diff --git a/atom/common/keyboad_util.cc b/atom/common/keyboad_util.cc
index 29d1a800c859..7d7c5d99fabe 100644
--- a/atom/common/keyboad_util.cc
+++ b/atom/common/keyboad_util.cc
@@ -2,12 +2,13 @@
 // Use of this source code is governed by the MIT license that can be
 // found in the LICENSE file.
 
+#include <string>
 #include "atom/common/keyboad_util.h"
 
 namespace atom {
 
 // Return key code of the char.
-ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(char c, bool* shifted) {
+ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(base::char16 c, bool* shifted) {
   *shifted = false;
   switch (c) {
     case 0x08: return ui::VKEY_BACK;
@@ -71,4 +72,28 @@ ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(char c, bool* shifted) {
   }
 }
 
+// Return key code of the char.
+ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromKeyIdentifier(const std::string& chr) {
+  if (chr == "enter")        return ui::VKEY_RETURN;
+  if (chr == "backspace")    return ui::VKEY_BACK;
+  if (chr == "delete")       return ui::VKEY_DELETE;
+  if (chr == "tab")          return ui::VKEY_TAB;
+  if (chr == "escape")       return ui::VKEY_ESCAPE;
+  if (chr == "control")      return ui::VKEY_CONTROL;
+  if (chr == "alt")          return ui::VKEY_MENU;
+  if (chr == "shift")        return ui::VKEY_SHIFT;
+  if (chr == "end")          return ui::VKEY_END;
+  if (chr == "home")         return ui::VKEY_HOME;
+  if (chr == "insert")       return ui::VKEY_INSERT;
+  if (chr == "left")         return ui::VKEY_LEFT;
+  if (chr == "up")           return ui::VKEY_UP;
+  if (chr == "right")        return ui::VKEY_RIGHT;
+  if (chr == "down")         return ui::VKEY_DOWN;
+  if (chr == "pageup")       return ui::VKEY_PRIOR;
+  if (chr == "pagedown")     return ui::VKEY_NEXT;
+  if (chr == "printscreen")  return ui::VKEY_SNAPSHOT;
+
+  return ui::VKEY_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
 }  // namespace atom
diff --git a/atom/common/keyboad_util.h b/atom/common/keyboad_util.h
index 0496886e40bd..4a85c190635d 100644
--- a/atom/common/keyboad_util.h
+++ b/atom/common/keyboad_util.h
@@ -5,13 +5,18 @@
 #ifndef ATOM_COMMON_KEYBOAD_UTIL_H_
 #define ATOM_COMMON_KEYBOAD_UTIL_H_
 
+#include <string>
 #include "ui/events/keycodes/keyboard_codes.h"
+#include "base/strings/string_util.h"
 
 namespace atom {
 
 // Return key code of the char, and also determine whether the SHIFT key is
 // pressed.
-ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(char c, bool* shifted);
+ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(base::char16 c, bool* shifted);
+
+// Return key code of the char from a string representation of the char
+ui::KeyboardCode KeyboardCodeFromKeyIdentifier(const std::string& chr);
 
 }  // namespace atom
 
diff --git a/atom/common/native_mate_converters/blink_converter.cc b/atom/common/native_mate_converters/blink_converter.cc
index fcfc8905b3e2..2c871276ba26 100644
--- a/atom/common/native_mate_converters/blink_converter.cc
+++ b/atom/common/native_mate_converters/blink_converter.cc
@@ -159,10 +159,17 @@ bool Converter<blink::WebKeyboardEvent>::FromV8(
   if (!ConvertFromV8(isolate, val, static_cast<blink::WebInputEvent*>(out)))
     return false;
   base::char16 code;
-  if (!dict.Get("keyCode", &code))
-    return false;
+  std::string identifier;
   bool shifted = false;
-  out->windowsKeyCode = atom::KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(code, &shifted);
+
+  if (dict.Get("keyCode", &code))
+    out->windowsKeyCode = atom::KeyboardCodeFromCharCode(code, &shifted);
+  else if (dict.Get("keyCode", &identifier))
+    out->windowsKeyCode = atom::KeyboardCodeFromKeyIdentifier(
+      base::StringToLowerASCII(identifier));
+  else
+    return false;
+
   if (shifted)
     out->modifiers |= blink::WebInputEvent::ShiftKey;
   out->setKeyIdentifierFromWindowsKeyCode();
diff --git a/docs/api/web-contents.md b/docs/api/web-contents.md
index 1c73c5713fa1..0988d25276f4 100644
--- a/docs/api/web-contents.md
+++ b/docs/api/web-contents.md
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ Disable device emulation enabled by `webContents.enableDeviceEmulation`.
 * `event` Object
   * `type` String (**required**) - The type of the event, can be `mouseDown`,
     `mouseUp`, `mouseEnter`, `mouseLeave`, `contextMenu`, `mouseWheel`,
-    `keyDown`, `keyUp`, `char`.
+    `mouseMove`, `keyDown`, `keyUp`, `char`.
   * `modifiers` Array - An array of modifiers of the event, can
     include `shift`, `control`, `alt`, `meta`, `isKeypad`, `isAutoRepeat`,
     `leftButtonDown`, `middleButtonDown`, `rightButtonDown`, `capsLock`,
@@ -600,8 +600,11 @@ Sends an input `event` to the page.
 
 For keyboard events, the `event` object also have following properties:
 
-* `keyCode` String (**required**) - A single character that will be sent as
-  keyboard event. Can be any UTF-8 character.
+* `keyCode` Char or String (**required**) - The character that will be sent
+  as the keyboard event. Can be a single UTF-8 character, or the name of the
+  key that generates the event. Accepted key names are `enter`, `backspace`,
+  `delete`, `tab`, `escape`, `control`, `alt`, `shift`, `end`, `home`, `insert`,
+  `left`, `up`, `right`, `down`, `pageUp`, `pageDown`, `printScreen`
 
 For mouse events, the `event` object also have following properties: