diff --git a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
index 64a65848d..b6e5b5d1b 100644
--- a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
@@ -1041,12 +1041,12 @@ How new tabs are positioned.
 
 Valid values:
 
- * +left+: On the left of the current tab.
- * +right+: On the right of the current tab.
- * +first+: At the left end.
- * +last+: At the right end.
+ * +prev+: Before the current tab.
+ * +next+: After the current tab.
+ * +first+: At the beginning.
+ * +last+: At the end.
 
-Default: +pass:[right]+
+Default: +pass:[next]+
 
 [[tabs-new-tab-position-explicit]]
 === new-tab-position-explicit
@@ -1054,10 +1054,10 @@ How new tabs opened explicitly are positioned.
 
 Valid values:
 
- * +left+: On the left of the current tab.
- * +right+: On the right of the current tab.
- * +first+: At the left end.
- * +last+: At the right end.
+ * +prev+: Before the current tab.
+ * +next+: After the current tab.
+ * +first+: At the beginning.
+ * +last+: At the end.
 
 Default: +pass:[last]+
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/config.py b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
index f04066db3..81d8015f2 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/config.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/config.py
@@ -411,6 +411,14 @@ class ConfigManager(QObject):
     CHANGED_OPTIONS = {
         ('content', 'cookies-accept'):
             _get_value_transformer({'default': 'no-3rdparty'}),
+        ('tabs', 'new-tab-position'):
+            _get_value_transformer({
+                'left': 'prev',
+                'right': 'next'}),
+        ('tabs', 'new-tab-position-explicit'):
+            _get_value_transformer({
+                'left': 'prev',
+                'right': 'next'}),
         ('tabs', 'position'): _transform_position,
         ('tabs', 'select-on-remove'):
             _get_value_transformer({
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 64bef47b1..edf5abded 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              "Which tab to select when the focused tab is removed."),
 
             ('new-tab-position',
-             SettingValue(typ.NewTabPosition(), 'right'),
+             SettingValue(typ.NewTabPosition(), 'next'),
              "How new tabs are positioned."),
 
             ('new-tab-position-explicit',
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
index 5cec34630..346b5a8d7 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
@@ -1436,10 +1436,10 @@ class NewTabPosition(BaseType):
     def __init__(self, none_ok=False):
         super().__init__(none_ok)
         self.valid_values = ValidValues(
-            ('left', "On the left of the current tab."),
-            ('right', "On the right of the current tab."),
-            ('first', "At the left end."),
-            ('last', "At the right end."))
+            ('prev', "Before the current tab."),
+            ('next', "After the current tab."),
+            ('first', "At the beginning."),
+            ('last', "At the end."))
 
 
 class IgnoreCase(Bool):
diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
index 6efec0851..3bcadc333 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/tabbedbrowser.py
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
         _filter: A SignalFilter instance.
         _now_focused: The tab which is focused now.
         _tab_insert_idx_left: Where to insert a new tab with
-                         tabbar -> new-tab-position set to 'left'.
-        _tab_insert_idx_right: Same as above, for 'right'.
+                         tabbar -> new-tab-position set to 'prev'.
+        _tab_insert_idx_right: Same as above, for 'next'.
         _undo_stack: List of UndoEntry namedtuples of closed tabs.
         shutting_down: Whether we're currently shutting down.
         _local_marks: Jump markers local to each page
@@ -410,14 +410,14 @@ class TabbedBrowser(tabwidget.TabWidget):
             pos = config.get('tabs', 'new-tab-position-explicit')
         else:
             pos = config.get('tabs', 'new-tab-position')
-        if pos == 'left':
+        if pos == 'prev':
             idx = self._tab_insert_idx_left
             # On first sight, we'd think we have to decrement
             # self._tab_insert_idx_left here, as we want the next tab to be
             # *before* the one we just opened. However, since we opened a tab
-            # *to the left* of the currently focused tab, indices will shift by
+            # *before* of the currently focused tab, indices will shift by
             # 1 automatically.
-        elif pos == 'right':
+        elif pos == 'next':
             idx = self._tab_insert_idx_right
             self._tab_insert_idx_right += 1
         elif pos == 'first':
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
index 45012e639..3f6715e6a 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/open.feature
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ Feature: Opening pages
 
     Scenario: Opening in a new tab (explicit)
         Given I open about:blank
-        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position-explicit to right
-        And I set tabs -> new-tab-position to left
+        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position-explicit to next
+        And I set tabs -> new-tab-position 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
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ Feature: Opening pages
 
     Scenario: Opening in a new tab (implicit)
         Given I open about:blank
-        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position-explicit to right
-        And I set tabs -> new-tab-position to left
+        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position-explicit to next
+        And I set tabs -> new-tab-position to prev
         And I run :tab-only
         And I run :open -t -i http://localhost:(port)/data/numbers/8.txt
         And I wait until data/numbers/8.txt is loaded
diff --git a/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature b/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
index 76dd9ddfd..1663dd8d7 100644
--- a/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
+++ b/tests/end2end/features/tabs.feature
@@ -821,8 +821,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - data/hints/html/simple.html (active)
             - data/hello.txt
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs->new-tab-position left
-        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position to left
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs->new-tab-position prev
+        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position to prev
         And I set tabs -> background-tabs to false
         And I open about:blank
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html in a new tab
@@ -833,8 +833,8 @@ Feature: Tab management
             - data/hello.txt (active)
             - data/hints/html/simple.html
 
-    Scenario: opening tab with tabs->new-tab-position right
-        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position to right
+    Scenario: opening tab with tabs->new-tab-position next
+        When I set tabs -> new-tab-position to next
         And I set tabs -> background-tabs to false
         And I open about:blank
         And I open data/hints/html/simple.html in a new tab