diff --git a/include/sdf/World.hh b/include/sdf/World.hh
index 0afc85472..22a61862d 100644
--- a/include/sdf/World.hh
+++ b/include/sdf/World.hh
@@ -278,6 +278,20 @@ namespace sdf
     /// \return True if there exists an actor with the given name.
     public: bool ActorNameExists(const std::string &_name) const;
 
+    /// \brief Get an actor based on a name.
+    /// \param[in] _name Name of the actor.
+    /// \return Pointer to the actor. Nullptr if an actor with the given name
+    /// does not exist.
+    /// \sa bool ActorNameExists(const std::string &_name) const
+    public: const Actor *ActorByName(const std::string &_name) const;
+
+    /// \brief Get a mutable actor based on a name.
+    /// \param[in] _name Name of the actor.
+    /// \return Pointer to the actor. Nullptr if an actor with the given name
+    /// does not exist.
+    /// \sa bool ActorNameExists(const std::string &_name) const
+    public: Actor *ActorByName(const std::string &_name);
+
     /// \brief Get the number of explicit frames that are immediate (not nested)
     /// children of this World object.
     /// \remark FrameByName() can find explicit frames that are not immediate
diff --git a/python/src/sdf/pyWorld.cc b/python/src/sdf/pyWorld.cc
index 41b930fc4..c215033ba 100644
--- a/python/src/sdf/pyWorld.cc
+++ b/python/src/sdf/pyWorld.cc
@@ -98,13 +98,13 @@ void defineWorld(pybind11::object module)
          pybind11::overload_cast<uint64_t>(
            &sdf::World::ModelByIndex),
          pybind11::return_value_policy::reference_internal,
-         "Get a mutable immediate (not nested) child joint model on an index.")
+         "Get a mutable immediate (not nested) model based on an index.")
      .def("model_by_name",
           pybind11::overload_cast<const std::string &>(
             &sdf::World::ModelByName),
           pybind11::return_value_policy::reference_internal,
-          "Get a mutable immediate (not nested) mutable child model based on an "
-          "index.")
+          "Get a mutable immediate (not nested) mutable child model based on a "
+          "name.")
      .def("model_name_exists", &sdf::World::ModelNameExists,
           "Get whether a model name exists.")
      .def("name_exists_in_frame_attached_to_graph",
@@ -137,6 +137,16 @@ void defineWorld(pybind11::object module)
           "Remove all joints.")
      .def("actor_count", &sdf::World::ActorCount,
           "Get the number of actors.")
+    .def("actor_by_index",
+         pybind11::overload_cast<uint64_t>(
+           &sdf::World::ActorByIndex),
+         pybind11::return_value_policy::reference_internal,
+         "Get a mutable actor based on an index.")
+     .def("actor_by_name",
+          pybind11::overload_cast<const std::string &>(
+            &sdf::World::ActorByName),
+          pybind11::return_value_policy::reference_internal,
+          "Get a mutable actor based on a name.")
      .def("frame_count", &sdf::World::FrameCount,
           "Get the number of explicit frames that are immediate (not nested) "
           "children of this World object.")
diff --git a/src/World.cc b/src/World.cc
index 09bb82a76..47706a03e 100644
--- a/src/World.cc
+++ b/src/World.cc
@@ -757,14 +757,27 @@ Actor *World::ActorByIndex(uint64_t _index)
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////
 bool World::ActorNameExists(const std::string &_name) const
 {
-  for (auto const &a : this->dataPtr->actors)
+  return nullptr != this->ActorByName(_name);
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////
+const Actor *World::ActorByName(const std::string &_name) const
+{
+  for (const Actor &a : this->dataPtr->actors)
   {
     if (a.Name() == _name)
     {
-      return true;
+      return &a;
     }
   }
-  return false;
+  return nullptr;
+}
+
+/////////////////////////////////////////////////
+Actor *World::ActorByName(const std::string &_name)
+{
+  return const_cast<Actor*>(
+      static_cast<const World*>(this)->ActorByName(_name));
 }
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////
diff --git a/src/World_TEST.cc b/src/World_TEST.cc
index b1f93b92e..3083aca3c 100644
--- a/src/World_TEST.cc
+++ b/src/World_TEST.cc
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ TEST(DOMWorld, Construction)
   EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.ModelByName("a::b::c"));
   EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.ModelByName("::::"));
 
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.ActorByName(""));
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.ActorByName("default"));
+
   EXPECT_EQ(0u, world.FrameCount());
   EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.FrameByIndex(0));
   EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.FrameByIndex(1));
@@ -452,15 +455,27 @@ TEST(DOMWorld, AddActor)
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, world.ActorCount());
   EXPECT_FALSE(world.AddActor(actor));
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, world.ActorCount());
+  EXPECT_NE(nullptr, world.ActorByName("actor1"));
 
   world.ClearActors();
   EXPECT_EQ(0u, world.ActorCount());
+  EXPECT_EQ(nullptr, world.ActorByName("actor1"));
 
   EXPECT_TRUE(world.AddActor(actor));
   EXPECT_EQ(1u, world.ActorCount());
   const sdf::Actor *actorFromWorld = world.ActorByIndex(0);
   ASSERT_NE(nullptr, actorFromWorld);
   EXPECT_EQ(actorFromWorld->Name(), actor.Name());
+
+  const sdf::Actor *actorFromWorldByName = world.ActorByName("actor1");
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, actorFromWorldByName);
+  EXPECT_EQ(actorFromWorldByName->Name(), actor.Name());
+
+  sdf::Actor *mutableActorFromWorldByName = world.ActorByName("actor1");
+  ASSERT_NE(nullptr, mutableActorFromWorldByName);
+  EXPECT_EQ(mutableActorFromWorldByName->Name(), actor.Name());
+  mutableActorFromWorldByName->SetName("new_name");
+  EXPECT_NE(mutableActorFromWorldByName->Name(), actor.Name());
 }
 
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////