diff --git a/icu4c/source/common/unicode/uvernum.h b/icu4c/source/common/unicode/uvernum.h
index 83d0b4ecd1c..d453c680677 100644
--- a/icu4c/source/common/unicode/uvernum.h
+++ b/icu4c/source/common/unicode/uvernum.h
@@ -103,16 +103,29 @@
  *  \def U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME
  *  @stable ICU 4.2
  */
+/**
+ * Disable the version suffix. Use the custom suffix if exists.
+ * \def U_DISABLE_VERSION_SUFFIX
+ * @internal
+ */
 
 #ifndef U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME
 #ifdef U_HAVE_LIB_SUFFIX
-#define U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z) x ## y ##  z
-#define U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z) U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z)
-#define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,U_ICU_VERSION_SUFFIX,U_LIB_SUFFIX_C_NAME)
+#   if !U_DISABLE_VERSION_SUFFIX
+#       define U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z) x ## y ##  z
+#       define U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z) U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y,z)
+#       define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,U_ICU_VERSION_SUFFIX,U_LIB_SUFFIX_C_NAME)
+#   else
+#       define U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) x ## y
+#       define U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y)
+#       define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,U_LIB_SUFFIX_C_NAME)
+#   endif
+#elif !U_DISABLE_VERSION_SUFFIX
+#   define U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) x ## y
+#   define U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y)
+#   define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,U_ICU_VERSION_SUFFIX)
 #else
-#define U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) x ## y
-#define U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y) U_DEF_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,y)
-#define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    U_DEF2_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x,U_ICU_VERSION_SUFFIX)
+#   define U_ICU_ENTRY_POINT_RENAME(x)    x
 #endif
 #endif