diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/dereference.rs b/clippy_lints/src/dereference.rs
index 253f9959e..d0cb24884 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/dereference.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/dereference.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::{span_lint_and_sugg, span_lint_hir_and_then};
 use clippy_utils::source::{snippet_with_applicability, snippet_with_context};
 use clippy_utils::sugg::has_enclosing_paren;
-use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, is_manually_drop, peel_mid_ty_refs};
+use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, is_manually_drop};
 use clippy_utils::{
     expr_use_ctxt, get_parent_expr, is_block_like, is_lint_allowed, path_to_local, peel_middle_ty_refs, DefinedTy,
     ExprUseNode,
@@ -947,7 +947,7 @@ fn report<'tcx>(
             let (expr_str, _expr_is_macro_call) =
                 snippet_with_context(cx, expr.span, data.first_expr.span.ctxt(), "..", &mut app);
             let ty = typeck.expr_ty(expr);
-            let (_, ref_count) = peel_mid_ty_refs(ty);
+            let (_, ref_count) = peel_middle_ty_refs(ty);
             let deref_str = if ty_changed_count >= ref_count && ref_count != 0 {
                 // a deref call changing &T -> &U requires two deref operators the first time
                 // this occurs. One to remove the reference, a second to call the deref impl.
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/matches/single_match.rs b/clippy_lints/src/matches/single_match.rs
index 99fdbcff8..d4330400c 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/matches/single_match.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/matches/single_match.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_sugg;
 use clippy_utils::source::{expr_block, snippet, SpanRangeExt};
-use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, is_type_diagnostic_item, peel_mid_ty_refs};
-use clippy_utils::{is_lint_allowed, is_unit_expr, is_wild, peel_blocks, peel_hir_pat_refs, peel_n_hir_expr_refs};
+use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, is_type_diagnostic_item};
+use clippy_utils::{
+    is_lint_allowed, is_unit_expr, is_wild, peel_blocks, peel_hir_pat_refs, peel_middle_ty_refs, peel_n_hir_expr_refs,
+};
 use core::cmp::max;
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
 use rustc_hir::{Arm, BindingMode, Block, Expr, ExprKind, Pat, PatKind};
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ fn report_single_pattern(
 
     let (pat, pat_ref_count) = peel_hir_pat_refs(arms[0].pat);
     let (msg, sugg) = if let PatKind::Path(_) | PatKind::Lit(_) = pat.kind
-        && let (ty, ty_ref_count) = peel_mid_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(ex))
+        && let (ty, ty_ref_count) = peel_middle_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(ex))
         && let Some(spe_trait_id) = cx.tcx.lang_items().structural_peq_trait()
         && let Some(pe_trait_id) = cx.tcx.lang_items().eq_trait()
         && (ty.is_integral()
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/methods/implicit_clone.rs b/clippy_lints/src/methods/implicit_clone.rs
index c510cd915..519091406 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/methods/implicit_clone.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/methods/implicit_clone.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_sugg;
 use clippy_utils::source::snippet_with_context;
-use clippy_utils::ty::{implements_trait, peel_mid_ty_refs};
-use clippy_utils::{is_diag_item_method, is_diag_trait_item};
+use clippy_utils::ty::implements_trait;
+use clippy_utils::{is_diag_item_method, is_diag_trait_item, peel_middle_ty_refs};
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
 use rustc_hir as hir;
 use rustc_lint::LateContext;
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ pub fn check(cx: &LateContext<'_>, method_name: &str, expr: &hir::Expr<'_>, recv
         && is_clone_like(cx, method_name, method_def_id)
         && let return_type = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(expr)
         && let input_type = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(recv)
-        && let (input_type, ref_count) = peel_mid_ty_refs(input_type)
+        && let (input_type, ref_count) = peel_middle_ty_refs(input_type)
         && !(ref_count > 0 && is_diag_trait_item(cx, method_def_id, sym::ToOwned))
         && let Some(ty_name) = input_type.ty_adt_def().map(|adt_def| cx.tcx.item_name(adt_def.did()))
         && return_type == input_type
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_to_owned.rs b/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_to_owned.rs
index 5d899415d..fed2b128d 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_to_owned.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/methods/unnecessary_to_owned.rs
@@ -3,12 +3,11 @@ use super::unnecessary_iter_cloned::{self, is_into_iter};
 use clippy_config::msrvs::{self, Msrv};
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::{span_lint_and_sugg, span_lint_and_then};
 use clippy_utils::source::{snippet, snippet_opt};
-use clippy_utils::ty::{
-    get_iterator_item_ty, implements_trait, is_copy, is_type_diagnostic_item, is_type_lang_item, peel_mid_ty_refs,
-};
+use clippy_utils::ty::{get_iterator_item_ty, implements_trait, is_copy, is_type_diagnostic_item, is_type_lang_item};
 use clippy_utils::visitors::find_all_ret_expressions;
 use clippy_utils::{
-    fn_def_id, get_parent_expr, is_diag_item_method, is_diag_trait_item, match_def_path, paths, return_ty,
+    fn_def_id, get_parent_expr, is_diag_item_method, is_diag_trait_item, match_def_path, paths, peel_middle_ty_refs,
+    return_ty,
 };
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
 use rustc_hir::def::{DefKind, Res};
@@ -120,8 +119,8 @@ fn check_addr_of_expr(
                 },
             ] = adjustments[..]
