diff --git a/core/modules/user/config/user.account_settings.xml b/core/modules/user/config/user.account_settings.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e7998e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/modules/user/config/user.account_settings.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<config>
+  <anonymous>Anonymous</anonymous>
+</config>
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.admin.inc b/core/modules/user/user.admin.inc
index f7d4552..a0bc8da 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.admin.inc
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.admin.inc
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ function user_admin_account_validate($form, &$form_state) {
  */
 function user_admin_settings() {
   // Settings for anonymous users.
+  $config = config('user.account_settings');
   $form['anonymous_settings'] = array(
     '#type' => 'fieldset',
     '#title' => t('Anonymous users'),
@@ -266,7 +267,7 @@ function user_admin_settings() {
   $form['anonymous_settings']['anonymous'] = array(
     '#type' => 'textfield',
     '#title' => t('Name'),
-    '#default_value' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')),
+    '#default_value' => $config->get('anonymous'),
     '#description' => t('The name used to indicate anonymous users.'),
     '#required' => TRUE,
   );
@@ -638,10 +639,20 @@ function user_admin_settings() {
     '#rows' => 3,
   );
 
+  $form['#submit'][] = 'user_admin_settings_submit';
   return system_settings_form($form);
 }
 
 /**
+ * Save account settings settings.
+ */
+function user_admin_settings_submit($form, $form_state) {
+  $config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $config->set('anonymous', $form_state['values']['anonymous']);
+  $config->save();
+}
+
+/**
  * Menu callback: administer permissions.
  *
  * @ingroup forms
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.install b/core/modules/user/user.install
index 38d78e1..1de52bc 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.install
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.install
@@ -398,5 +398,18 @@ function user_update_8001() {
 }
 
 /**
+ * Converts account settings variables to configuration system
+ *
+ * @see http://drupal.org/node/1496534
+ */
+function user_update_8002() {
+  $config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $anonymous_name = variable_get('anonymous');
+  $config->set('anonymous', $anonymous_name);
+  db_delete('variable')->condition('name', 'anonymous')->execute();
+  $config->save();
+}
+
+/**
  * @} End of "addtogroup updates-7.x-to-8.x"
  */