diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c b/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
index acd78dc283411692f9e7e48b78085d9b5da63471..0dd5a058f766e2e2b2ad7196af78bf3d7a81d563 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-evlist.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static int __cmd_evlist(const char *input_name, struct perf_attr_details *detail
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &session->evlist->entries, node) {
 		bool first = true;
 
-		printf("%s", event_name(pos));
+		printf("%s", perf_evsel__name(pos));
 
 		if (details->verbose || details->freq) {
 			comma_printf(&first, " sample_freq=%" PRIu64,
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index f95840d04e4c7a224821e395600df2bbdc7e4323..f5a6452931e6dabaa4f3b4593ab91f30aa7d586b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ static void perf_record__open(struct perf_record *rec)
 
 			if (err == ENOENT) {
 				ui__error("The %s event is not supported.\n",
-					    event_name(pos));
+					  perf_evsel__name(pos));
 				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 			}
 
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		usage_with_options(record_usage, record_options);
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evsel_list->entries, node) {
-		if (perf_header__push_event(pos->attr.config, event_name(pos)))
+		if (perf_header__push_event(pos->attr.config, perf_evsel__name(pos)))
 			goto out_free_fd;
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 25249f76329daf851f925240f8c295c0c3fc5bdc..ea8ce8e1c0d8422d5a489574651df3c788a277f6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ static int process_read_event(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	struct perf_report *rep = container_of(tool, struct perf_report, tool);
 
 	if (rep->show_threads) {
-		const char *name = evsel ? event_name(evsel) : "unknown";
+		const char *name = evsel ? perf_evsel__name(evsel) : "unknown";
 		perf_read_values_add_value(&rep->show_threads_values,
 					   event->read.pid, event->read.tid,
 					   event->read.id,
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ static int process_read_event(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	}
 
 	dump_printf(": %d %d %s %" PRIu64 "\n", event->read.pid, event->read.tid,
-		    evsel ? event_name(evsel) : "FAIL",
+		    evsel ? perf_evsel__name(evsel) : "FAIL",
 		    event->read.value);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ static int perf_evlist__tty_browse_hists(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evlist->entries, node) {
 		struct hists *hists = &pos->hists;
-		const char *evname = event_name(pos);
+		const char *evname = perf_evsel__name(pos);
 
 		hists__fprintf_nr_sample_events(hists, evname, stdout);
 		hists__fprintf(hists, NULL, false, true, 0, 0, stdout);
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index 262589991ea4aef5fdd13e21d1f3d7f66a61f262..875bf2675326a1d86169cd31c4923eab769cb3af 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ static int read_counter_aggr(struct perf_evsel *counter)
 
 	if (verbose) {
 		fprintf(output, "%s: %" PRIu64 " %" PRIu64 " %" PRIu64 "\n",
-			event_name(counter), count[0], count[1], count[2]);
+			perf_evsel__name(counter), count[0], count[1], count[2]);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ static int run_perf_stat(int argc __used, const char **argv)
 			    errno == ENXIO) {
 				if (verbose)
 					ui__warning("%s event is not supported by the kernel.\n",
-						    event_name(counter));
+						    perf_evsel__name(counter));
 				counter->supported = false;
 				continue;
 			}
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ static void nsec_printout(int cpu, struct perf_evsel *evsel, double avg)
 			csv_output ? 0 : -4,
 			evsel_list->cpus->map[cpu], csv_sep);
 
-	fprintf(output, fmt, cpustr, msecs, csv_sep, event_name(evsel));
+	fprintf(output, fmt, cpustr, msecs, csv_sep, perf_evsel__name(evsel));
 
 	if (evsel->cgrp)
 		fprintf(output, "%s%s", csv_sep, evsel->cgrp->name);
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ static void abs_printout(int cpu, struct perf_evsel *evsel, double avg)
 	else
 		cpu = 0;
 
