diff --git a/.changeset/happy-balloons-smell.md b/.changeset/happy-balloons-smell.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..74b1f34230
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/happy-balloons-smell.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-bazaar': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-code-coverage-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-jenkins': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-jenkins-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-tech-insights-backend': patch
+'@backstage/plugin-todo-backend': patch
+---
+
+Remove usages of `EntityRef` and `parseEntityName` from `@backstage/catalog-model`
diff --git a/.changeset/slow-waves-press.md b/.changeset/slow-waves-press.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2a06df58e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/slow-waves-press.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+'@backstage/catalog-model': patch
+---
+
+**DEPRECATED**: The `EntityRef` type and `parseEntityName` function are now
+deprecated, and will soon be removed. This is part of a larger movement toward
+fixing the poorly named `EntityName` type which should instead have been named
+`EntityRef`. Please remove any usage of these as soon as possible.
diff --git a/packages/catalog-model/api-report.md b/packages/catalog-model/api-report.md
index 0afe87e709..5d8540d3cd 100644
--- a/packages/catalog-model/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/catalog-model/api-report.md
@@ -69,7 +69,14 @@ export class CommonValidatorFunctions {
 // @public @deprecated
 export function compareEntityToRef(
   entity: Entity,
-  ref: EntityRef | EntityName,
+  ref:
+    | string
+    | {
+        kind?: string;
+        namespace?: string;
+        name: string;
+      }
+    | EntityName,
   context?: {
     defaultKind?: string;
     defaultNamespace?: string;
@@ -212,7 +219,7 @@ export type EntityPolicy = {
   enforce(entity: Entity): Promise<Entity | undefined>;
 };
 
-// @public
+// @public @deprecated
 export type EntityRef =
   | string
   | {
@@ -384,9 +391,15 @@ export class NoForeignRootFieldsEntityPolicy implements EntityPolicy {
 export const ORIGIN_LOCATION_ANNOTATION =
   'backstage.io/managed-by-origin-location';
 
-// @public
+// @public @deprecated
 export function parseEntityName(
-  ref: EntityRef,
+  ref:
+    | string
+    | {
+        kind?: string;
+        namespace?: string;
+        name: string;
+      },
   context?: {
     defaultKind?: string;
     defaultNamespace?: string;
@@ -395,7 +408,13 @@ export function parseEntityName(
 
 // @public
 export function parseEntityRef(
-  ref: EntityRef,
+  ref:
+    | string
+    | {
+        kind?: string;
+        namespace?: string;
+        name: string;
+      },
   context?: {
     defaultKind: string;
     defaultNamespace: string;
@@ -404,7 +423,13 @@ export function parseEntityRef(
 
 // @public
 export function parseEntityRef(
-  ref: EntityRef,
+  ref:
+    | string
+    | {
+        kind?: string;
+        namespace?: string;
+        name: string;
+      },
   context?: {
     defaultKind: string;
   },
@@ -416,7 +441,13 @@ export function parseEntityRef(
 
 // @public
 export function parseEntityRef(
-  ref: EntityRef,
+  ref:
+    | string
+    | {
+        kind?: string;
+        namespace?: string;
+        name: string;
+      },
   context?: {
     defaultNamespace: string;
   },