diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 7c4b578f4..626f65a3e 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ Collate:
     'nzchar_linter.R'
     'object_length_linter.R'
     'object_name_linter.R'
+    'object_overwrite_linter.R'
     'object_usage_linter.R'
     'one_call_pipe_linter.R'
     'outer_negation_linter.R'
diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 245d0849c..b314774e4 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export(numeric_leading_zero_linter)
 export(nzchar_linter)
 export(object_length_linter)
 export(object_name_linter)
+export(object_overwrite_linter)
 export(object_usage_linter)
 export(one_call_pipe_linter)
 export(open_curly_linter)
diff --git a/R/object_overwrite_linter.R b/R/object_overwrite_linter.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c727af898
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/object_overwrite_linter.R
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+#' Block assigning any variables whose name clashes with a `base` R function
+#'
+#' Re-using existing names creates a risk of subtle error best avoided.
+#'   Avoiding this practice also encourages using better, more descriptive names.
+#'
+#' @param packages Character vector of packages to search for names that should
+#'   be avoided. Defaults to the most common default packages: base, stats,
+#'   utils, tools, methods, graphics, and grDevices.
+#' @param allow_names Character vector of object names to ignore, i.e., which
+#'   are allowed to collide with exports from `packages`.
+#'
+#' @examples
+#' # will produce lints
+#' code <- "function(x) {\n  data <- x\n  data\n}"
+#' writeLines(code)
+#' lint(
+#'   text = code,
+#'   linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+#' )
+#'
+#' code <- "function(x) {\n  lint <- 'fun'\n  lint\n}"
+#' writeLines(code)
+#' lint(
+#'   text = code,
+#'   linters = object_overwrite_linter(packages = "lintr")
+#' )
+#'
+#' # okay
+#' code <- "function(x) {\n  data('mtcars')\n}"
+#' writeLines(code)
+#' lint(
+#'   text = code,
+#'   linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+#' )
+#'
+#' code <- "function(x) {\n  data <- x\n  data\n}"
+#' writeLines(code)
+#' lint(
+#'   text = code,
+#'   linters = object_overwrite_linter(packages = "base")
+#' )
+#'
+#' # names in function signatures are ignored
+#' lint(
+#'   text = "function(data) data <- subset(data, x > 0)",
+#'   linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+#' )
+#'
+#' @evalRd rd_tags("object_overwrite_linter")
+#' @seealso
+#'  - [linters] for a complete list of linters available in lintr.
+#'  - <https://style.tidyverse.org/syntax.html#object-names>
+#' @export
+object_overwrite_linter <- function(
+    packages = c("base", "stats", "utils", "tools", "methods", "graphics", "grDevices"),
+    allow_names = character()) {
+  for (package in packages) {
+    if (!requireNamespace(package, quietly = TRUE)) {
+      stop("Package '", package, "' is not available.")
+    }
+  }
+  pkg_exports <- lapply(
+    packages,
+    # .__C__ etc.: drop 150+ "virtual" names since they are very unlikely to appear anyway
+    function(pkg) setdiff(grep("^[.]__[A-Z]__", getNamespaceExports(pkg), value = TRUE, invert = TRUE), allow_names)
+  )
+  pkg_exports <- data.frame(
+    package = rep(packages, lengths(pkg_exports)),
+    name = unlist(pkg_exports),
+    stringsAsFactors = FALSE
+  )
+
+  # test that the symbol doesn't match an argument name in the function
+  # NB: data.table := has parse token LEFT_ASSIGN as well
+  xpath <- glue("
+    //SYMBOL[
+      not(text() = ancestor::expr/preceding-sibling::SYMBOL_FORMALS/text())
+      and ({ xp_text_in_table(pkg_exports$name) })
+    ]/
+      parent::expr[
+        count(*) = 1
+        and (
+          following-sibling::LEFT_ASSIGN[text() != ':=']
+          or following-sibling::EQ_ASSIGN
+          or preceding-sibling::RIGHT_ASSIGN
+        )
+        and ancestor::*[
+          (self::expr or self::expr_or_assign_or_help or self::equal_assign)
+          and (preceding-sibling::FUNCTION or preceding-sibling::OP-LAMBDA)
+        ]
+      ]
+  ")
+
+  Linter(function(source_expression) {
+    if (!is_lint_level(source_expression, "expression")) {
+      return(list())
+    }
+
+    xml <- source_expression$xml_parsed_content
+
+    bad_expr <- xml_find_all(xml, xpath)
+    bad_symbol <- xml_text(xml_find_first(bad_expr, "SYMBOL"))
+    source_pkg <- pkg_exports$package[match(bad_symbol, pkg_exports$name)]
+    lint_message <-
+      sprintf("'%s' is an exported object from package '%s'. Avoid re-using such symbols.", bad_symbol, source_pkg)
+
+    xml_nodes_to_lints(
+      bad_expr,
+      source_expression = source_expression,
+      lint_message = lint_message,
+      type = "warning"
+    )
+  })
+}
diff --git a/inst/lintr/linters.csv b/inst/lintr/linters.csv
index 03c1968d8..aee3578f0 100644
--- a/inst/lintr/linters.csv
+++ b/inst/lintr/linters.csv
