diff --git a/core/modules/comment/comment.module b/core/modules/comment/comment.module
index 1a3580f..ec96c0c 100644
--- a/core/modules/comment/comment.module
+++ b/core/modules/comment/comment.module
@@ -1747,13 +1747,15 @@ function comment_form($form, &$form_state, $comment) {
 
   // Add the author name field depending on the current user.
   if ($is_admin) {
+    $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+    $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
     $form['author']['name'] = array(
       '#type' => 'textfield',
       '#title' => t('Authored by'),
       '#default_value' => $author,
       '#maxlength' => 60,
       '#size' => 30,
-      '#description' => t('Leave blank for %anonymous.', array('%anonymous' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')))),
+      '#description' => t('Leave blank for %anonymous.', array('%anonymous' => $anonymous_name)),
       '#autocomplete_path' => 'user/autocomplete',
     );
   }
@@ -1914,7 +1916,8 @@ function comment_preview($comment) {
       $comment->picture = $account->picture;
     }
     elseif (empty($comment->name)) {
-      $comment->name = variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous'));
+      $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+      $comment->name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
     }
 
     $comment->created = !empty($comment->created) ? $comment->created : REQUEST_TIME;
@@ -2002,7 +2005,8 @@ function comment_submit($comment) {
   // If the comment was posted by an anonymous user and no author name was
   // required, use "Anonymous" by default.
   if ($comment->is_anonymous && (!isset($comment->name) || $comment->name === '')) {
-    $comment->name = variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous'));
+    $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+    $comment->name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
   }
 
   // Validate the comment's subject. If not specified, extract from comment body.
diff --git a/core/modules/comment/comment.tokens.inc b/core/modules/comment/comment.tokens.inc
index 1c6a7ee..70b4fe2 100644
--- a/core/modules/comment/comment.tokens.inc
+++ b/core/modules/comment/comment.tokens.inc
@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ function comment_tokens($type, $tokens, array $data = array(), array $options =
           break;
 
         case 'name':
-          $name = ($comment->uid == 0) ? variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')) : $comment->name;
+          $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+          $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
+          $name = ($comment->uid == 0) ? $anonymous_name : $comment->name;
           $replacements[$original] = $sanitize ? filter_xss($name) : $name;
           break;
 
diff --git a/core/modules/node/node.pages.inc b/core/modules/node/node.pages.inc
index 4e94b26..f17108b 100644
--- a/core/modules/node/node.pages.inc
+++ b/core/modules/node/node.pages.inc
@@ -246,6 +246,8 @@ function node_form($form, &$form_state, $node) {
   );
 
   // Node author information for administrators
+  $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
   $form['author'] = array(
     '#type' => 'fieldset',
     '#access' => user_access('administer nodes'),
@@ -258,10 +260,10 @@ function node_form($form, &$form_state, $node) {
     ),
     '#attached' => array(
       'js' => array(
-        drupal_get_path('module', 'node') . '/node.js',
+        drupal_get_path('module', 'node') . '/node.js',        
         array(
           'type' => 'setting',
-          'data' => array('anonymous' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous'))),
+          'data' => array('anonymous' => $anonymous_name),
         ),
       ),
     ),
@@ -274,7 +276,7 @@ function node_form($form, &$form_state, $node) {
     '#autocomplete_path' => 'user/autocomplete',
     '#default_value' => !empty($node->name) ? $node->name : '',
     '#weight' => -1,
-    '#description' => t('Leave blank for %anonymous.', array('%anonymous' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')))),
+    '#description' => t('Leave blank for %anonymous.', array('%anonymous' => $anonymous_name)),
   );
   $form['author']['date'] = array(
     '#type' => 'textfield',
diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.api.php b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
index 00c75c7..a9ef88c 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.api.php
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.api.php
@@ -3842,7 +3842,9 @@ function hook_tokens($type, $tokens, array $data = array(), array $options = arr
 
