diff --git a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/README.md b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/README.md
index 9692605994d1e..376a7c1c889be 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/README.md
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ plugin ordering. See [CONFIGURATION.md][CONFIGURATION.md] for more details.
     ##   * idle: check the device unless it is in sleep, standby, or idle mode
     # nocheck = "standby"
 
+    ## Metric version changes the naming of tags in the smartctl_attributes
+    ## outputs. Currently "smartctl_attribute" metrics include the attribute
+    ## name in the "name" tag, and the associated device is not in any tag,
+    ## making it harder to associate them to the "smartctl" metrics.
+    ## metric_version = 2 will use the "name" tag for the the device name,
+    ## and a new "attribute" tag for the attribute name.
+    metric_version = 1
+
     ## Timeout for the cli command to complete
     # timeout = "30s"
 ```
@@ -113,7 +121,8 @@ having issues.
 - smartctl_attributes
   - tags
     - model (model name of the storage device)
-    - name (name of the attribute)
+    - name (name of the attribute - or the device id if selected by `metric_version=2`)
+    - attribute (name of the attribute - if selected by `metric_version=2`)
     - serial (serial number of the device)
     - type (device type like SATA etc)
     - wwn (world wide number of the device)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/sample.conf b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/sample.conf
index 85cd4d5624699..c7e367da4d55f 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/sample.conf
+++ b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/sample.conf
@@ -26,5 +26,13 @@
     ##   * idle: check the device unless it is in sleep, standby, or idle mode
     # nocheck = "standby"
 
+    ## Metric version changes the naming of tags in the smartctl_attributes
+    ## outputs. Currently "smartctl_attribute" metrics include the attribute
+    ## name in the "name" tag, and the associated device is not in any tag,
+    ## making it harder to associate them to the "smartctl" metrics.
+    ## metric_version = 2 will use the "name" tag for the the device name,
+    ## and a new "attribute" tag for the attribute name.
+    # metric_version = 1
+
     ## Timeout for the cli command to complete
     # timeout = "30s"
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl.go b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl.go
index b4f34ca2f58f8..27da77e839c89 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type Smartctl struct {
 	Timeout        config.Duration `toml:"timeout"`
 	DevicesInclude []string        `toml:"devices_include"`
 	DevicesExclude []string        `toml:"devices_exclude"`
+	MetricVersion  int             `toml:"metric_version"`
 	Log            telegraf.Logger `toml:"-"`
 
 	deviceFilter filter.Filter
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl_device.go b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl_device.go
index 7bbb37ef82c31..b46b0422c376b 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl_device.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/smartctl/smartctl_device.go
@@ -136,7 +136,12 @@ func (s *Smartctl) scanDevice(acc telegraf.Accumulator, deviceName, deviceType s
 		for k, v := range tags {
 			attributeTags[k] = v
 		}
-		attributeTags["name"] = attribute.Name
+
+		if s.MetricVersion == 2 {
+			attributeTags["attribute"] = attribute.Name
+		} else {
+			attributeTags["name"] = attribute.Name // overwrite device name
+		}
 
 		fields := map[string]interface{}{
 			"raw_value": attribute.Raw.Value,