diff --git a/R/class-comment.R b/R/class-comment.R
index fda4955d4..d2cecb91f 100644
--- a/R/class-comment.R
+++ b/R/class-comment.R
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ do_write_comment <- function(
 
   if (!is.null(dims)) {
     ref <- dims
-    col <- col2int(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[[1]])
-    row <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[[2]])
+    col <- col2int(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[["col"]])
+    row <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[["row"]])
   } else {
     if (!is.numeric(col)) {
       col <- col2int(col)
diff --git a/R/class-workbook.R b/R/class-workbook.R
index 0bd7a5e80..12353a06f 100644
--- a/R/class-workbook.R
+++ b/R/class-workbook.R
@@ -1766,8 +1766,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
         ddims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
 
         dims <- rowcol_to_dims(
-          row = c(ddims[[2]], ddims[[2]] + 12L),
-          col = c(ddims[[1]], ddims[[1]] + 1L)
+          row = c(ddims[["row"]], ddims[["row"]] + 12L),
+          col = c(ddims[["col"]], ddims[["col"]] + 1L)
         )
       }
 
@@ -2117,8 +2117,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
         ddims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
 
         dims <- rowcol_to_dims(
-          row = c(ddims[[2]], ddims[[2]] + 12L),
-          col = c(ddims[[1]], ddims[[1]] + 1L)
+          row = c(ddims[["row"]], ddims[["row"]] + 12L),
+          col = c(ddims[["col"]], ddims[["col"]] + 1L)
         )
       }
 
@@ -3810,8 +3810,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
         }
 
         rowcol   <- dims_to_rowcol(ref)
-        ref_rows <- as.integer(rowcol[[2]])
-        ref      <- rowcol_to_dims(c(ref_rows, max(ref_rows) + 1L), rowcol[[1]])
+        ref_rows <- as.integer(rowcol[["row"]])
+        ref      <- rowcol_to_dims(c(ref_rows, max(ref_rows) + 1L), rowcol[["col"]])
       }
 
 
@@ -5336,8 +5336,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
 
       ddims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims)
 
-      rows <- ddims[[2]]
-      cols <- ddims[[1]]
+      rows <- ddims[["row"]]
+      cols <- ddims[["col"]]
 
       sheet <- private$get_sheet_index(sheet)
       self$worksheets[[sheet]]$unmerge_cells(
@@ -5776,8 +5776,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
       }
 
       ddims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
-      rows <- ddims[[2]]
-      cols <- ddims[[1]]
+      rows <- ddims[["row"]]
+      cols <- ddims[["col"]]
 
       if (!is.null(style)) assert_class(style, "character")
       assert_class(type, "character")
@@ -5793,8 +5793,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
         rows <- as.integer(rows)
       } else if (!is.null(dims)) {
         rowcol <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
-        rows <- rowcol[[2]]
-        cols <- rowcol[[1]]
+        rows <- rowcol[["row"]]
+        cols <- rowcol[["col"]]
       }
 
       ## check valid rule
@@ -6657,18 +6657,18 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
 
       if (!is.null(dims)) {
         xy <- dims_to_rowcol(dims)
-        left <- col2int(xy[[1]][1]) - 1L
-        top  <- as.integer(xy[[2]][1]) - 1L
+        left <- col2int(xy[["col"]][1]) - 1L
+        top  <- as.integer(xy[["row"]][1]) - 1L
 
         # for A1:B2
         if (length(xy[[1]]) > 1) {
-          right  <- max(col2int(xy[[1]]))
+          right  <- max(col2int(xy[["col"]]))
         } else {
           right  <- left + 1L
         }
 
         if (length(xy[[2]]) > 1) {
-          bottom <- max(as.integer(xy[[2]]))
+          bottom <- max(as.integer(xy[["row"]]))
         } else {
           bottom <- top + 1L
         }
@@ -7937,8 +7937,8 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
       }
 
       rowcols <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
-      rows <- rowcols[[2]]
-      cols <- rowcols[[1]]
+      rows <- rowcols[["row"]]
+      cols <- rowcols[["col"]]
 
       startCol <- min(cols)
       endCol <- max(cols)
@@ -8931,7 +8931,7 @@ wbWorkbook <- R6::R6Class(
 
       if (!is.null(rows)) {
         if (is.character(rows)) # row2int
-          rows <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(rows)[[2]])
+          rows <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(rows)[["row"]])
 
         dims  <- wb_dims(rows, "A")
         cells <- unname(unlist(dims_to_dataframe(dims, fill = TRUE)))
diff --git a/R/class-worksheet.R b/R/class-worksheet.R
index cf53b5ad1..59259bef6 100644
--- a/R/class-worksheet.R
+++ b/R/class-worksheet.R
@@ -522,8 +522,8 @@ wbWorksheet <- R6::R6Class(
 
       ddims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims)
 
-      rows <- ddims[[2]]
-      cols <- ddims[[1]]
+      rows <- ddims[["row"]]
+      cols <- ddims[["col"]]
 
       rows <- range(as.integer(rows))
       cols <- range(col2int(cols))
diff --git a/R/helper-functions.R b/R/helper-functions.R
index a9a91eb9c..2ebb93bb0 100644
--- a/R/helper-functions.R
+++ b/R/helper-functions.R
@@ -1266,7 +1266,7 @@ fits_in_dims <- function(x, dims, startCol, startRow) {
   if (fits) {
 
     # why oh why wasn't dims_to_rowcol()/rowcol_to_dims() created as a matching pair
-    dims <- rowcol_to_dims(row = dims[[2]], col = dims[[1]])
+    dims <- rowcol_to_dims(row = dims[["row"]], col = dims[["col"]])
 
