diff --git a/git/diff.py b/git/diff.py
index c1a5bd26f..b3f1b77bf 100644
--- a/git/diff.py
+++ b/git/diff.py
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ def diff(
         if not any(x in kwargs for x in ('find_renames', 'no_renames', 'M')):
             args.append("-M")
 
-        if create_patch:
+        name_only = 'name-only' in kwargs
+        if not name_only and create_patch:
             args.append("-p")
         else:
             args.append("--raw")
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ def diff(
         elif other is NULL_TREE:
             args.insert(0, "-r")  # recursive diff-tree
             args.insert(0, "--root")
+            Diff.is_first = True
             diff_cmd = self.repo.git.diff_tree
         elif other is not None:
             args.insert(0, "-r")  # recursive diff-tree
@@ -187,7 +189,14 @@ def diff(
         kwargs["as_process"] = True
         proc = diff_cmd(*self._process_diff_args(args), **kwargs)
 
-        diff_method = Diff._index_from_patch_format if create_patch else Diff._index_from_raw_format
+        cmdline = getattr(proc, 'args', '')  # PY3+ only
+
+        if '--name-only' in cmdline:
+            diff_method = Diff._index_from_name_only_format
+        elif create_patch:
+            diff_method = Diff._index_from_patch_format
+        else:
+            diff_method = Diff._index_from_raw_format
         index = diff_method(self.repo, proc)
 
         proc.wait()
@@ -569,6 +578,38 @@ def _index_from_patch_format(cls, repo: "Repo", proc: Union["Popen", "Git.AutoIn
 
         return index
 
+    is_first = False
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _index_from_name_only_format(cls, repo, proc):
+        """Create a new DiffIndex from the given text which must be in name only format
+        :param repo: is the repository we are operating on - it is required
+        :param stream: result of 'git diff' as a stream (supporting file protocol)
+        :return: git.DiffIndex """
+
+        index = DiffIndex()
+
+        def handle_diff_line_name_only(lines):
+            lines = lines.decode(defenc)
+
+            for line in lines.split('\x00'):
+                path = line.strip()
+                if len(path) == 0:
+                    continue
+                if cls.is_first:
+                    cls.is_first = False
+                    continue
+
+                a_path = path.encode(defenc)
+                b_path = path.encode(defenc)
+                index.append(Diff(repo, a_path, b_path, None, None, None, None,
+                                  False, False, None, None, None,
+                                  '', None, None))
+
+        handle_process_output(proc, handle_diff_line_name_only, None, finalize_process, decode_streams=False)
+
+        return index
+
     @staticmethod
     def _handle_diff_line(lines_bytes: bytes, repo: "Repo", index: DiffIndex) -> None:
         lines = lines_bytes.decode(defenc)
diff --git a/test/test_diff.py b/test/test_diff.py
index 504337744..c6c2ca36f 100644
--- a/test/test_diff.py
+++ b/test/test_diff.py
@@ -263,6 +263,36 @@ def test_diff_initial_commit(self):
         self.assertIsNotNone(diff_index[0].new_file)
         self.assertEqual(diff_index[0].diff, fixture("diff_initial"))
 
+    def test_diff_initial_commit_name_only(self):
+        initial_commit = self.rorepo.commit('33ebe7acec14b25c5f84f35a664803fcab2f7781')
+
+        # Without creating a patch...
+        diff_index = initial_commit.diff(NULL_TREE, **{'name-only': True})
+        self.assertEqual(diff_index[0].a_path, 'CHANGES')
+        self.assertEqual(diff_index[0].b_path, 'CHANGES')
+
+        # ...and with creating a patch
+        diff_index = initial_commit.diff(NULL_TREE, create_patch=True, **{'name-only': True})
+        self.assertEqual(diff_index[0].a_path, 'CHANGES')
+        self.assertEqual(diff_index[0].b_path, 'CHANGES')
+
+    def test_diff_between_commit_name_only(self):
+        initial_commit = self.rorepo.commit('33ebe7acec14b25c5f84f35a664803fcab2f7781')
+        new_commit = self.rorepo.commit('1f66cfbbce58b4b552b041707a12d437cc5f400a')
+
+        # Without creating a patch...
+        diff_index = initial_commit.diff(new_commit, **{'name-only': True})
+
+        files = {'lib/git_python/diff.py', 'lib/git_python/git.py', 'lib/git_python/repo.py',
+                 'test/git/test_repo.py', 'README'}
+
+        for diff in diff_index:
+            self.assertTrue(diff.a_path in files)
+            self.assertTrue(diff.b_path in files)
+            files.remove(diff.b_path)
+
+        self.assertTrue(len(files) == 0)
+
     def test_diff_unsafe_paths(self):
         output = StringProcessAdapter(fixture("diff_patch_unsafe_paths"))
         res = Diff._index_from_patch_format(None, output)