diff --git a/cibuildwheel/options.py b/cibuildwheel/options.py
index 2345f18d..afac21d0 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/options.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/options.py
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ from cibuildwheel.typing import PLATFORMS, PlatformName
 from cibuildwheel.util import resources
 from cibuildwheel.util.helpers import (
     format_safe,
+    parse_arbitrary_key_value_string,
     parse_key_value_string,
-    parse_kw_string,
     strtobool,
     unwrap,
 )
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ def parse_inherit(config: str | dict[str, str] | None) -> dict[str, InheritRule]
         return {}
 
     if isinstance(config, str):
-        parsed = parse_kw_string(config, default_kw_value="append")
+        parsed = parse_arbitrary_key_value_string(config, default_value="append")
         inherit_dict = {k: "".join(v) for k, v in parsed.items()}
     elif isinstance(config, dict):
         inherit_dict = config
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ class Options:
             if xbuild_tools == ["\u0000"]:
                 xbuild_tools = None
 
-            xbuild_files = parse_kw_string(
+            xbuild_files = parse_arbitrary_key_value_string(
                 self.reader.get(
                     "xbuild-files",
                     option_format=ShlexTableFormat(sep="; ", pair_sep=":", allow_merge=False),
diff --git a/cibuildwheel/util/helpers.py b/cibuildwheel/util/helpers.py
index 659df935..1121c724 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/util/helpers.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/util/helpers.py
@@ -147,7 +147,9 @@ def parse_key_value_string(
     return dict(result)
 
 
-def parse_kw_string(kw_string: str, default_kw_value: str | None = None) -> dict[str, list[str]]:
+def parse_arbitrary_key_value_string(
+    key_value_string: str, default_value: str | None = None
+) -> dict[str, list[str]]:
     """
     Parses a string like
 
@@ -159,9 +161,9 @@ def parse_kw_string(kw_string: str, default_kw_value: str | None = None) -> dict
 
     No positional arguments are allowed. Words without a colon attached are
     interpreted as keys. Keys without a value will be assigned the
-    default_kw_value if provided, otherwise an empty list.
+    default_value if provided, otherwise throw an error.
     """
-    shlexer = shlex.shlex(kw_string, posix=True, punctuation_chars=";")
+    shlexer = shlex.shlex(key_value_string, posix=True, punctuation_chars=";")
     shlexer.commenters = ""
     shlexer.whitespace_split = True
     parts = list(shlexer)
@@ -180,12 +182,12 @@ def parse_kw_string(kw_string: str, default_kw_value: str | None = None) -> dict
             result[field_name] += values
         else:
             # no colon, so it's a key (or set of keys) without values
-            if default_kw_value is None:
-                msg = f"Failed to parse {kw_string!r}. No value specified for {field_name!r}. Expected ':' followed by a value."
+            if default_value is None:
+                msg = f"Failed to parse {key_value_string!r}. No value specified for {field_name!r}. Expected ':' followed by a value."
                 raise ValueError(msg)
 
             for key in field:
-                result[key].append(default_kw_value)
+                result[key].append(default_value)
 
     return dict(result)
 
diff --git a/unit_test/utils_test.py b/unit_test/utils_test.py
index 189f4262..dc106d3c 100644
--- a/unit_test/utils_test.py
+++ b/unit_test/utils_test.py
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ from cibuildwheel.util.file import copy_test_sources, remove_on_error
 from cibuildwheel.util.helpers import (
     FlexibleVersion,
     format_safe,
+    parse_arbitrary_key_value_string,
     parse_key_value_string,
-    parse_kw_string,
     prepare_command,
     unwrap,
     unwrap_preserving_paragraphs,
@@ -220,53 +220,57 @@ def test_parse_key_value_string_unknown_name() -> None:
         parse_key_value_string("key: value")
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_basic() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("before-test: append; after-test: prepend") == {
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_basic() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("before-test: append; after-test: prepend") == {
         "before-test": ["append"],
         "after-test": ["prepend"],
     }
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_multiple_values() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("package1: some/header.h some/library.a; package2: other/header.h") == {
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_multiple_values() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string(
+        "package1: some/header.h some/library.a; package2: other/header.h"
+    ) == {
         "package1": ["some/header.h", "some/library.a"],
         "package2": ["other/header.h"],
     }
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_keys_without_values_default() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("before-build; before-test: prepend", default_kw_value="append") == {
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_keys_without_values_default() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string(
+        "before-build; before-test: prepend", default_value="append"
+    ) == {
         "before-build": ["append"],
         "before-test": ["prepend"],
     }
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_keys_without_values_no_default() -> None:
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_keys_without_values_no_default() -> None:
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="No value specified"):
-        parse_kw_string("before-build")
+        parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("before-build")
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_empty() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("") == {}
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_empty() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("") == {}
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_duplicate_keys() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("key: val1; key: val2") == {
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_duplicate_keys() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("key: val1; key: val2") == {
         "key": ["val1", "val2"],
     }
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_key_only_with_colon() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string("key:") == {"key": []}
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_key_only_with_colon() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("key:") == {"key": []}
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_quoted_values() -> None:
-    assert parse_kw_string('key: "hello world"') == {"key": ["hello world"]}
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_quoted_values() -> None:
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string('key: "hello world"') == {"key": ["hello world"]}
 
 
-def test_parse_kw_string_multiple_bare_keys_with_default() -> None:
+def test_parse_arbitrary_key_value_string_multiple_bare_keys_with_default() -> None:
     """works, but should remain undocumented"""
-    assert parse_kw_string("a b c", default_kw_value="yes") == {
+    assert parse_arbitrary_key_value_string("a b c", default_value="yes") == {
         "a": ["yes"],
         "b": ["yes"],
         "c": ["yes"],