diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
index 29e48a6ccf76..53706ba5625d 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
@@ -1216,26 +1216,29 @@ def test_struct_type(self):
         struct1 = StructType().add("f1", StringType(), True).add("f2", StringType(), True, None)
         struct2 = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True),
                               StructField("f2", StringType(), True, None)])
+        self.assertEqual(struct1.fieldNames(), struct2.names)
         self.assertEqual(struct1, struct2)
 
         struct1 = StructType().add("f1", StringType(), True).add("f2", StringType(), True, None)
         struct2 = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True)])
+        self.assertNotEqual(struct1.fieldNames(), struct2.names)
         self.assertNotEqual(struct1, struct2)
 
         struct1 = (StructType().add(StructField("f1", StringType(), True))
                    .add(StructField("f2", StringType(), True, None)))
         struct2 = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True),
                               StructField("f2", StringType(), True, None)])
+        self.assertEqual(struct1.fieldNames(), struct2.names)
         self.assertEqual(struct1, struct2)
 
         struct1 = (StructType().add(StructField("f1", StringType(), True))
                    .add(StructField("f2", StringType(), True, None)))
         struct2 = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True)])
+        self.assertNotEqual(struct1.fieldNames(), struct2.names)
         self.assertNotEqual(struct1, struct2)
 
         # Catch exception raised during improper construction
-        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
-            struct1 = StructType().add("name")
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, lambda: StructType().add("name"))
 
         struct1 = StructType().add("f1", StringType(), True).add("f2", StringType(), True, None)
         for field in struct1:
@@ -1248,12 +1251,9 @@ def test_struct_type(self):
         self.assertIs(struct1["f1"], struct1.fields[0])
         self.assertIs(struct1[0], struct1.fields[0])
         self.assertEqual(struct1[0:1], StructType(struct1.fields[0:1]))
-        with self.assertRaises(KeyError):
-            not_a_field = struct1["f9"]
-        with self.assertRaises(IndexError):
-            not_a_field = struct1[9]
-        with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
-            not_a_field = struct1[9.9]
+        self.assertRaises(KeyError, lambda: struct1["f9"])
+        self.assertRaises(IndexError, lambda: struct1[9])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, lambda: struct1[9.9])
 
     def test_parse_datatype_string(self):
         from pyspark.sql.types import _all_atomic_types, _parse_datatype_string
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/types.py b/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
index 22fa273fc1aa..a81aaa30903d 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/types.py
@@ -445,9 +445,12 @@ class StructType(DataType):
 
     This is the data type representing a :class:`Row`.
 
-    Iterating a :class:`StructType` will iterate its :class:`StructField`s.
+    Iterating a :class:`StructType` will iterate its :class:`StructField`\\s.
     A contained :class:`StructField` can be accessed by name or position.
 
+    .. note:: `names` attribute is deprecated in 2.3. Use `fieldNames` method instead
+        to get a list of field names.
+
     >>> struct1 = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True)])
     >>> struct1["f1"]
     StructField(f1,StringType,true)
@@ -562,6 +565,16 @@ def jsonValue(self):
     def fromJson(cls, json):
         return StructType([StructField.fromJson(f) for f in json["fields"]])
 
+    def fieldNames(self):
+        """
+        Returns all field names in a list.
+
+        >>> struct = StructType([StructField("f1", StringType(), True)])
+        >>> struct.fieldNames()
+        ['f1']
+        """
+        return list(self.names)
+
     def needConversion(self):
         # We need convert Row()/namedtuple into tuple()
         return True