diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3e346240b73..f8844605c86 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 - Added `tableCaption` prop to `EuiBasicTable` and improved the default one ([#2782](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/2782))
 - Changed SASS comments to non-compiled comments in invisibles files ([#2807](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/2807))
+- Added `rowHeader` prop to `EuiBasicTable` to allow consumers to set the identifying cell in a row ([#2802](https://github.com/elastic/eui/pull/2802))
 
 ## [`18.3.0`](https://github.com/elastic/eui/tree/v18.3.0)
 
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/basic.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/basic.js
index bd104ed0918..746500eb0ca 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/basic.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/basic.js
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ export const Table = () => {
   return (
     <EuiBasicTable
       items={items}
+      rowHeader="firstName"
       columns={columns}
       rowProps={getRowProps}
       cellProps={getCellProps}
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
index ebc3f2ad640..71a366f9e74 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/basic/props_info.js
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ export const propsInfo = {
           required: false,
           type: { name: '(criteria: #Criteria) => void' },
         },
+        rowHeader: {
+          description:
+            'Indicates which column should be used as the identifying cell in each row. Should match a "field" prop in FieldDataColumn',
+          required: false,
+          type: { name: 'string' },
+        },
         tableCaption: {
           description:
             'Describes the content of the table. If not specified, the caption will be "This table contains {itemCount} rows."',
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/selection/selection.js b/src-docs/src/views/tables/selection/selection.js
index 4a199a8584e..ed26a21bdd0 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/selection/selection.js
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/selection/selection.js
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ export class Table extends Component {
           isSelectable={true}
           selection={selection}
           onChange={this.onTableChange}
+          rowHeader="firstName"
         />
       </Fragment>
     );
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.tsx.snap b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.tsx.snap
index e8b98946ae7..45c31a06558 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/basic_table.test.tsx.snap
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders cells with custom props from a callback
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders cells with custom props from a callback
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -109,6 +111,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders cells with custom props from a callback
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -209,6 +213,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -229,6 +234,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable cellProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1
               }
             }
             onClick={[Function]}
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -531,6 +537,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -544,6 +551,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             1
@@ -557,6 +565,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             20
@@ -574,6 +583,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -587,6 +597,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             2
@@ -600,6 +611,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             21
@@ -617,6 +629,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -630,6 +643,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             3
@@ -643,6 +657,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers do not render without a column footer definition
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             22
@@ -780,6 +795,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -793,6 +809,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             1
@@ -806,6 +823,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             20
@@ -834,6 +852,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -847,6 +866,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             2
@@ -860,6 +880,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             21
@@ -888,6 +909,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -901,6 +923,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             3
@@ -914,6 +937,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable footers render with pagination, selection, sorting, and f
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             22
@@ -1031,6 +1055,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable itemIdToExpandedRowMap renders an expanded row 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -1061,6 +1086,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable itemIdToExpandedRowMap renders an expanded row 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -1078,6 +1104,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable itemIdToExpandedRowMap renders an expanded row 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -1159,6 +1186,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from a callback 1
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name1
@@ -1181,6 +1209,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from a callback 1
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name2
@@ -1203,6 +1232,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from a callback 1
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name3
@@ -1285,6 +1315,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1`
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name1
@@ -1307,6 +1338,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1`
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name2
@@ -1329,6 +1361,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable rowProps renders rows with custom props from an object 1`
                   "render": undefined,
                 }
               }
+              setScopeRow={false}
               textOnly={true}
             >
               name3
@@ -1408,6 +1441,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination - 2nd page 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -1425,6 +1459,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination - 2nd page 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -1514,6 +1549,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -1531,6 +1567,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -1548,6 +1585,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -1738,6 +1776,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination and selection 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -1766,6 +1805,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination and selection 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -1794,6 +1834,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination and selection 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -1883,6 +1924,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, hiding the per page options 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -1900,6 +1942,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, hiding the per page options 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -1917,6 +1960,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, hiding the per page options 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -2052,6 +2096,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection and sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -2080,6 +2125,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection and sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -2108,6 +2154,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection and sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -2249,6 +2296,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and a single record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -2306,6 +2354,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and a single record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -2363,6 +2412,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and a single record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -2525,6 +2575,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column dataType 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             1
@@ -2553,6 +2604,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column dataType 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             2
@@ -2581,6 +2633,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column dataType 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             3
@@ -2715,6 +2768,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column renderer 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             NAME1
@@ -2743,6 +2797,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column renderer 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             NAME2
@@ -2771,6 +2826,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and column renderer 1
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             NAME3
@@ -2912,6 +2968,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and multiple record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -2975,6 +3032,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and multiple record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -3038,6 +3096,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting and multiple record a
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -3206,6 +3265,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting, column renderer and
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             x
@@ -3234,6 +3294,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting, column renderer and
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             xx
@@ -3262,6 +3323,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with pagination, selection, sorting, column renderer and
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={false}
           >
             xxx
@@ -3350,6 +3412,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sortable columns and sorting disabled 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -3367,6 +3430,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sortable columns and sorting disabled 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -3384,6 +3448,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sortable columns and sorting disabled 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
@@ -3478,6 +3543,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name1
@@ -3495,6 +3561,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name2
@@ -3512,6 +3579,7 @@ exports[`EuiBasicTable with sorting 1`] = `
                 "render": undefined,
               }
             }
+            setScopeRow={false}
             textOnly={true}
           >
             name3
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.tsx.snap b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.tsx.snap
index 4e021fa7798..82cc6ec84f3 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.tsx.snap
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/__snapshots__/in_memory_table.test.tsx.snap
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ exports[`EuiInMemoryTable behavior pagination 1`] = `
                           "render": undefined,
                         }
                       }
+                      setScopeRow={false}
                       textOnly={true}
                     >
                       <td
@@ -236,6 +237,7 @@ exports[`EuiInMemoryTable behavior pagination 1`] = `
                           "render": undefined,
                         }
                       }
+                      setScopeRow={false}
                       textOnly={true}
                     >
                       <td
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.tsx b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.tsx
index 92e0631b609..989cffcb4fe 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.tsx
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/basic_table.tsx
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ interface BasicTableProps<T> extends Omit<EuiTableProps, 'onChange'> {
   columns: Array<EuiBasicTableColumn<T>>;
   error?: string;
   tableCaption?: string;
+  rowHeader?: string;
   hasActions?: boolean;
   isExpandable?: boolean;
   isSelectable?: boolean;
@@ -441,6 +442,7 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
       rowProps,
       cellProps,
       tableCaption,
+      rowHeader,
       tableLayout,
       ...rest
     } = this.props;
@@ -826,6 +828,7 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
       selection,
       isSelectable,
       hasActions,
+      rowHeader,
       itemIdToExpandedRowMap = {},
       isExpandable,
     } = this.props;
@@ -861,12 +864,14 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
         );
         calculatedHasActions = true;
       } else if ((column as EuiTableFieldDataColumnType<T>).field) {
+        const fieldDataColumn = column as EuiTableFieldDataColumnType<T>;
         cells.push(
           this.renderItemFieldDataCell(
             itemId,
             item,
             column as EuiTableFieldDataColumnType<T>,
-            columnIndex
+            columnIndex,
+            fieldDataColumn.field === rowHeader
           )
         );
       } else {
@@ -1051,7 +1056,8 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
     itemId: ItemId<T>,
     item: T,
     column: EuiTableFieldDataColumnType<T>,
-    columnIndex: number
+    columnIndex: number,
+    setScopeRow: boolean
   ) {
     const { field, render, dataType } = column;
 