         && let receiver_ty = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(receiver)
-        && let (target_ty, n_target_refs) = peel_mid_ty_refs(*target_ty)
-        && let (receiver_ty, n_receiver_refs) = peel_mid_ty_refs(receiver_ty)
+        && let (target_ty, n_target_refs) = peel_middle_ty_refs(*target_ty)
+        && let (receiver_ty, n_receiver_refs) = peel_middle_ty_refs(receiver_ty)
         // Only flag cases satisfying at least one of the following three conditions:
         // * the referent and receiver types are distinct
         // * the referent/receiver type is a copyable array
@@ -382,7 +381,7 @@ fn check_other_call_arg<'tcx>(
         && let fn_sig = cx.tcx.fn_sig(callee_def_id).instantiate_identity().skip_binder()
         && let Some(i) = recv.into_iter().chain(call_args).position(|arg| arg.hir_id == maybe_arg.hir_id)
         && let Some(input) = fn_sig.inputs().get(i)
-        && let (input, n_refs) = peel_mid_ty_refs(*input)
+        && let (input, n_refs) = peel_middle_ty_refs(*input)
         && let (trait_predicates, _) = get_input_traits_and_projections(cx, callee_def_id, input)
         && let Some(sized_def_id) = cx.tcx.lang_items().sized_trait()
         && let [trait_predicate] = trait_predicates
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/redundant_slicing.rs b/clippy_lints/src/redundant_slicing.rs
index 7470ff754..c77f3938b 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/redundant_slicing.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/redundant_slicing.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_sugg;
-use clippy_utils::get_parent_expr;
 use clippy_utils::source::snippet_with_context;
-use clippy_utils::ty::{is_type_lang_item, peel_mid_ty_refs};
+use clippy_utils::ty::is_type_lang_item;
+use clippy_utils::{get_parent_expr, peel_middle_ty_refs};
 use rustc_ast::util::parser::PREC_PREFIX;
 use rustc_errors::Applicability;
 use rustc_hir::{BorrowKind, Expr, ExprKind, LangItem, Mutability};
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ impl<'tcx> LateLintPass<'tcx> for RedundantSlicing {
             && let ExprKind::Index(indexed, range, _) = addressee.kind
             && is_type_lang_item(cx, cx.typeck_results().expr_ty_adjusted(range), LangItem::RangeFull)
         {
-            let (expr_ty, expr_ref_count) = peel_mid_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(expr));
-            let (indexed_ty, indexed_ref_count) = peel_mid_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(indexed));
+            let (expr_ty, expr_ref_count) = peel_middle_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(expr));
+            let (indexed_ty, indexed_ref_count) = peel_middle_ty_refs(cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(indexed));
             let parent_expr = get_parent_expr(cx, expr);
             let needs_parens_for_prefix = parent_expr.map_or(false, |parent| parent.precedence().order() > PREC_PREFIX);
             let mut app = Applicability::MachineApplicable;
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/size_of_ref.rs b/clippy_lints/src/size_of_ref.rs
index 8d7f12af8..b3d32a6d7 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/size_of_ref.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/size_of_ref.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use clippy_utils::diagnostics::span_lint_and_help;
-use clippy_utils::path_def_id;
-use clippy_utils::ty::peel_mid_ty_refs;
+use clippy_utils::{path_def_id, peel_middle_ty_refs};
 use rustc_hir::{Expr, ExprKind};
 use rustc_lint::{LateContext, LateLintPass};
 use rustc_session::declare_lint_pass;
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ impl LateLintPass<'_> for SizeOfRef {
             && let Some(def_id) = path_def_id(cx, path)
             && cx.tcx.is_diagnostic_item(sym::mem_size_of_val, def_id)
             && let arg_ty = cx.typeck_results().expr_ty(arg)
-            && peel_mid_ty_refs(arg_ty).1 > 1
+            && peel_middle_ty_refs(arg_ty).1 > 1
         {
             span_lint_and_help(
                 cx,
diff --git a/clippy_utils/src/ty.rs b/clippy_utils/src/ty.rs
index 812fb647f..bd48990ae 100644
--- a/clippy_utils/src/ty.rs
+++ b/clippy_utils/src/ty.rs
@@ -525,19 +525,6 @@ pub fn needs_ordered_drop<'tcx>(cx: &LateContext<'tcx>, ty: Ty<'tcx>) -> bool {
     needs_ordered_drop_inner(cx, ty, &mut FxHashSet::default())
 }
 
-/// Peels off all references on the type. Returns the underlying type and the number of references
-/// removed.
-pub fn peel_mid_ty_refs(ty: Ty<'_>) -> (Ty<'_>, usize) {
-    fn peel(ty: Ty<'_>, count: usize) -> (Ty<'_>, usize) {
-        if let ty::Ref(_, ty, _) = ty.kind() {
-            peel(*ty, count + 1)
-        } else {
-            (ty, count)
-        }
-    }
-    peel(ty, 0)
-}
-
 /// Peels off all references on the type. Returns the underlying type, the number of references
 /// removed, and whether the pointer is ultimately mutable or not.
 pub fn peel_mid_ty_refs_is_mutable(ty: Ty<'_>) -> (Ty<'_>, usize, Mutability) {