   } else {
 
@@ -1288,7 +1288,7 @@ fits_in_dims <- function(x, dims, startCol, startRow) {
   }
 
   rc <- dims_to_rowcol(dims)
-  if (max(as.integer(rc[[2]])) > 1048576 || max(col2int(rc[[1]])) > 16384)
+  if (max(as.integer(rc[["row"]])) > 1048576 || max(col2int(rc[["col"]])) > 16384)
     stop("Dimensions exceed worksheet")
 
   dims
diff --git a/R/utils.R b/R/utils.R
index 53c172f97..c368b647a 100644
--- a/R/utils.R
+++ b/R/utils.R
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ random_string <- function(n = 1, length = 16, pattern = "[A-Za-z0-9]", keep_seed
 #' @param single argument indicating if [rowcol_to_dims()] returns a single cell dimension
 #' @returns
 #'   * A `dims` string for `_to_dim` i.e  "A1:A1"
-#'   * A list of rows and columns for `to_rowcol`
+#'   * A named list of rows and columns for `to_rowcol`
 #' @examples
 #' dims_to_rowcol("A1:J10")
 #' wb_dims(1:10, 1:10)
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ dims_to_rowcol <- function(x, as_integer = FALSE) {
     rows_out <- unique(c(rows_out, rows))
   }
 
-  list(cols_out, rows_out)
+  setNames(list(cols_out, rows_out), c("col", "row"))
 }
 
 #' @rdname dims_helper
@@ -754,8 +754,8 @@ wb_dims <- function(..., select = NULL) {
     }
     # transform to
     from_row_and_col <- dims_to_rowcol(args$from_dims, as_integer = TRUE)
-    fcol <- from_row_and_col[[1]]
-    frow <- from_row_and_col[[2]]
+    fcol <- from_row_and_col[["col"]]
+    frow <- from_row_and_col[["row"]]
   } else {
     fcol <- args$from_col %||% 1L
     frow <- args$from_row %||% 1L
diff --git a/R/write.R b/R/write.R
index 51bff5d9d..226b45bc1 100644
--- a/R/write.R
+++ b/R/write.R
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ write_data2 <- function(
   rows_attr <- vector("list", nrow(rtyp))
 
   # create <rows ...>
-  want_rows <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[[2]])
+  want_rows <- as.integer(dims_to_rowcol(dims)[["row"]])
   rows_attr <- empty_row_attr(n = length(want_rows))
   # number of rows might differ
   if (enforce) rows_attr <- empty_row_attr(n = nrow(rtyp))
@@ -873,8 +873,8 @@ write_data_table <- function(
   if (!is.null(dims)) {
     dims <- dims_to_rowcol(dims, as_integer = TRUE)
     # if dims = "K1,A1" startCol = "A" and startRow = "1" are selected
-    startCol <- min(dims[[1]])
-    startRow <- min(dims[[2]])
+    startCol <- min(dims[["col"]])
+    startRow <- min(dims[["row"]])
   }
 
   # avoid stoi error with NULL
@@ -1342,7 +1342,7 @@ do_write_formula <- function(
   # transpose match write_data_table
   if (array || enforce) {
     rc <- dims_to_rowcol(dims)
-    if (length(rc[[1]]) > length(rc[[2]])) {
+    if (length(rc[["col"]]) > length(rc[["row"]])) {
       dfx <- transpose_df(dfx)
     }
   }
diff --git a/man/dims_helper.Rd b/man/dims_helper.Rd
index bef91729e..46fddf6e9 100644
--- a/man/dims_helper.Rd
+++ b/man/dims_helper.Rd
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ rowcol_to_dims(row, col, single = TRUE)
 \value{
 \itemize{
 \item A \code{dims} string for \verb{_to_dim} i.e  "A1:A1"
-\item A list of rows and columns for \code{to_rowcol}
+\item A named list of rows and columns for \code{to_rowcol}
 }
 }
 \description{
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-utils.R b/tests/testthat/test-utils.R
index 54cab1209..a13ccfeb3 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-utils.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-utils.R
@@ -15,19 +15,19 @@ test_that("rbindlist", {
 
 test_that("dims to col & row and back", {
 
-  exp <- list(c("A", "B"), c("1", "2"))
+  exp <- list(col = c("A", "B"), row = c("1", "2"))
   got <- dims_to_rowcol("A1:B2")
   expect_equal(exp, got)
 
-  exp <- list(1:2, 1:2)
+  exp <- list(col = 1:2, row = 1:2)
   got <- dims_to_rowcol("A1:B2", as_integer = TRUE)
   expect_equal(exp, got)
 
-  exp <- list(1:2, c(1L))
+  exp <- list(col = 1:2, row = c(1L))
   got <- dims_to_rowcol("A:B", as_integer = TRUE)
   expect_equal(exp, got)
 
-  exp <- list("A", c("1"))
+  exp <- list(col = "A", row = c("1"))
   got <- dims_to_rowcol("A:A", as_integer = FALSE)
   expect_equal(exp, got)
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-wb_functions.R b/tests/testthat/test-wb_functions.R
index c0c485968..3cdcfb58c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-wb_functions.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-wb_functions.R
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ test_that("dims_to_dataframe", {
   got <- dims_to_dataframe("A1;A2,C1;C2", fill = TRUE, empty_rm = TRUE)
   expect_equal(exp, got)
 
-  exp <- list(c("A", "B"), "1")
+  exp <- list(col = c("A", "B"), row = "1")
   got <- dims_to_rowcol("A1;B1")
   expect_equal(exp, got)