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ numeric_leading_zero_linter,style consistency readability
 nzchar_linter,efficiency best_practices consistency
 object_length_linter,style readability default configurable executing
 object_name_linter,style consistency default configurable executing
+object_overwrite_linter,best_practices robustness readability configurable executing
 object_usage_linter,style readability correctness default executing configurable
 one_call_pipe_linter,style readability
 open_curly_linter,defunct
diff --git a/man/best_practices_linters.Rd b/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
index 67cd444ff..7e372d031 100644
--- a/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/best_practices_linters.Rd
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'best_practices':
 \item{\code{\link{literal_coercion_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{nonportable_path_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{nzchar_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{outer_negation_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{paste_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{pipe_return_linter}}}
diff --git a/man/configurable_linters.Rd b/man/configurable_linters.Rd
index 19899dd62..0f5adb229 100644
--- a/man/configurable_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/configurable_linters.Rd
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'configurable':
 \item{\code{\link{nonportable_path_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_length_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_name_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_usage_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{paste_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{pipe_consistency_linter}}}
diff --git a/man/executing_linters.Rd b/man/executing_linters.Rd
index 04d6569e1..c6648a4f7 100644
--- a/man/executing_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/executing_linters.Rd
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'executing':
 \item{\code{\link{namespace_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_length_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_name_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_usage_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{unused_import_linter}}}
 }
diff --git a/man/linters.Rd b/man/linters.Rd
index 66fee2b8f..f62f20f2a 100644
--- a/man/linters.Rd
+++ b/man/linters.Rd
@@ -17,20 +17,20 @@ see also \code{\link[=available_tags]{available_tags()}}.
 \section{Tags}{
 The following tags exist:
 \itemize{
-\item{\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices} (60 linters)}
+\item{\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices} (61 linters)}
 \item{\link[=common_mistakes_linters]{common_mistakes} (10 linters)}
-\item{\link[=configurable_linters]{configurable} (34 linters)}
+\item{\link[=configurable_linters]{configurable} (35 linters)}
 \item{\link[=consistency_linters]{consistency} (27 linters)}
 \item{\link[=correctness_linters]{correctness} (7 linters)}
 \item{\link[=default_linters]{default} (25 linters)}
 \item{\link[=deprecated_linters]{deprecated} (4 linters)}
 \item{\link[=efficiency_linters]{efficiency} (29 linters)}
-\item{\link[=executing_linters]{executing} (5 linters)}
+\item{\link[=executing_linters]{executing} (6 linters)}
 \item{\link[=package_development_linters]{package_development} (14 linters)}
 \item{\link[=pkg_testthat_linters]{pkg_testthat} (12 linters)}
-\item{\link[=readability_linters]{readability} (60 linters)}
+\item{\link[=readability_linters]{readability} (61 linters)}
 \item{\link[=regex_linters]{regex} (4 linters)}
-\item{\link[=robustness_linters]{robustness} (16 linters)}
+\item{\link[=robustness_linters]{robustness} (17 linters)}
 \item{\link[=style_linters]{style} (39 linters)}
 }
 }
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ The following linters exist:
 \item{\code{\link{nzchar_linter}} (tags: best_practices, consistency, efficiency)}
 \item{\code{\link{object_length_linter}} (tags: configurable, default, executing, readability, style)}
 \item{\code{\link{object_name_linter}} (tags: configurable, consistency, default, executing, style)}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}} (tags: best_practices, configurable, executing, readability, robustness)}
 \item{\code{\link{object_usage_linter}} (tags: configurable, correctness, default, executing, readability, style)}
 \item{\code{\link{one_call_pipe_linter}} (tags: readability, style)}
 \item{\code{\link{outer_negation_linter}} (tags: best_practices, efficiency, readability)}
diff --git a/man/object_overwrite_linter.Rd b/man/object_overwrite_linter.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86ccba5a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/object_overwrite_linter.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/object_overwrite_linter.R
+\name{object_overwrite_linter}
