diff --git a/zerver/lib/message_cache.py b/zerver/lib/message_cache.py
index 2599ff0ad5..9250b227b7 100644
--- a/zerver/lib/message_cache.py
+++ b/zerver/lib/message_cache.py
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ def stringify_message_dict(message_dict: Dict[str, Any]) -> bytes:
 
 
 @cache_with_key(to_dict_cache_key, timeout=3600 * 24)
-def message_to_dict_json(message: Message, realm_id: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
-    return MessageDict.to_dict_uncached([message], realm_id)[message.id]
+def message_to_encoded_cache(message: Message, realm_id: Optional[int] = None) -> bytes:
+    return MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache([message], realm_id)[message.id]
 
 
 def update_message_cache(
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def update_message_cache(
     messages)."""
     items_for_remote_cache = {}
     message_ids = []
-    changed_messages_to_dict = MessageDict.to_dict_uncached(changed_messages, realm_id)
+    changed_messages_to_dict = MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache(changed_messages, realm_id)
     for msg_id, msg in changed_messages_to_dict.items():
         message_ids.append(msg_id)
         key = to_dict_cache_key_id(msg_id)
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ class MessageDict:
         to our message object, with the side effect of
         populating the cache.
         """
-        json = message_to_dict_json(message, realm_id)
-        obj = extract_message_dict(json)
+        encoded_object_bytes = message_to_encoded_cache(message, realm_id)
+        obj = extract_message_dict(encoded_object_bytes)
 
         """
         The steps below are similar to what we do in
@@ -272,15 +272,15 @@ class MessageDict:
         return sew_messages_and_reactions(messages, reactions)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def to_dict_uncached(
+    def messages_to_encoded_cache(
         messages: Collection[Message], realm_id: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> Dict[int, bytes]:
-        messages_dict = MessageDict.to_dict_uncached_helper(messages, realm_id)
+        messages_dict = MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache_helper(messages, realm_id)
         encoded_messages = {msg["id"]: stringify_message_dict(msg) for msg in messages_dict}
         return encoded_messages
 
     @staticmethod
-    def to_dict_uncached_helper(
+    def messages_to_encoded_cache_helper(
         messages: Collection[Message], realm_id: Optional[int] = None
     ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
         # Near duplicate of the build_message_dict + get_raw_db_rows
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_message_dict.py b/zerver/tests/test_message_dict.py
index 35d1747f5c..9b08882015 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_message_dict.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_message_dict.py
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ class MessageDictTest(ZulipTestCase):
             msg_id: int, apply_markdown: bool, client_gravatar: bool
         ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             msg = reload_message(msg_id)
-            unhydrated_dict = MessageDict.to_dict_uncached_helper([msg])[0]
+            unhydrated_dict = MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache_helper([msg])[0]
             # The next step mutates the dict in place
             # for performance reasons.
             MessageDict.post_process_dicts(
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ class MessageDictTest(ZulipTestCase):
             return Message.objects.get(id=msg_id)
 
         def assert_topic_links(links: List[Dict[str, str]], msg: Message) -> None:
-            dct = MessageDict.to_dict_uncached_helper([msg])[0]
+            dct = MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache_helper([msg])[0]
             self.assertEqual(dct[TOPIC_LINKS], links)
 
         # Send messages before and after saving the realm filter from each user.
diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_message_edit.py b/zerver/tests/test_message_edit.py
index c4d282ec20..5ff6513aaa 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_message_edit.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_message_edit.py
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@ class EditMessagePayloadTest(EditMessageTestCase):
 
 
 class EditMessageTest(EditMessageTestCase):
-    def test_query_count_on_to_dict_uncached(self) -> None:
-        # `to_dict_uncached` method is used by the mechanisms
+    def test_query_count_on_messages_to_encoded_cache(self) -> None:
+        # `messages_to_encoded_cache` method is used by the mechanisms
         # tested in this class. Hence, its performance is tested here.
         # Generate 2 messages
         user = self.example_user("hamlet")
@@ -288,12 +288,12 @@ class EditMessageTest(EditMessageTestCase):
         # 1 query for linkifiers
         # 1 query for display recipients
         with self.assert_database_query_count(7):
-            MessageDict.to_dict_uncached(messages)
+            MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache(messages)
 
         realm_id = 2  # Fetched from stream object
         # Check number of queries performed with realm_id
         with self.assert_database_query_count(3):
-            MessageDict.to_dict_uncached(messages, realm_id)
+            MessageDict.messages_to_encoded_cache(messages, realm_id)
 
     def test_save_message(self) -> None:
         """This is also tested by a client test, but here we can verify