diff --git a/integration/tests/middleware-placement.test.ts b/integration/tests/proxy-placement.test.ts
similarity index 68%
rename from integration/tests/middleware-placement.test.ts
rename to integration/tests/proxy-placement.test.ts
index 42bc1b7227f..a7c7c7f520c 100644
--- a/integration/tests/middleware-placement.test.ts
+++ b/integration/tests/proxy-placement.test.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ async function detectNext(app: Application): Promise<{ version: string | undefin
   return { version: installedVersion };
 }
 
-const middlewareFileContents = `
+const proxyFileContents = `
 import { clerkMiddleware } from '@clerk/nextjs/server';
 export default clerkMiddleware();
 
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ export const config = {
 };
 `;
 
-const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone().removeFile('src/middleware.ts');
+const commonSetup = appConfigs.next.appRouterQuickstart.clone().removeFile('src/proxy.ts');
 
-test.describe('next start - missing middleware @quickstart', () => {
+test.describe('next start - missing proxy @quickstart', () => {
   test.describe.configure({ mode: 'parallel' });
   let app: Application;
 
@@ -70,21 +70,21 @@ test.describe('next start - missing middleware @quickstart', () => {
     await app.teardown();
   });
 
-  test('Display error for missing middleware', async ({ page, context }) => {
+  test('Display error for missing proxy', async ({ page, context }) => {
     const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
     await u.page.goToAppHome();
 
-    expect(app.serveOutput).toContain('Your Middleware exists at ./src/middleware.(ts|js)');
+    expect(app.serveOutput).toContain('Your Proxy exists at ./src/proxy.(ts|js)');
   });
 });
 
-test.describe('next start - invalid middleware at root on src/ @quickstart', () => {
+test.describe('next start - invalid proxy at root on src/ @quickstart', () => {
   test.describe.configure({ mode: 'parallel' });
   let app: Application;
 
   test.beforeAll(async () => {
     test.setTimeout(90_000);
-    app = await commonSetup.addFile('middleware.ts', () => middlewareFileContents).commit();
+    app = await commonSetup.addFile('proxy.ts', () => proxyFileContents).commit();
     await app.setup();
     await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodesQuickstart);
     await app.build();
@@ -95,23 +95,20 @@ test.describe('next start - invalid middleware at root on src/ @quickstart', ()
     await app.teardown();
   });
 
-  test('Display suggestion for moving middleware to from `./middleware.ts` to `./src/middleware.ts`', async ({
-    page,
-    context,
-  }) => {
+  test('Display suggestion for moving proxy from `./proxy.ts` to `./src/proxy.ts`', async ({ page, context }) => {
     const { version } = await detectNext(app);
     const major = parseSemverMajor(version) ?? 0;
-    test.skip(major >= 16, 'Middleware detection is smarter in Next 16+.');
+    test.skip(major >= 16, 'Proxy detection is smarter in Next 16+.');
     const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
     await u.page.goToAppHome();
 
-    expect(app.serveOutput).not.toContain('Your Middleware exists at ./src/middleware.(ts|js)');
+    expect(app.serveOutput).not.toContain('Your Proxy exists at ./src/proxy.(ts|js)');
     expect(app.serveOutput).toContain(
-      'Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your middleware file might be misplaced. Move your middleware file to ./src/middleware.ts. Currently located at ./middleware.ts',
+      'Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your proxy file might be misplaced. Move your proxy file to ./src/proxy.ts. Currently located at ./proxy.ts',
     );
   });
 
-  test('Does not display misplaced middleware error on Next 16+', async ({ page, context }) => {
+  test('Does not display misplaced proxy error on Next 16+', async ({ page, context }) => {
     const { version } = await detectNext(app);
     const major = parseSemverMajor(version) ?? 0;
     test.skip(major < 16, 'Only applicable on Next 16+');
@@ -121,13 +118,13 @@ test.describe('next start - invalid middleware at root on src/ @quickstart', ()
   });
 });
 
-test.describe('next start - invalid middleware inside app on src/ @quickstart', () => {
+test.describe('next start - invalid proxy inside app on src/ @quickstart', () => {
   test.describe.configure({ mode: 'parallel' });
   let app: Application;
 
   test.beforeAll(async () => {
     test.setTimeout(90_000);
-    app = await commonSetup.addFile('src/app/middleware.ts', () => middlewareFileContents).commit();
+    app = await commonSetup.addFile('src/app/proxy.ts', () => proxyFileContents).commit();
     await app.setup();
     await app.withEnv(appConfigs.envs.withEmailCodesQuickstart);
     await app.build();
@@ -138,15 +135,15 @@ test.describe('next start - invalid middleware inside app on src/ @quickstart',
     await app.teardown();
   });
 
-  test('Display suggestion for moving middleware to from `./src/app/middleware.ts` to `./src/middleware.ts`', async ({
+  test('Display suggestion for moving proxy from `./src/app/proxy.ts` to `./src/proxy.ts`', async ({
     page,
     context,
   }) => {
     const u = createTestUtils({ app, page, context });
     await u.page.goToAppHome();
-    expect(app.serveOutput).not.toContain('Your Middleware exists at ./src/middleware.(ts|js)');
+    expect(app.serveOutput).not.toContain('Your Proxy exists at ./src/proxy.(ts|js)');
     expect(app.serveOutput).toContain(
-      'Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your middleware file might be misplaced. Move your middleware file to ./src/middleware.ts. Currently located at ./src/app/middleware.ts',
+      'Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your proxy file might be misplaced. Move your proxy file to ./src/proxy.ts. Currently located at ./src/app/proxy.ts',
     );
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/auth.ts b/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/auth.ts
index f5ce9a3190d..3f77c7085dc 100644
--- a/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/auth.ts
+++ b/packages/nextjs/src/app-router/server/auth.ts
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@ export const auth: AuthFn = (async (options?: AuthOptions) => {
 
