diff --git a/filename.go b/filename.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..923fb2f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filename.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package raft
+
+import (
+	"io/fs"
+)
+
+// fileName returns the file-name of an fs.File.
+func fileName(file fs.File) (string, error) {
+
+	if nil == file {
+		return "", errNilFile
+	}
+
+	var fileinfo fs.FileInfo
+	{
+		var err error
+
+		fileinfo, err = fileInfo(file)
+		if nil != err {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	}
+
+	return fileinfo.Name(), nil
+}