+\alias{object_overwrite_linter}
+\title{Block assigning any variables whose name clashes with a \code{base} R function}
+\usage{
+object_overwrite_linter(
+  packages = c("base", "stats", "utils", "tools", "methods", "graphics", "grDevices"),
+  allow_names = character()
+)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{packages}{Character vector of packages to search for names that should
+be avoided. Defaults to the most common default packages: base, stats,
+utils, tools, methods, graphics, and grDevices.}
+
+\item{allow_names}{Character vector of object names to ignore, i.e., which
+are allowed to collide with exports from \code{packages}.}
+}
+\description{
+Re-using existing names creates a risk of subtle error best avoided.
+Avoiding this practice also encourages using better, more descriptive names.
+}
+\examples{
+# will produce lints
+code <- "function(x) {\n  data <- x\n  data\n}"
+writeLines(code)
+lint(
+  text = code,
+  linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+)
+
+code <- "function(x) {\n  lint <- 'fun'\n  lint\n}"
+writeLines(code)
+lint(
+  text = code,
+  linters = object_overwrite_linter(packages = "lintr")
+)
+
+# okay
+code <- "function(x) {\n  data('mtcars')\n}"
+writeLines(code)
+lint(
+  text = code,
+  linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+)
+
+code <- "function(x) {\n  data <- x\n  data\n}"
+writeLines(code)
+lint(
+  text = code,
+  linters = object_overwrite_linter(packages = "base")
+)
+
+# names in function signatures are ignored
+lint(
+  text = "function(data) data <- subset(data, x > 0)",
+  linters = object_overwrite_linter()
+)
+
+}
+\seealso{
+\itemize{
+\item \link{linters} for a complete list of linters available in lintr.
+\item \url{https://style.tidyverse.org/syntax.html#object-names}
+}
+}
+\section{Tags}{
+\link[=best_practices_linters]{best_practices}, \link[=configurable_linters]{configurable}, \link[=executing_linters]{executing}, \link[=readability_linters]{readability}, \link[=robustness_linters]{robustness}
+}
diff --git a/man/readability_linters.Rd b/man/readability_linters.Rd
index 0ce6547e9..101346b55 100644
--- a/man/readability_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/readability_linters.Rd
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'readability':
 \item{\code{\link{nested_ifelse_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{numeric_leading_zero_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_length_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{object_usage_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{one_call_pipe_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{outer_negation_linter}}}
diff --git a/man/robustness_linters.Rd b/man/robustness_linters.Rd
index 18f12ca61..76882c4b1 100644
--- a/man/robustness_linters.Rd
+++ b/man/robustness_linters.Rd
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ The following linters are tagged with 'robustness':
 \item{\code{\link{missing_package_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{namespace_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{nonportable_path_linter}}}
+\item{\code{\link{object_overwrite_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{routine_registration_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{sample_int_linter}}}
 \item{\code{\link{seq_linter}}}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-object_overwrite_linter.R b/tests/testthat/test-object_overwrite_linter.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e434be321
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-object_overwrite_linter.R
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter skips allowed usages", {
+  linter <- object_overwrite_linter()
+
+  expect_lint("function() DT <- data.frame(a = 1)", NULL, linter)
+
+  # don't block names subassigned e.g. as columns or list elements
+  expect_lint("function() x$sd <- sd(rnorm(100))", NULL, linter)
+
+  # These virtual names are ignored to slightly reduce the search space
+  expect_lint("function() .__C__logical <- TRUE", NULL, linter)
+})
+
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter blocks simple disallowed usages", {
+  linter <- object_overwrite_linter()
+
+  expect_lint(
+    "foo <- function() data <- mtcars",
+    rex::rex("'data' is an exported object from package 'utils'."),
+    linter
+  )
+
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      foo <- function() {
+        sigma <- sd(rnorm(100))
+      }
+    "),
+    rex::rex("'sigma' is an exported object from package 'stats'."),
+    linter
+  )
+
+  # not just the top level of the function
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      foo <- function() {
+        if (TRUE) {
+          sigma <- sd(rnorm(100))
+        } else {
+          all <- FALSE
+        }
+      }
+    "),
+    list(
+      rex::rex("'sigma' is an exported object from package 'stats'."),
+      rex::rex("'all' is an exported object from package 'base'.")