-	fprintf(output, fmt, cpustr, avg, csv_sep, event_name(evsel));
+	fprintf(output, fmt, cpustr, avg, csv_sep, perf_evsel__name(evsel));
 
 	if (evsel->cgrp)
 		fprintf(output, "%s%s", csv_sep, evsel->cgrp->name);
@@ -908,7 +908,7 @@ static void print_counter_aggr(struct perf_evsel *counter)
 			counter->supported ? CNTR_NOT_COUNTED : CNTR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
 			csv_sep,
 			csv_output ? 0 : -24,
-			event_name(counter));
+			perf_evsel__name(counter));
 
 		if (counter->cgrp)
 			fprintf(output, "%s%s", csv_sep, counter->cgrp->name);
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ static void print_counter(struct perf_evsel *counter)
 				counter->supported ? CNTR_NOT_COUNTED : CNTR_NOT_SUPPORTED,
 				csv_sep,
 				csv_output ? 0 : -24,
-				event_name(counter));
+				perf_evsel__name(counter));
 
 			if (counter->cgrp)
 				fprintf(output, "%s%s",
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-test.c b/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
index 5a8727c0875772c9c37c3fc381b1812161c3b983..5ce30305462b1775fbfc80f9569e29328d25edd3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
@@ -583,7 +583,7 @@ static int test__basic_mmap(void)
 		if (nr_events[evsel->idx] != expected_nr_events[evsel->idx]) {
 			pr_debug("expected %d %s events, got %d\n",
 				 expected_nr_events[evsel->idx],
-				 event_name(evsel), nr_events[evsel->idx]);
+				 perf_evsel__name(evsel), nr_events[evsel->idx]);
 			goto out_munmap;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 6bb0277b7dfecdbf63e727592995480a409f16f5..8090a280578cb409d5cbe332ebf5ed7ed2a27efe 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ static void perf_top__show_details(struct perf_top *top)
 	if (notes->src == NULL)
 		goto out_unlock;
 
-	printf("Showing %s for %s\n", event_name(top->sym_evsel), symbol->name);
+	printf("Showing %s for %s\n", perf_evsel__name(top->sym_evsel), symbol->name);
 	printf("  Events  Pcnt (>=%d%%)\n", top->sym_pcnt_filter);
 
 	more = symbol__annotate_printf(symbol, he->ms.map, top->sym_evsel->idx,
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ static void perf_top__print_mapped_keys(struct perf_top *top)
 	fprintf(stdout, "\t[e]     display entries (lines).           \t(%d)\n", top->print_entries);
 
 	if (top->evlist->nr_entries > 1)
-		fprintf(stdout, "\t[E]     active event counter.              \t(%s)\n", event_name(top->sym_evsel));
+		fprintf(stdout, "\t[E]     active event counter.              \t(%s)\n", perf_evsel__name(top->sym_evsel));
 
 	fprintf(stdout, "\t[f]     profile display filter (count).    \t(%d)\n", top->count_filter);
 
@@ -503,13 +503,13 @@ static void perf_top__handle_keypress(struct perf_top *top, int c)
 				fprintf(stderr, "\nAvailable events:");
 
 				list_for_each_entry(top->sym_evsel, &top->evlist->entries, node)
-					fprintf(stderr, "\n\t%d %s", top->sym_evsel->idx, event_name(top->sym_evsel));
+					fprintf(stderr, "\n\t%d %s", top->sym_evsel->idx, perf_evsel__name(top->sym_evsel));
 
 				prompt_integer(&counter, "Enter details event counter");
 
 				if (counter >= top->evlist->nr_entries) {
 					top->sym_evsel = list_entry(top->evlist->entries.next, struct perf_evsel, node);
-					fprintf(stderr, "Sorry, no such event, using %s.\n", event_name(top->sym_evsel));
+					fprintf(stderr, "Sorry, no such event, using %s.\n", perf_evsel__name(top->sym_evsel));
 					sleep(1);
 					break;
 				}
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ static void perf_top__start_counters(struct perf_top *top)
 