   const stepsBasedOnSrcDirectory = async () => {
     try {
-      const isSrcAppDir = await import('../../server/fs/middleware-location.js').then(m => m.hasSrcAppDir());
-      return [`Your Middleware exists at ./${isSrcAppDir ? 'src/' : ''}middleware.(ts|js)`];
+      const isSrcAppDir = await import('../../server/fs/proxy-location.js').then(m => m.hasSrcAppDir());
+      return [`Your Proxy exists at ./${isSrcAppDir ? 'src/' : ''}proxy.(ts|js)`];
     } catch {
       return [];
     }
diff --git a/packages/nextjs/src/server/createGetAuth.ts b/packages/nextjs/src/server/createGetAuth.ts
index 0b29d105b27..b238f611885 100644
--- a/packages/nextjs/src/server/createGetAuth.ts
+++ b/packages/nextjs/src/server/createGetAuth.ts
@@ -36,12 +36,12 @@ export const createAsyncGetAuth = ({
       }
 
       if (!detectClerkMiddleware(req)) {
-        const missConfiguredMiddlewareLocation = await import('./fs/middleware-location.js')
-          .then(m => m.suggestMiddlewareLocation())
+        const misconfiguredProxyLocation = await import('./fs/proxy-location.js')
+          .then(m => m.suggestProxyLocation())
           .catch(() => undefined);
 
-        if (missConfiguredMiddlewareLocation) {
-          throw new Error(missConfiguredMiddlewareLocation);
+        if (misconfiguredProxyLocation) {
+          throw new Error(misconfiguredProxyLocation);
         }
 
         // still throw there is no suggested move location
diff --git a/packages/nextjs/src/server/errors.ts b/packages/nextjs/src/server/errors.ts
index bb0fc99ba4a..f9de3630a8f 100644
--- a/packages/nextjs/src/server/errors.ts
+++ b/packages/nextjs/src/server/errors.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ export const getAuthAuthHeaderMissing = () => authAuthHeaderMissing('getAuth');
 
 export const authAuthHeaderMissing = (helperName = 'auth', prefixSteps?: string[]) =>
   `Clerk: ${helperName}() was called but Clerk can't detect usage of clerkMiddleware(). Please ensure the following:
-- ${prefixSteps ? [...prefixSteps, ''].join('\n- ') : ' '}clerkMiddleware() is used in your Next.js Middleware.
-- Your Middleware matcher is configured to match this route or page.
-- If you are using the src directory, make sure the Middleware file is inside of it.
+- ${prefixSteps ? [...prefixSteps, ''].join('\n- ') : ' '}clerkMiddleware() is used in your Next.js Proxy.
+- Your Proxy matcher is configured to match this route or page.
+- If you are using the src directory, make sure the Proxy file is inside of it.
 
 For more details, see https://clerk.com/err/auth-middleware
 `;
diff --git a/packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/middleware-location.ts b/packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/proxy-location.ts
similarity index 64%
rename from packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/middleware-location.ts
rename to packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/proxy-location.ts
index 3586d4a1ae2..94bac76b040 100644
--- a/packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/middleware-location.ts
+++ b/packages/nextjs/src/server/fs/proxy-location.ts
@@ -10,14 +10,14 @@ function hasSrcAppDir() {
   return !!existsSync(projectWithAppSrc);
 }
 
-function suggestMiddlewareLocation() {
+function suggestProxyLocation() {
   const fileExtensions = ['ts', 'js'] as const;
   const suggestionMessage = (
     extension: (typeof fileExtensions)[number],
     to: 'src/' | '',
     from: 'src/app/' | 'app/' | '',
   ) =>
-    `Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your middleware file might be misplaced. Move your middleware file to ./${to}middleware.${extension}. Currently located at ./${from}middleware.${extension}`;
+    `Clerk: clerkMiddleware() was not run, your proxy file might be misplaced. Move your proxy file to ./${to}proxy.${extension}. Currently located at ./${from}proxy.${extension}`;
 
   const { existsSync } = nodeFsOrThrow();
   const path = nodePathOrThrow();
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ function suggestMiddlewareLocation() {
   const projectWithAppSrcPath = path.join(cwd(), 'src', 'app');
   const projectWithAppPath = path.join(cwd(), 'app');
 
-  const checkMiddlewareLocation = (
+  const checkProxyLocation = (
     basePath: string,
     to: 'src/' | '',
     from: 'src/app/' | 'app/' | '',
   ): string | undefined => {
     for (const fileExtension of fileExtensions) {
-      if (existsSync(path.join(basePath, `middleware.${fileExtension}`))) {
+      if (existsSync(path.join(basePath, `proxy.${fileExtension}`))) {
         return suggestionMessage(fileExtension, to, from);
       }
     }
@@ -40,16 +40,14 @@ function suggestMiddlewareLocation() {
   };
 
   if (existsSync(projectWithAppSrcPath)) {
-    return (
-      checkMiddlewareLocation(projectWithAppSrcPath, 'src/', 'src/app/') || checkMiddlewareLocation(cwd(), 'src/', '')
-    );
+    return checkProxyLocation(projectWithAppSrcPath, 'src/', 'src/app/') || checkProxyLocation(cwd(), 'src/', '');
   }
 
   if (existsSync(projectWithAppPath)) {
-    return checkMiddlewareLocation(projectWithAppPath, '', 'app/');
+    return checkProxyLocation(projectWithAppPath, '', 'app/');
   }
 
   return undefined;
 }
 
-export { suggestMiddlewareLocation, hasSrcAppDir };
+export { suggestProxyLocation, hasSrcAppDir };