diff --git a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/merge_indexer_user.py b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/merge_indexer_user.py
index ec2e58d36..435506bd3 100644
--- a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/merge_indexer_user.py
+++ b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/merge_indexer_user.py
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
         indexers = Indexer.objects.all()
 
         for user in users:
-            # set all users to be hidden first
+            # set all users to be non-indexer first
             # those listed as indexers on old Cantus will have this adjusted to True
-            user.show_in_list = False
+            user.is_indexer = False
             # do not use the existing "name" property, 
             # because for some reason, the first/last names can have trailing spaces
             # TODO: populate the full_name field and remove the "name" property
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
                 # keep the user as it is (merge the indexer into existing user)
                 # and store the ID of its indexer object
                 homonymous_user.old_indexer_id = indexer.id
-                homonymous_user.show_in_list = True
+                homonymous_user.is_indexer = True
                 homonymous_user.save()
             # if the indexer doesn't exist as a user
             else:
@@ -54,5 +54,5 @@ def handle(self, *args, **options):
                     # the password can't be empty in login form, so they can't log in
                     password="",
                     old_indexer_id = indexer.id,
-                    show_in_list=True,
+                    is_indexer=True,
                 )
diff --git a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/sync_indexers.py b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/sync_indexers.py
index 99407b89a..d589db0e2 100644
--- a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/sync_indexers.py
+++ b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/management/commands/sync_indexers.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def get_new_indexer(indexer_id):
         # keep the user as it is (merge the indexer into existing user)
         # and store the ID of its indexer object
         homonymous_user.old_indexer_id = indexer_id
-        homonymous_user.show_in_list = True
+        homonymous_user.is_indexer = True
         homonymous_user.save()
     # if the indexer doesn't exist as a user
     else:
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def get_new_indexer(indexer_id):
             # the password can't be empty in login form, so they can't log in
             password="",
             old_indexer_id = indexer_id,
-            show_in_list=True,
+            is_indexer=True,
         )
 
 
diff --git a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/tests/make_fakes.py b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/tests/make_fakes.py
index 38dcbe140..b374688a1 100644
--- a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/tests/make_fakes.py
+++ b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/tests/make_fakes.py
@@ -170,14 +170,14 @@ def make_fake_genre() -> Genre:
     return genre
 
 
-def make_fake_user(show_in_list=True) -> get_user_model():
+def make_fake_user(is_indexer=True) -> get_user_model():
     """Generates a fake User object."""
     user = get_user_model().objects.create(
         full_name=f"{faker.first_name()} {faker.last_name()}",
         institution=faker.company(),
         city=faker.city(),
         country=faker.country(),
-        show_in_list=show_in_list,
+        is_indexer=is_indexer,
         email=f"{faker.lexify('????????')}@fakeemail.com",
     )
     return user
diff --git a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/views/user.py b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/views/user.py
index 506c15b7c..172aa6a4f 100644
--- a/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/views/user.py
+++ b/django/cantusdb_project/main_app/views/user.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class IndexerListView(SearchableListMixin, ListView):
 
     def get_queryset(self):
         all_users = super().get_queryset()
-        indexers = all_users.filter(show_in_list=True)
+        indexers = all_users.filter(is_indexer=True)
         display_unpublished = self.request.user.is_authenticated
         if display_unpublished:
             indexers = indexers.annotate(
diff --git a/django/cantusdb_project/users/models.py b/django/cantusdb_project/users/models.py
index 74e578d06..560b62286 100644
--- a/django/cantusdb_project/users/models.py
+++ b/django/cantusdb_project/users/models.py
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ class User(AbstractUser):
     email = models.EmailField(unique=True)
     # will be used to check if the user has changed the password assigned to them
     changed_initial_password = models.BooleanField(default=False)
-    # whether to display the user in the user-list page
-    show_in_list = models.BooleanField(default=False)
-    # if the user has a associated indexer object on old Cantus, save its ID
+    # whether the user has an associated indexer object on old Cantus
+    # if True, list the user in indexer-list page
+    is_indexer = models.BooleanField(default=False)
+    # if the user has an associated indexer object on old Cantus, save its ID
     old_indexer_id = models.IntegerField(blank=True, null=True)
 
     USERNAME_FIELD = 'email'