diff --git a/examples/Basic_Simulation/output_reader.py b/examples/Basic_Simulation/output_reader.py
index 977c2a393..37942000a 100644
--- a/examples/Basic_Simulation/output_reader.py
+++ b/examples/Basic_Simulation/output_reader.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 
 # Read in the simulation output and store it as an Xarray dataset.
-sim = swiftest.Simulation(read_old_output=True)
+sim = swiftest.Simulation(read_data=True)
 
 # Plot of the data and save the output plot.
 colors = ['white' if x == 'Massive Body' else 'black' for x in sim.data['particle_type']]
diff --git a/examples/Chambers2013/scattermovie.py b/examples/Chambers2013/scattermovie.py
index 26bf46b70..39c44770f 100755
--- a/examples/Chambers2013/scattermovie.py
+++ b/examples/Chambers2013/scattermovie.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def update(self,frame):
 
         return self.slist
 
-sim = swiftest.Simulation(read_old_output=True)
+sim = swiftest.Simulation(read_data=True)
 print('Making animation')
 anim = AnimatedScatter(sim.data,sim.param)
 print('Animation finished')
diff --git a/python/swiftest/swiftest/simulation_class.py b/python/swiftest/swiftest/simulation_class.py
index f5db48733..4e9368b72 100644
--- a/python/swiftest/swiftest/simulation_class.py
+++ b/python/swiftest/swiftest/simulation_class.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class Simulation:
     This is a class that defines the basic Swift/Swifter/Swiftest simulation object
     """
 
-    def __init__(self,read_param: bool = False, read_old_output: bool = False, simdir: os.PathLike | str = "simdata", **kwargs: Any):
+    def __init__(self,read_param: bool = False, read_data: bool = False, simdir: os.PathLike | str = "simdata", **kwargs: Any):
         """
 
         Parameters
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def __init__(self,read_param: bool = False, read_old_output: bool = False, simdi
                   inside the current working directory, which can be changed by passing `param_file` as an argument.
                 - The argument has an equivalent parameter or set of parameters in the parameter input file.
             3. Default values (see below)
-        read_old_output : bool, default False
+        read_data : bool, default False
             If true, read in a pre-existing binary input file given by the argument `output_file_name` if it exists.
             Parameter input file equivalent: None
         simdir : PathLike, default `"simdir"`
@@ -341,8 +341,8 @@ def __init__(self,read_param: bool = False, read_old_output: bool = False, simdi
         # If the user asks to read in an old parameter file or output file, override any default parameters with values from the file
         # If the file doesn't exist, flag it for now so we know to create it
         param_file_found = False
-        if read_param or read_old_output:
-            if self.read_param(read_init_cond = not read_old_output):
+        if read_param or read_data:
+            if self.read_param(read_init_cond = not read_data):
                 # We will add the parameter file to the kwarg list. This will keep the set_parameter method from
                 # overriding everything with defaults when there are no arguments passed to Simulation()
                 kwargs['param_file'] = self.param_file
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ def __init__(self,read_param: bool = False, read_old_output: bool = False, simdi
             self.write_param()
 
         # Read in an old simulation file if requested
-        if read_old_output:
+        if read_data:
             binpath = os.path.join(self.simdir, self.param['BIN_OUT'])
             if os.path.exists(binpath):
                 self.read_output_file()
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ def set_parameter(self, verbose: bool = True, **kwargs):
             "init_cond_file_type": "NETCDF_DOUBLE",
             "init_cond_file_name": None,
             "init_cond_format": "EL",
-            "read_old_output": False,
+            "read_data": False,
             "output_file_type": "NETCDF_DOUBLE",
             "output_file_name": None,
             "output_format": "XVEL",