diff --git a/.github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml b/.github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7705b50b45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+- 2.10.0  When the Levee Breaks
+- 2.9.0   Immigrant Song
+- 2.8.0   How Many More Times
+- 2.7.0   In the Light
+- 2.6.0   Heartbreaker
+- 2.5.0   Kashmir
+- 2.4.0   Dancing Days
+- 2.3.0   Ramble On
+- 2.2.0   The Battle of Evermore
+- 2.1.0   The Song Remains the Same
+- 2.0.0   Over the Hills and Far Away
diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/release-names.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/release-names.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..359f7ecb54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/dev_guide/testing/sanity/release-names.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Release names
+=============
+
+Verifies that the most recent release name has been added to ``./github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml``
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index 429d391068..52b62f9295 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 
 __version__ = '2.10.0.dev0'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
-__codename__ = 'Immigrant Song'
+__codename__ = 'When the Levee Breaks'
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.json b/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..593b765d14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+    "no_targets": true,
+    "output": "path-message"
+}
diff --git a/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.py b/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.py
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..f8003320a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sanity/code-smell/release-names.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+# (c) 2019, Ansible Project
+#
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+"""
+Test that the release name is present in the list of used up release names
+"""
+
+
+from __future__ import (absolute_import, division, print_function)
+__metaclass__ = type
+
+from yaml import safe_load
+
+from ansible.release import __codename__
+
+
+def main():
+    """Entrypoint to the script"""
+
+    with open('.github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml') as f:
+        releases = safe_load(f.read())
+
+    # Why this format?  The file's sole purpose is to be read by a human when they need to know
+    # which release names have already been used.  So:
+    # 1) It's easier for a human to find the release names when there's one on each line
+    # 2) It helps keep other people from using the file and then asking for new features in it
+    for name in (r.split(maxsplit=1)[1] for r in releases):
+        if __codename__ == name:
+            break
+    else:
+        print('.github/RELEASE_NAMES.yml: Current codename was not present in the file')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    main()