 			if (err == ENOENT) {
 				ui__error("The %s event is not supported.\n",
-					    event_name(counter));
+					  perf_evsel__name(counter));
 				goto out_err;
 			} else if (err == EMFILE) {
 				ui__error("Too many events are opened.\n"
diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
index f556e5f6388bdcae1d91bae477050dc999633db3..482f0517b61e20f61a18933133717ce53fc0e1c1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
@@ -1367,7 +1367,7 @@ static void perf_evsel_menu__write(struct ui_browser *browser,
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel = list_entry(entry, struct perf_evsel, node);
 	bool current_entry = ui_browser__is_current_entry(browser, row);
 	unsigned long nr_events = evsel->hists.stats.nr_events[PERF_RECORD_SAMPLE];
-	const char *ev_name = event_name(evsel);
+	const char *ev_name = perf_evsel__name(evsel);
 	char bf[256], unit;
 	const char *warn = " ";
 	size_t printed;
@@ -1435,7 +1435,7 @@ static int perf_evsel_menu__run(struct perf_evsel_menu *menu,
 			 */
 			if (timer)
 				timer(arg);
-			ev_name = event_name(pos);
+			ev_name = perf_evsel__name(pos);
 			key = perf_evsel__hists_browse(pos, nr_events, help,
 						       ev_name, true, timer,
 						       arg, delay_secs);
@@ -1504,17 +1504,11 @@ static int __perf_evlist__tui_browse_hists(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
 	ui_helpline__push("Press ESC to exit");
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evlist->entries, node) {
-		const char *ev_name = event_name(pos);
+		const char *ev_name = perf_evsel__name(pos);
 		size_t line_len = strlen(ev_name) + 7;
 
 		if (menu.b.width < line_len)
 			menu.b.width = line_len;
-		/*
-		 * Cache the evsel name, tracepoints have a _high_ cost per
-		 * event_name() call.
-		 */
-		if (pos->name == NULL)
-			pos->name = strdup(ev_name);
 	}
 
 	return perf_evsel_menu__run(&menu, evlist->nr_entries, help, timer,
@@ -1525,11 +1519,10 @@ int perf_evlist__tui_browse_hists(struct perf_evlist *evlist, const char *help,
 				  void(*timer)(void *arg), void *arg,
 				  int delay_secs)
 {
-
 	if (evlist->nr_entries == 1) {
 		struct perf_evsel *first = list_entry(evlist->entries.next,
 						      struct perf_evsel, node);
-		const char *ev_name = event_name(first);
+		const char *ev_name = perf_evsel__name(first);
 		return perf_evsel__hists_browse(first, evlist->nr_entries, help,
 						ev_name, false, timer, arg,
 						delay_secs);
diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/gtk/browser.c b/tools/perf/ui/gtk/browser.c
index fd41e8d103377260062bd019618a201f9db89d44..ec12e0b4ded6567d1c673049cf39cea0f93891f0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/gtk/browser.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/gtk/browser.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ int perf_evlist__gtk_browse_hists(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &evlist->entries, node) {
 		struct hists *hists = &pos->hists;
-		const char *evname = event_name(pos);
+		const char *evname = perf_evsel__name(pos);
 		GtkWidget *scrolled_window;
 		GtkWidget *tab_label;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 2ddc812718555cead782ed584f2c0025f411bd42..236bdf25db6de580c98011025e740d0a70fce6dd 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -252,42 +252,42 @@ static int perf_evsel__hw_cache_name(struct perf_evsel *evsel, char *bf, size_t
 	return ret + perf_evsel__add_modifiers(evsel, bf + ret, size - ret);
 }
 
-static int perf_evsel__tracepoint_name(struct perf_evsel *evsel, char *bf, size_t size)
+const char *perf_evsel__name(struct perf_evsel *evsel)
 {
-	return scnprintf(bf, size, "%s", evsel->name ?: "unknown tracepoint");
-}
+	char bf[128];
 
-int perf_evsel__name(struct perf_evsel *evsel, char *bf, size_t size)
-{
-	int ret;
+	if (evsel->name)
+		return evsel->name;
 
 	switch (evsel->attr.type) {
 	case PERF_TYPE_RAW:
-		ret = scnprintf(bf, size, "raw 0x%" PRIx64, evsel->attr.config);
+		scnprintf(bf, sizeof(bf), "raw 0x%" PRIx64, evsel->attr.config);
 		break;
 
 	case PERF_TYPE_HARDWARE:
-		ret = perf_evsel__hw_name(evsel, bf, size);
+		perf_evsel__hw_name(evsel, bf, sizeof(bf));
 		break;
 
 	case PERF_TYPE_HW_CACHE:
-		ret = perf_evsel__hw_cache_name(evsel, bf, size);
+		perf_evsel__hw_cache_name(evsel, bf, sizeof(bf));
 		break;
 
