diff --git a/src/syntax.py b/src/syntax.py
index 6e03c6f..f331ee0 100644
--- a/src/syntax.py
+++ b/src/syntax.py
@@ -34,22 +34,22 @@
 
 # Location of a syntax node
 class SyntaxLocation:
-    def __init__(self, line, column, file):
+    def __init__(self, line, offset, file):
         self.line = line
-        self.column = column
+        self.offset = offset
         self.file = file
 
     def __repr__(self):
-        return "SyntaxLocation(line %i, column %i, file '%s')" % (  # pragma: no mutate
+        return "SyntaxLocation(line %i, offset %i, file '%s')" % (  # pragma: no mutate
             self.line,
-            self.column,
+            self.offset,
             self.file,
         )
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
         return (
             self.line == other.line
-            and self.column == other.column
+            and self.offset == other.offset
             and self.file == other.file
         )
 
diff --git a/src/tokenize.py b/src/tokenize.py
index 2547784..bb73f63 100644
--- a/src/tokenize.py
+++ b/src/tokenize.py
@@ -49,16 +49,16 @@
 def locate_tokens(tokens, filename):
     new_tokens = []
     line = 1
-    column = 1
+    offset = 1
     for t in tokens:
-        location = SyntaxLocation(line, column, filename)
+        location = SyntaxLocation(line, offset, filename)
         new = Syntax(t.value, location, SyntaxType.TOKEN)
         new_tokens.append(new)
         if is_newline(t.value):
             line = line + 1
-            column = 1
+            offset = 1
         else:
-            column += len(t.value)
+            offset += len(t.value)
     return new_tokens
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_syntax.py b/tests/test_syntax.py
index 5accd3e..519ce88 100644
--- a/tests/test_syntax.py
+++ b/tests/test_syntax.py
@@ -37,17 +37,17 @@
 @composite
 def draw_syntax_location(draw):
     line = draw(integers())
-    column = draw(integers())
+    offset = draw(integers())
     filename = draw(text())
-    return SyntaxLocation(line, column, filename)
+    return SyntaxLocation(line, offset, filename)
 
 
 # Test location getters
 @given(integers(), integers(), text())
-def test_syntax_location_getters(line, column, filename):
-    test = SyntaxLocation(line, column, filename)
+def test_syntax_location_getters(line, offset, filename):
+    test = SyntaxLocation(line, offset, filename)
     assert test.line == line
-    assert test.column == column
+    assert test.offset == offset
     assert test.file == filename
 
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
 def test_syntax_location_equality(location1, location2):
     equals = (
         location1.line == location2.line
-        and location1.column == location2.column
+        and location1.offset == location2.offset
         and location1.file == location2.file
     )
     assert (location1 == location2) == equals
diff --git a/tests/test_tokenize.py b/tests/test_tokenize.py
index 88512f3..abc9333 100644
--- a/tests/test_tokenize.py
+++ b/tests/test_tokenize.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
 # - Whitespace and non-whitespace are separated in to tokens
 # - Whitespace characters are split in to multiple tokens
 # - Non-whitespace characters are combined in to a single token
-# - Each token location is line 1 column 1 of file ""
+# - Each token location is line 1 offset 1 of file ""
 @given(draw_tokens_to_split())
 def test_tokenize_split_tokens(test_data):
     (source, tokens) = test_data
@@ -74,16 +74,16 @@
     filename = draw(text())
     located = []
     line = 1
-    column = 1
+    offset = 1
     for t in tokens:
-        location = SyntaxLocation(line, column, filename)
+        location = SyntaxLocation(line, offset, filename)
         new = Syntax(t.value, location, SyntaxType.TOKEN)
         located.append(new)
         if t.value == "\n":
             line = line + 1
-            column = 1
+            offset = 1
         else:
-            column += len(t.value)
+            offset += len(t.value)
     return (tokens, located, filename)
 
 
@@ -91,10 +91,10 @@
 # We expect the following behaviour:
 # - Only the token location is modified
 # - Each token's location filename is the generated filename
-# - A token's line is equal to 1 plus the number of tokens with the
+# - A location's line is equal to 1 plus the number of tokens with the
 #   value '\n' before the token
-# - A token's column is equal to 1 plus the sum of previous token's
-#   value lengths 'before' it, where 'before' is defined as any
+# - A location's offset is equal to 1 plus the count of previous token's
+#   value code points 'before' it, where 'before' is defined as any
 #   token between the last '\n' (or start of file) before the token
 #   and the token itself
 @given(draw_tokens_locations())