diff --git a/base/random.jl b/base/random.jl
index 074201901f8e8..04ca5b9b09a11 100644
--- a/base/random.jl
+++ b/base/random.jl
@@ -1416,18 +1416,34 @@ let b = UInt8['0':'9';'A':'Z';'a':'z']
     randstring(r::AbstractRNG, n::Int) = randstring(r, b, n)
     randstring(chars::AbstractArray{<:Union{UInt8,Char}}=b, n::Int=8) = randstring(GLOBAL_RNG, chars, n)
     randstring(n::Int) = randstring(GLOBAL_RNG, b, n)
+
+    rand(rng::AbstractRNG, ::Type{String}, chars::AbstractArray{<:Union{UInt8,Char}}=b, n::Int=8) =
+        randstring(rng, chars, n)
+    rand(rng::AbstractRNG, ::Type{String}, n::Int) = randstring(rng, b, n)
+    rand(::Type{String}, chars::AbstractArray{<:Union{UInt8,Char}}=b, n::Int=8) =
+        randstring(GLOBAL_RNG, chars, n)
+    rand(::Type{String}, n::Int) = randstring(GLOBAL_RNG, b, n)
 end
 
 """
     randstring([rng=GLOBAL_RNG], [chars::AbstractArray{<:Union{UInt8,Char}}], [len=8])
 
-Create a random ASCII string of length `len`, consisting of characters
+Create a random string of length `len`, consisting of characters
 from `chars` if specified, and of upper- and lower-case letters and
 the digits 0-9 otherwise. The optional `rng` argument specifies a
 random number generator, see [Random Numbers](@ref).
 """
 randstring
 
+"""
+    rand([rng=GLOBAL_RNG], ::Type{String}, [chars::AbstractArray{<:Union{UInt8,Char}}], [len=8])
+
+Create a random string of length `len`, consisting of characters
+from `chars` if specified, and of upper- and lower-case letters and
+the digits 0-9 otherwise. Equivalent to [`randstring`](@ref)`(rng, chars, len)`.
+"""
+rand
+
 # Fill S (resized as needed) with a random subsequence of A, where
 # each element of A is included in S with independent probability p.
 # (Note that this is different from the problem of finding a random