diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
index 586ff751aba9..a3596b617c4c 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_adjust_tail_user.c
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <net/if.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <netinet/ether.h>
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ static void usage(const char *cmd)
 	printf("Start a XDP prog which send ICMP \"packet too big\" \n"
 		"messages if ingress packet is bigger then MAX_SIZE bytes\n");
 	printf("Usage: %s [...]\n", cmd);
-	printf("    -i <ifindex> Interface Index\n");
+	printf("    -i <ifname|ifindex> Interface\n");
 	printf("    -T <stop-after-X-seconds> Default: 0 (forever)\n");
 	printf("    -S use skb-mode\n");
 	printf("    -N enforce native mode\n");
@@ -102,7 +103,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 		switch (opt) {
 		case 'i':
-			ifindex = atoi(optarg);
+			ifindex = if_nametoindex(optarg);
+			if (!ifindex)
+				ifindex = atoi(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'T':
 			kill_after_s = atoi(optarg);
@@ -136,6 +139,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	if (!ifindex) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid ifname\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	snprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s_kern.o", argv[0]);
 	prog_load_attr.file = filename;
 
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
index 15bb6f67f9c3..f70ee33907fd 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_map_user.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <net/if.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ static void poll_stats(int interval, int ifindex)
 static void usage(const char *prog)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr,
-		"usage: %s [OPTS] IFINDEX_IN IFINDEX_OUT\n\n"
+		"usage: %s [OPTS] <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n\n"
 		"OPTS:\n"
 		"    -S    use skb-mode\n"
 		"    -N    enforce native mode\n"
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (optind == argc) {
-		printf("usage: %s IFINDEX_IN IFINDEX_OUT\n", argv[0]);
+		printf("usage: %s <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n", argv[0]);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -136,8 +137,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	ifindex_in = strtoul(argv[optind], NULL, 0);
-	ifindex_out = strtoul(argv[optind + 1], NULL, 0);
+	ifindex_in = if_nametoindex(argv[optind]);
+	if (!ifindex_in)
+		ifindex_in = strtoul(argv[optind], NULL, 0);
+
+	ifindex_out = if_nametoindex(argv[optind + 1]);
+	if (!ifindex_out)
+		ifindex_out = strtoul(argv[optind + 1], NULL, 0);
+
 	printf("input: %d output: %d\n", ifindex_in, ifindex_out);
 
 	snprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s_kern.o", argv[0]);
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
index ce71be187205..39de06f3ec25 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_redirect_user.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <net/if.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <libgen.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ static void poll_stats(int interval, int ifindex)
 static void usage(const char *prog)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr,
-		"usage: %s [OPTS] IFINDEX_IN IFINDEX_OUT\n\n"
+		"usage: %s [OPTS] <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n\n"
 		"OPTS:\n"
 		"    -S    use skb-mode\n"
 		"    -N    enforce native mode\n"
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	if (optind == argc) {
-		printf("usage: %s IFINDEX_IN IFINDEX_OUT\n", argv[0]);
+		printf("usage: %s <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_IN <IFNAME|IFINDEX>_OUT\n", argv[0]);
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -137,8 +138,14 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	ifindex_in = strtoul(argv[optind], NULL, 0);
-	ifindex_out = strtoul(argv[optind + 1], NULL, 0);
+	ifindex_in = if_nametoindex(argv[optind]);
+	if (!ifindex_in)
+		ifindex_in = strtoul(argv[optind], NULL, 0);
+
+	ifindex_out = if_nametoindex(argv[optind + 1]);
+	if (!ifindex_out)
+		ifindex_out = strtoul(argv[optind + 1], NULL, 0);
+
 	printf("input: %d output: %d\n", ifindex_in, ifindex_out);
 
 	snprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s_kern.o", argv[0]);
diff --git a/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c b/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
index 394896430712..dfb68582e243 100644
--- a/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
+++ b/samples/bpf/xdp_tx_iptunnel_user.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <net/if.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <netinet/ether.h>
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ static void usage(const char *cmd)
 	       "in an IPv4/v6 header and XDP_TX it out.  The dst <VIP:PORT>\n"
 	       "is used to select packets to encapsulate\n\n");
 	printf("Usage: %s [...]\n", cmd);
-	printf("    -i <ifindex> Interface Index\n");
+	printf("    -i <ifname|ifindex> Interface\n");
 	printf("    -a <vip-service-address> IPv4 or IPv6\n");
 	printf("    -p <vip-service-port> A port range (e.g. 433-444) is also allowed\n");
 	printf("    -s <source-ip> Used in the IPTunnel header\n");
@@ -181,7 +182,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 		switch (opt) {
 		case 'i':
-			ifindex = atoi(optarg);
+			ifindex = if_nametoindex(optarg);
+			if (!ifindex)
+				ifindex = atoi(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'a':
 			vip.family = parse_ipstr(optarg, vip.daddr.v6);
@@ -253,6 +256,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		return 1;
 	}
 
+	if (!ifindex) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid ifname\n");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	snprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s_kern.o", argv[0]);
 	prog_load_attr.file = filename;