         // Default values for the chained tokens handled below.
         case 'author':
-          $name = ($node->uid == 0) ? variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')) : $node->name;
+          $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+          $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
+          $name = ($node->uid == 0) ? $anonymous_name : $node->name;
           $replacements[$original] = $sanitize ? filter_xss($name) : $name;
           break;
 
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();
+  $config->save();
+}
+
+/**
  * @} End of "addtogroup updates-7.x-to-8.x"
  */
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.module b/core/modules/user/user.module
index 865f17b..1c8b186 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.module
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.module
@@ -774,6 +774,8 @@ function user_is_blocked($name) {
  * Implements hook_permission().
  */
 function user_permission() {
+  $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
   return array(
     'administer permissions' =>  array(
       'title' => t('Administer permissions'),
@@ -791,7 +793,7 @@ function user_permission() {
     ),
     'cancel account' => array(
       'title' => t('Cancel own user account'),
-      'description' => t('Note: content may be kept, unpublished, deleted or transferred to the %anonymous-name user depending on the configured <a href="@user-settings-url">user settings</a>.', array('%anonymous-name' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')), '@user-settings-url' => url('admin/config/people/accounts'))),
+      'description' => t('Note: content may be kept, unpublished, deleted or transferred to the %anonymous-name user depending on the configured <a href="@user-settings-url">user settings</a>.', array('%anonymous-name' => $anonymous_name, '@user-settings-url' => url('admin/config/people/accounts'))),
     ),
     'select account cancellation method' => array(
       'title' => t('Select method for cancelling own account'),
@@ -1367,7 +1369,9 @@ function user_preprocess_block(&$variables) {
  *   printed to the page.
  */
 function user_format_name($account) {
-  $name = !empty($account->name) ? $account->name : variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous'));
+  $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
+  $name = !empty($account->name) ? $account->name : $anonymous_name;
   drupal_alter('user_format_name', $name, $account);
   return $name;
 }
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.pages.inc b/core/modules/user/user.pages.inc
index c54bd4c..654e942 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.pages.inc
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.pages.inc
@@ -426,6 +426,8 @@ function user_cancel_confirm_form_submit($form, &$form_state) {
  * @see user_multiple_cancel_confirm()
  */
 function user_cancel_methods() {
+  $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+  $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
   $methods = array(
     'user_cancel_block' => array(
       'title' => t('Disable the account and keep its content.'),
@@ -436,8 +438,8 @@ function user_cancel_methods() {
       'description' => t('Your account will be blocked and you will no longer be able to log in. All of your content will be hidden from everyone but administrators.'),
     ),
     'user_cancel_reassign' => array(
-      'title' => t('Delete the account and make its content belong to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')))),
-      'description' => t('Your account will be removed and all account information deleted. All of your content will be assigned to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')))),
+      'title' => t('Delete the account and make its content belong to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => $anonymous_name)),
+      'description' => t('Your account will be removed and all account information deleted. All of your content will be assigned to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => $anonymous_name)),
     ),
     'user_cancel_delete' => array(
       'title' => t('Delete the account and its content.'),
diff --git a/core/modules/user/user.test b/core/modules/user/user.test
index 3a07e1c..0ceafb3 100644
--- a/core/modules/user/user.test
+++ b/core/modules/user/user.test
@@ -674,7 +674,9 @@ class UserCancelTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
     $this->drupalGet('user/' . $account->uid . '/edit');
     $this->drupalPost(NULL, NULL, t('Cancel account'));
     $this->assertText(t('Are you sure you want to cancel your account?'), t('Confirmation form to cancel account displayed.'));
-    $this->assertRaw(t('Your account will be removed and all account information deleted. All of your content will be assigned to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => variable_get('anonymous', t('Anonymous')))), t('Informs that all content will be attributed to anonymous account.'));
+    $account_settings_config = config('user.account_settings');
+    $anonymous_name = $account_settings_config->get('anonymous');
+    $this->assertRaw(t('Your account will be removed and all account information deleted. All of your content will be assigned to the %anonymous-name user.', array('%anonymous-name' => $anonymous_name)), t('Informs that all content will be attributed to anonymous account.'));
 
     // Confirm account cancellation.
     $timestamp = time();