 	case PERF_TYPE_SOFTWARE:
-		ret = perf_evsel__sw_name(evsel, bf, size);
+		perf_evsel__sw_name(evsel, bf, sizeof(bf));
 		break;
 
 	case PERF_TYPE_TRACEPOINT:
-		ret = perf_evsel__tracepoint_name(evsel, bf, size);
+		scnprintf(bf, sizeof(bf), "%s", "unknown tracepoint");
 		break;
 
 	default:
-		ret = scnprintf(bf, size, "%s", "unknown attr type");
+		scnprintf(bf, sizeof(bf), "%s", "unknown attr type");
 		break;
 	}
 
-	return ret;
+	evsel->name = strdup(bf);
+
+	return evsel->name ?: "unknown";
 }
 
 void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct perf_record_opts *opts,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index 9ae64d9622bc7c8b29f0bec4a37020cccd391baf..c936feb4e0a64c5762d9ea67376984a3d3b1d909 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ int __perf_evsel__hw_cache_name(u64 config, char *bf, size_t size);
 const char *__perf_evsel__hw_name(u64 config);
 const char *__perf_evsel__sw_name(u64 config);
 
-int perf_evsel__name(struct perf_evsel *evsel, char *bf, size_t size);
+const char *perf_evsel__name(struct perf_evsel *evsel);
 
 int perf_evsel__alloc_fd(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int ncpus, int nthreads);
 int perf_evsel__alloc_id(struct perf_evsel *evsel, int ncpus, int nthreads);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 2dd5edf161b731ae1be22b9530e25e59fd444f47..07c8f379295491e369eeba3c55c8e1764d3b8958 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ static int write_event_desc(int fd, struct perf_header *h __used,
 		/*
 		 * write event string as passed on cmdline
 		 */
-		ret = do_write_string(fd, event_name(attr));
+		ret = do_write_string(fd, perf_evsel__name(attr));
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 		/*
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index d73690b11242605e7439b8bfe260908cff26239b..517e6473982c26a140c78caab9d4c5114f8d7b2b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -201,13 +201,6 @@ const char *event_type(int type)
 	return "unknown";
 }
 
-const char *event_name(struct perf_evsel *evsel)
-{
-	static char bf[128];
-	perf_evsel__name(evsel, bf, sizeof(bf));
-	return bf;
-}
-
 const char *__event_name(int type, u64 config)
 {
 	static char buf[32];
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
index 8cac57ab4ee6b396549a4ee857486effedb9343b..d7eb070937c4e0cf309ddbc4852477b440021842 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ extern struct tracepoint_path *tracepoint_id_to_path(u64 config);
 extern bool have_tracepoints(struct list_head *evlist);
 
 const char *event_type(int type);
-const char *event_name(struct perf_evsel *event);
 extern const char *__event_name(int type, u64 config);
 
 extern int parse_events_option(const struct option *opt, const char *str,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/session.c b/tools/perf/util/session.c
index 2600916efa8334c8a7ce56f16b1d41d6c20b540c..582ee38ed216e90b533b8b6a39a1d7df67800738 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/session.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/session.c
@@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ size_t perf_session__fprintf_nr_events(struct perf_session *session, FILE *fp)
 	ret += hists__fprintf_nr_events(&session->hists, fp);
 
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, &session->evlist->entries, node) {
-		ret += fprintf(fp, "%s stats:\n", event_name(pos));
+		ret += fprintf(fp, "%s stats:\n", perf_evsel__name(pos));
 		ret += hists__fprintf_nr_events(&pos->hists, fp);
 	}
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/top.c b/tools/perf/util/top.c
index abe0e8e9506820ac4d5e5b9f2b08c89ffde49b73..7eeebcee291c4c70a8e0bc0dc0371d107080a1d9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/top.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ size_t perf_top__header_snprintf(struct perf_top *top, char *bf, size_t size)
 				top->freq ? "Hz" : "");
 	}
 
-	ret += SNPRINTF(bf + ret, size - ret, "%s", event_name(top->sym_evsel));
+	ret += SNPRINTF(bf + ret, size - ret, "%s", perf_evsel__name(top->sym_evsel));
 
 	ret += SNPRINTF(bf + ret, size - ret, "], ");