@@ -1060,7 +1066,7 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
     const value = get(item, field as string);
     const content = contentRenderer(value, item);
 
-    return this.renderItemCell(item, column, key, content);
+    return this.renderItemCell(item, column, key, content, setScopeRow);
   }
 
   renderItemComputedCell(
@@ -1075,14 +1081,15 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
     const contentRenderer = render || this.getRendererForDataType();
     const content = contentRenderer(item);
 
-    return this.renderItemCell(item, column, key, content);
+    return this.renderItemCell(item, column, key, content, false);
   }
 
   renderItemCell(
     item: T,
     column: EuiBasicTableColumn<T>,
     key: string | number,
-    content: ReactNode
+    content: ReactNode,
+    setScopeRow: boolean
   ) {
     const {
       align,
@@ -1112,6 +1119,7 @@ export class EuiBasicTable<T = any> extends Component<
         align={columnAlign}
         isExpander={isExpander}
         textOnly={textOnly || !render}
+        setScopeRow={setScopeRow}
         mobileOptions={{
           ...mobileOptions,
           render:
diff --git a/src/components/table/_mixins.scss b/src/components/table/_mixins.scss
index 0bd10b89acc..30d65d88d84 100644
--- a/src/components/table/_mixins.scss
+++ b/src/components/table/_mixins.scss
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
   vertical-align: middle;
   border-top: $euiBorderThin;
   border-bottom: $euiBorderThin;
+  font-weight: inherit;
+  text-align: inherit;
 }
 
 @mixin euiTableCellCheckbox {
diff --git a/src/components/table/table_row_cell.tsx b/src/components/table/table_row_cell.tsx
index 856a119e2c7..92edc63c41d 100644
--- a/src/components/table/table_row_cell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/table/table_row_cell.tsx
@@ -109,6 +109,10 @@ interface EuiTableRowCellProps {
    */
   mobileOptions?: EuiTableRowCellMobileOptionsShape &
     EuiTableRowCellSharedPropsShape;
+  /**
+   * Indicates whether the cell should be marked as the heading for its row
+   */
+  setScopeRow?: boolean;
 }
 
 type Props = CommonProps &
@@ -121,6 +125,7 @@ export const EuiTableRowCell: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
   children,
   className,
   truncateText,
+  setScopeRow,
   showOnHover,
   textOnly = true,
   hasActions,
@@ -202,20 +207,23 @@ export const EuiTableRowCell: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
   const hideForMobileClasses = 'euiTableRowCell--hideForMobile';
   const showForMobileClasses = 'euiTableRowCell--hideForDesktop';
 
-  let cellRender;
-
+  const Element = setScopeRow ? 'th' : 'td';
+  const sharedProps = {
+    scope: setScopeRow ? 'row' : undefined,
+    style: styleObj,
+    ...rest,
+  };
   if (mobileOptions.show === false || hideForMobile) {
-    cellRender = (
-      <td
+    return (
+      <Element
         className={`${cellClasses} ${hideForMobileClasses}`}
-        style={styleObj}
-        {...rest}>
+        {...sharedProps}>
         <div className={contentClasses}>{childrenNode}</div>
-      </td>
+      </Element>
     );
   } else {
-    cellRender = (
-      <td className={cellClasses} style={styleObj} {...rest}>
+    return (
+      <Element className={cellClasses} {...sharedProps}>
         {/* Mobile-only header */}
         {(mobileOptions.header || header) && !isMobileHeader && (
           <div
@@ -237,9 +245,7 @@ export const EuiTableRowCell: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
         ) : (
           <div className={contentClasses}>{childrenNode}</div>
         )}
-      </td>
+      </Element>
     );
   }
-
-  return cellRender;
 };