diff --git a/named_fields.go b/named_fields.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c14549c90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/named_fields.go
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+package sqlx
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/jmoiron/sqlx/reflectx"
+)
+
+// NamedFields returns the ordered column names implied by arg for use with
+// named queries. arg may be a struct (or pointer to struct) using `db` tags
+// (same rules as NamedExec / StructScan), or a map[string]T.
+//
+// Embedded structs are flattened; fields tagged `db:"-"` are skipped.
+// Map keys are returned in an unspecified order.
+//
+// See NamedInsertFields and NamedUpdateFields for ready-made SQL fragments.
+func NamedFields(arg interface{}) ([]string, error) {
+	return namedFields(arg, mapper())
+}
+
+func namedFields(arg interface{}, m *reflectx.Mapper) ([]string, error) {
+	if arg == nil {
+		return nil, errors.New("NamedFields: nil argument")
+	}
+	v := reflect.ValueOf(arg)
+	for v.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+		if v.IsNil() {
+			return nil, errors.New("NamedFields: nil pointer")
+		}
+		v = v.Elem()
+	}
+	switch v.Kind() {
+	case reflect.Map:
+		if v.Type().Key().Kind() != reflect.String {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("NamedFields: map key type must be string, got %s", v.Type().Key())
+		}
+		keys := v.MapKeys()
+		names := make([]string, 0, len(keys))
+		for _, k := range keys {
+			names = append(names, k.String())
+		}
+		return names, nil
+	case reflect.Struct:
+		tm := m.TypeMap(v.Type())
+		names := make([]string, 0, len(tm.Index))
+		seen := make(map[string]struct{}, len(tm.Index))
+		for _, fi := range tm.Index {
+			if fi == nil || fi.Embedded {
+				continue
+			}
+			if fi.Name == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			// Traversal-only nodes / anonymous parents appear in Index;
+			// Names map holds the leaf bind names we care about.
+			if _, ok := tm.Names[fi.Name]; !ok {
+				continue
+			}
+			if _, ok := seen[fi.Name]; ok {
+				continue
+			}
+			seen[fi.Name] = struct{}{}
+			names = append(names, fi.Name)
+		}
+		// Prefer stable order from Names iteration via Index order above.
+		// If Index yielded nothing (unusual), fall back to Names.
+		if len(names) == 0 {
+			for name := range tm.Names {
+				names = append(names, name)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(names) == 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("NamedFields: struct %s has no exported db fields", v.Type())
+		}
+		return names, nil
+	default:
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("NamedFields: expected struct or map, got %s", v.Kind())
+	}
+}
+
+// NamedInsertFields returns the column list and named placeholder list for an
+// INSERT statement driven by arg's fields, e.g.
+//
+//	cols, vals, err := sqlx.NamedInsertFields(client)
+//	// cols == "id, client_name, client_secret"
+//	// vals == ":id, :client_name, :client_secret"
+//	db.NamedExec("INSERT INTO client ("+cols+") VALUES ("+vals+")", client)
+//
+// Addresses the boilerplate described in issue #410.
+func NamedInsertFields(arg interface{}) (columns, placeholders string, err error) {
+	names, err := NamedFields(arg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", "", err
+	}
+	cols := strings.Join(names, ", ")
+	ph := make([]string, len(names))
+	for i, n := range names {
+		ph[i] = ":" + n
+	}
+	return cols, strings.Join(ph, ", "), nil
+}
+
+// NamedUpdateFields returns a SET clause of the form "col=:col, ..." for
+// UPDATE statements driven by arg's fields.
+//
+//	set, err := sqlx.NamedUpdateFields(client)
+//	db.NamedExec("UPDATE client SET "+set+" WHERE id=:id", client)
+func NamedUpdateFields(arg interface{}) (string, error) {
+	names, err := NamedFields(arg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	parts := make([]string, len(names))
+	for i, n := range names {
+		parts[i] = n + "=:" + n
+	}
+	return strings.Join(parts, ", "), nil
+}
diff --git a/named_fields_test.go b/named_fields_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c529e92c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/named_fields_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package sqlx
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestNamedFieldsStruct(t *testing.T) {
+	type Client struct {
+		ID     string `db:"id"`
+		Name   string `db:"client_name"`
+		Secret string `db:"client_secret"`
+		Skip   string `db:"-"`
+		Plain  string // lowercased via NameMapper
+	}
+	c := Client{ID: "1", Name: "n", Secret: "s", Plain: "p"}
+	names, err := NamedFields(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// expect id, client_name, client_secret, plain — not Skip
+	joined := strings.Join(names, ",")
+	for _, want := range []string{"id", "client_name", "client_secret", "plain"} {
+		found := false
+		for _, n := range names {
+			if n == want {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			t.Fatalf("missing %q in %v (%s)", want, names, joined)
+		}
+	}
+	for _, n := range names {
+		if n == "skip" || n == "Skip" {
+			t.Fatalf("db:\"-\" field should be omitted: %v", names)
+		}
+	}
+
+	cols, vals, err := NamedInsertFields(&c)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(cols, "client_name") || !strings.Contains(vals, ":client_name") {
+		t.Fatalf("insert fields cols=%q vals=%q", cols, vals)
+	}
+	// placeholders must match columns 1:1
+	if strings.Count(cols, ",")+1 != strings.Count(vals, ",")+1 {
+		t.Fatalf("col/ph count mismatch: %q vs %q", cols, vals)
+	}
+
+	set, err := NamedUpdateFields(c)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(set, "id=:id") || !strings.Contains(set, "client_name=:client_name") {
+		t.Fatalf("update fields: %q", set)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNamedFieldsMap(t *testing.T) {
+	m := map[string]interface{}{"a": 1, "b": 2}
+	names, err := NamedFields(m)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(names) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("%v", names)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestNamedFieldsErrors(t *testing.T) {
+	if _, err := NamedFields(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected nil error")
+	}
+	if _, err := NamedFields(42); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected non-struct error")
+	}
+	type empty struct {
+		hidden int
+	}
+	if _, err := NamedFields(empty{}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected no-fields error")
+	}
+}