diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index c20ab9c988..d06144f1e9 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ libavutil:     2015-08-28
 
 API changes, most recent first:
 
+2017-xx-xx - xxxxxxx - lavu 55.76.100 / 56.6.0 - pixdesc.h
+  Add av_color_range_from_name(), av_color_primaries_from_name(),
+  av_color_transfer_from_name(), av_color_space_from_name(), and
+  av_chroma_location_from_name().
+
 2017-09-13 - xxxxxxx - lavc 57.106.100 - avcodec.h
   Add AV_PKT_FLAG_TRUSTED.
 
diff --git a/libavutil/pixdesc.c b/libavutil/pixdesc.c
index 33aa2d705f..b39afe3758 100644
--- a/libavutil/pixdesc.c
+++ b/libavutil/pixdesc.c
@@ -2749,26 +2749,91 @@ const char *av_color_range_name(enum AVColorRange range)
         color_range_names[range] : NULL;
 }
 
+int av_color_range_from_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(color_range_names); i++) {
+        size_t len = strlen(color_range_names[i]);
+        if (!strncmp(color_range_names[i], name, len))
+            return i;
+    }
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
+
 const char *av_color_primaries_name(enum AVColorPrimaries primaries)
 {
     return (unsigned) primaries < AVCOL_PRI_NB ?
         color_primaries_names[primaries] : NULL;
 }
 
+int av_color_primaries_from_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(color_primaries_names); i++) {
+        size_t len = strlen(color_primaries_names[i]);
+        if (!strncmp(color_primaries_names[i], name, len))
+            return i;
+    }
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
+
 const char *av_color_transfer_name(enum AVColorTransferCharacteristic transfer)
 {
     return (unsigned) transfer < AVCOL_TRC_NB ?
         color_transfer_names[transfer] : NULL;
 }
 
+int av_color_transfer_from_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(color_transfer_names); i++) {
+        size_t len = strlen(color_transfer_names[i]);
+        if (!strncmp(color_transfer_names[i], name, len))
+            return i;
+    }
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
+
 const char *av_color_space_name(enum AVColorSpace space)
 {
     return (unsigned) space < AVCOL_SPC_NB ?
         color_space_names[space] : NULL;
 }
 
+int av_color_space_from_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(color_space_names); i++) {
+        size_t len = strlen(color_space_names[i]);
+        if (!strncmp(color_space_names[i], name, len))
+            return i;
+    }
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
+
 const char *av_chroma_location_name(enum AVChromaLocation location)
 {
     return (unsigned) location < AVCHROMA_LOC_NB ?
         chroma_location_names[location] : NULL;
 }
+
+int av_chroma_location_from_name(const char *name)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    for (i = 0; i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(chroma_location_names); i++) {
+        size_t len = strlen(chroma_location_names[i]);
+        if (!strncmp(chroma_location_names[i], name, len))
+            return i;
+    }
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
diff --git a/libavutil/pixdesc.h b/libavutil/pixdesc.h
index b0ec81b81b..fc3737c4ad 100644
--- a/libavutil/pixdesc.h
+++ b/libavutil/pixdesc.h
@@ -250,26 +250,51 @@ int av_pix_fmt_count_planes(enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt);
  */
 const char *av_color_range_name(enum AVColorRange range);
 
+/**
+ * @return the AVColorRange value for name or an AVError if not found.
+ */
+int av_color_range_from_name(const char *name);
+
 /**
  * @return the name for provided color primaries or NULL if unknown.
  */
 const char *av_color_primaries_name(enum AVColorPrimaries primaries);
 
+/**
+ * @return the AVColorPrimaries value for name or an AVError if not found.
+ */
+int av_color_primaries_from_name(const char *name);
+
 /**
  * @return the name for provided color transfer or NULL if unknown.
  */
 const char *av_color_transfer_name(enum AVColorTransferCharacteristic transfer);
 
+/**
+ * @return the AVColorTransferCharacteristic value for name or an AVError if not found.
+ */
+int av_color_transfer_from_name(const char *name);
+
 /**
  * @return the name for provided color space or NULL if unknown.
  */
 const char *av_color_space_name(enum AVColorSpace space);
 
+/**
+ * @return the AVColorSpace value for name or an AVError if not found.
+ */
+int av_color_space_from_name(const char *name);
+
 /**
  * @return the name for provided chroma location or NULL if unknown.
  */
 const char *av_chroma_location_name(enum AVChromaLocation location);
 
+/**
+ * @return the AVChromaLocation value for name or an AVError if not found.
+ */
+int av_chroma_location_from_name(const char *name);
+
 /**
  * Return the pixel format corresponding to name.
  *
diff --git a/libavutil/version.h b/libavutil/version.h
index d99eff5d15..8ac41f49f5 100644
--- a/libavutil/version.h
+++ b/libavutil/version.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
 
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR  55
-#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  75
+#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  76
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MICRO 100
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_INT   AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR, \