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
index d66a6e66e..d49407a3a 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
 
     @pyqtSlot('QUrl')
     @pyqtSlot('QUrl', bool)
-    def tabopen(self, url=None, background=None, explicit=False, idx=None, *,
+    def tabopen(self, url=None, background=None, related=True, idx=None, *,
                 ignore_tabs_are_windows=False):
         """Open a new tab with a given URL.
 
@@ -396,12 +396,13 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
             url: The URL to open as QUrl or None for an empty tab.
             background: Whether to open the tab in the background.
                         if None, the background-tabs setting decides.
-            explicit: Whether the tab was opened explicitly.
-                      If this is set, the new position might be different. With
-                      the default settings we handle it like Chromium does:
-                          - Tabs from clicked links etc. are to the right of
-                            the current.
-                          - Explicitly opened tabs are at the very right.
+            related: Whether the tab was opened from another existing tab.
+                     If this is set, the new position might be different. With
+                     the default settings we handle it like Chromium does:
+                         - Tabs from clicked links etc. are to the right of
+                           the current (related=True).
+                         - Explicitly opened tabs are at the very right
+                           (related=False)
             idx: The index where the new tab should be opened.
             ignore_tabs_are_windows: If given, never open a new window, even
                                      with tabs-are-windows set.
@@ -412,8 +413,8 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
         if url is not None:
             qtutils.ensure_valid(url)
         log.webview.debug("Creating new tab with URL {}, background {}, "
-                          "explicit {}, idx {}".format(
-                              url, background, explicit, idx))
+                          "related {}, idx {}".format(
+                              url, background, related, idx))
 
         if (config.val.tabs.tabs_are_windows and self.count() > 0 and
                 not ignore_tabs_are_windows):
@@ -422,14 +423,15 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
             window.show()
             tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
                                         window=window.win_id)
-            return tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background, explicit)
+            return tabbed_browser.tabopen(url=url, background=background,
+                                          related=related)
 
         tab = browsertab.create(win_id=self._win_id, private=self.private,
                                 parent=self)
         self._connect_tab_signals(tab)
 
         if idx is None:
-            idx = self._get_new_tab_idx(explicit)
+            idx = self._get_new_tab_idx(related)
         self.insertTab(idx, tab, "")
 
         if url is not None:
@@ -456,19 +458,19 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
         self.new_tab.emit(tab, idx)
         return tab
 
-    def _get_new_tab_idx(self, explicit):
+    def _get_new_tab_idx(self, related):
         """Get the index of a tab to insert.
 
         Args:
-            explicit: Whether the tab was opened explicitly.
+            related: Whether the tab was opened from another tab (as a "child")
 
         Return:
             The index of the new tab.
         """
-        if explicit:
-            pos = config.val.tabs.new_position_explicit
+        if related:
+            pos = config.val.tabs.new_position.related
         else:
-            pos = config.val.tabs.new_position
+            pos = config.val.tabs.new_position.unrelated
         if pos == 'prev':
             idx = self._tab_insert_idx_left
             # On first sight, we'd think we have to decrement
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
index 6fe35ccd2..33ac599c3 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ Feature: Opening pages
                 - active: true
                   url: http://localhost:*/data/numbers/6.txt
 
-    Scenario: Opening in a new tab (explicit)
+    Scenario: Opening in a new tab (unrelated)
         Given I open about:blank
-        When I set tabs.new_position_explicit to next
-        And I set tabs.new_position to prev
+        When I set tabs.new_position.unrelated to next
+        And I set tabs.new_position.related to prev
         And I run :tab-only
         And I run :open -t http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/7.txt
         And I wait until data/numbers/7.txt is loaded
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ Feature: Opening pages
             - about:blank
             - data/numbers/7.txt (active)
 
-    Scenario: Opening in a new tab (implicit)
+    Scenario: Opening in a new tab (related)
         Given I open about:blank
-        When I set tabs.new_position_explicit to next
-        And I set tabs.new_position to prev
+        When I set tabs.new_position.unrelated to next
+        And I set tabs.new_position.related to prev
         And I run :tab-only
-        And I run :open -t -i http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/8.txt
+        And I run :open -t --related http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/8.txt
         And I wait until data/numbers/8.txt is loaded
         Then the following tabs should be open:
             - data/numbers/8.txt (active)
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature b/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
index 827840c4d..7aed7013a 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
@@ -846,8 +846,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - data/hints/html/simple.html (active)
             - data/hello.txt
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position prev
-        When I set tabs.new_position to prev
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position.related prev
+        When I set tabs.new_position.related to prev
         And I set tabs.background to false
         And I open about:blank
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html in a new tab
@@ -858,8 +858,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - data/hello.txt (active)
             - data/hints/html/simple.html
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position next
-        When I set tabs.new_position to next
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position.related next
+        When I set tabs.new_position.related to next
         And I set tabs.background to false
         And I open about:blank
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html in a new tab
@@ -870,8 +870,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - data/hints/html/simple.html
             - data/hello.txt (active)
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position first
-        When I set tabs.new_position to first
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position.related first
+        When I set tabs.new_position.related to first
         And I set tabs.background to false
         And I open about:blank
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html in a new tab
@@ -882,8 +882,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - about:blank
             - data/hints/html/simple.html
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position last
-        When I set tabs.new_position to last
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs.new_position.related last
+        When I set tabs.new_position.related to last
         And I set tabs.background to false
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html
         And I open about:blank in a new tab
diff --git a/tests/unit/completion/test_completer.py b/tests/unit/completion/test_completer.py
index d18e6c125..4a25730fa 100644
--- a/tests/unit/completion/test_completer.py
+++ b/tests/unit/completion/test_completer.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def cmdutils_patch(monkeypatch, stubs):
 
     @cmdutils.argument('url', completion=usertypes.Completion.url)
     @cmdutils.argument('count', count=True)
-    def openurl(url=None, implicit=False, bg=False, tab=False, window=False,
+    def openurl(url=None, related=False, bg=False, tab=False, window=False,
                 count=None):
         """docstring."""
         pass