+    ),
+    linter
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter skips any name assigned at the top level", {
+  linter <- object_overwrite_linter()
+
+  expect_lint("data <- mtcars", NULL, linter)
+  expect_lint("sigma <- sd(rnorm(100))", NULL, linter)
+})
+
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter skips argument names", {
+  linter <- object_overwrite_linter()
+
+  expect_lint("foo <- function(data) data <- data + 1", NULL, linter)
+
+  expect_lint(
+    trim_some("
+      bar <- function(a, b, c, sigma) {
+        sigma <- a * b * c ^ sigma
+      }
+    "),
+    NULL,
+    linter
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter skips data.table assignments with :=", {
+  expect_lint("foo <- function() x[, title := 4]", NULL, object_overwrite_linter())
+})
+
+test_that("object_overwrite_linter optionally accepts package names", {
+  expect_lint("function() data <- 1", NULL, object_overwrite_linter(packages = "base"))
+
+  expect_lint(
+    "function() lint <- TRUE",
+    rex::rex("'lint' is an exported object from package 'lintr'."),
+    object_overwrite_linter(packages = "lintr")
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("non-<- assignments are detected", {
+  linter <- object_overwrite_linter()
+  lint_msg <- rex::rex("'sum' is an exported object from package 'base'.")
+
+  expect_lint("function(x) sum(x) -> sum", lint_msg, linter)
+  expect_lint("function(x) sum <<- sum(x)", lint_msg, linter)
+  expect_lint("function(x) sum(x) ->> sum", lint_msg, linter)
+  expect_lint("function(x) sum = sum(x)", lint_msg, linter)
+})
+
+test_that("shorthand lambda is detected", {
+  skip_if_not_r_version("4.1.0")
+
+  expect_lint("\\() data <- 1", "'data' is an exported object", object_overwrite_linter())
+})
+
+test_that("allow_names= works to ignore certain symbols", {
+  expect_lint("function() data <- 1", NULL, object_overwrite_linter(allow_names = "data"))
+})
+
+test_that("lints vectorize", {
+  lines <- trim_some("{
+    foo <- function() {
+      data <- 1
+      var <- 2
+    }
+    bar <- function(data) {
+      data <- data + 3
+      sum <- 4
+    }
+  }")
+  expect_lint(
+    lines,
+    list(
+      list(rex::rex("'data' is an exported object from package 'utils'."), line_number = 3L),
+      list(rex::rex("'var' is an exported object from package 'stats'."), line_number = 4L),
+      list(rex::rex("'sum' is an exported object from package 'base'."), line_number = 8L)
+    ),
+    object_overwrite_linter()
+  )
+
+  expect_lint(
+    lines,
+    list(rex::rex("'var' is an exported object from package 'stats'."), line_number = 4L),
+    object_overwrite_linter(packages = c("stats", "base"), allow_names = "sum")
+  )
+})