diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
index 13b952329..540f069ee 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/MainSettings.scala
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ final class MainSettings private (
     }
   }
   def withExcludePath(excludePath: List[PathMatcher]): MainSettings = {
-    copy(settings.copy(excludePath = excludePath))
+    copy(settings.copy(exclude = excludePath))
   }
   def withIncludePath(includePath: List[PathMatcher]): MainSettings = {
-    copy(settings.copy(includePath = includePath))
+    copy(settings.copy(include = includePath))
   }
   def withSiteVariables(variables: Map[String, String]): MainSettings = {
     copy(settings.copy(site = variables))
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
index 1adc5b934..3b02b5889 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/MainOps.scala
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ final class MainOps(
 
   def handleFile(file: InputFile): Exit = {
     try {
-      if (!settings.matches(file.relpath)) Exit.success
+      if (!settings.isIncluded(file.relpath)) Exit.success
       else {
         PathIO.extension(file.in.toNIO) match {
           case "md" => handleMarkdown(file)
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/Settings.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/Settings.scala
index b78e345ea..4e1a61fe2 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/Settings.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/cli/Settings.scala
@@ -73,10 +73,19 @@ case class Settings(
     usage: Boolean = false,
     @Description("Print out the version number and exit")
     version: Boolean = false,
-    @Description("Glob to filter which files from --in directory to include.")
-    includePath: List[PathMatcher] = Nil,
-    @Description("Glob to filter which files from --in directory to exclude.")
-    excludePath: List[PathMatcher] = Nil,
+    @Description(
+      "Glob to filter which files to process. Defaults to all files. " +
+        "Example: --include **/example.md will process only files with the name example.md."
+    )
+    @ExtraName("includePath")
+    include: List[PathMatcher] = Nil,
+    @Description(
+      "Glob to filter which files from exclude from processing. Defaults to no files. " +
+        "Example: --include users/**.md --exclude **/example.md will process all files in the users/ directory " +
+        "excluding files named example.md."
+    )
+    @ExtraName("excludePath")
+    exclude: List[PathMatcher] = Nil,
     @Description(
       "Use relative filenames when reporting error messages. " +
         "Useful for producing consistent docs on a local machine and CI. "
@@ -99,16 +108,19 @@ case class Settings(
 
   def toInputFile(infile: AbsolutePath): Option[InputFile] = {
     val relpath = infile.toRelative(in)
-    if (matches(relpath)) {
+    if (isIncluded(relpath)) {
       val outfile = out.resolve(relpath)
       Some(InputFile(relpath, infile, outfile))
     } else {
       None
     }
   }
-  def matches(path: RelativePath): Boolean = {
-    (includePath.isEmpty || includePath.exists(_.matches(path.toNIO))) &&
-    !excludePath.exists(_.matches(path.toNIO))
+  def isExplicitlyExcluded(path: RelativePath): Boolean = {
+    exclude.exists(_.matches(path.toNIO))
+  }
+  def isIncluded(path: RelativePath): Boolean = {
+    (include.isEmpty || include.exists(_.matches(path.toNIO))) &&
+    !isExplicitlyExcluded(path)
   }
   def validate(logger: Reporter): Configured[Context] = {
     if (Files.exists(in.toNIO)) {
@@ -145,7 +157,8 @@ object Settings extends MetaconfigScalametaImplicits {
        |Example: mdoc --in <path> --out <path> (customize input/output directories)
        |         mdoc --watch                  (watch for file changes)
        |         mdoc --site.VERSION 1.0.0     (pass in site variables)
-       |         mdoc --exclude-path <glob>    (exclude files matching patterns)
+       |         mdoc --include **/example.md  (process only files named example.md)
+       |         mdoc --exclude node_modules   (don't process node_modules directory)
        |""".stripMargin
   def description: Doc =
     Doc.paragraph(
diff --git a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/io/IO.scala b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/io/IO.scala
index 38c411641..ad783be27 100644
--- a/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/io/IO.scala
+++ b/mdoc/src/main/scala/mdoc/internal/io/IO.scala
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ object IO {
 
       override def preVisitDirectory(dir: Path, attrs: BasicFileAttributes): FileVisitResult = {
         val relpath = RelativePath(root.relativize(dir))
-        if (dir == root || settings.matches(relpath)) FileVisitResult.CONTINUE
-        else FileVisitResult.SKIP_SUBTREE // excluded
+        if (settings.isExplicitlyExcluded(relpath)) FileVisitResult.SKIP_SUBTREE
+        else FileVisitResult.CONTINUE
       }
     }
     Files.walkFileTree(root, visitor)
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index fa7430dac..d246cd2c3 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -711,7 +711,8 @@ Usage:   mdoc [<option> ...]
 Example: mdoc --in <path> --out <path> (customize input/output directories)
          mdoc --watch                  (watch for file changes)
          mdoc --site.VERSION 1.0.0     (pass in site variables)
-         mdoc --exclude-path <glob>    (exclude files matching patterns)
+         mdoc --include **/example.md  (process only files named example.md)
+         mdoc --exclude node_modules   (don't process node_modules directory)
 
 Mdoc is a documentation tool that interprets Scala code examples within markdown
 code fences allowing you to compile and test documentation as part your build. 
@@ -760,11 +761,14 @@ Less common options:
   --version
     Print out the version number and exit
 
-  --include-path [<glob> ...] (default: [])
-    Glob to filter which files from --in directory to include.
+  --include [<glob> ...] (default: [])
+    Glob to filter which files to process. Defaults to all files. Example: --include
+    **/example.md will process only files with the name example.md.
 
-  --exclude-path [<glob> ...] (default: [])
-    Glob to filter which files from --in directory to exclude.
+  --exclude [<glob> ...] (default: [])
+    Glob to filter which files from exclude from processing. Defaults to no files.
+    Example: --include users/**.md --exclude **/example.md will process all
+    files in the users/ directory excluding files named example.md.
 
   --report-relative-paths
     Use relative filenames when reporting error messages. Useful for producing
diff --git a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
index 38f25eb51..746341ebb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
+++ b/tests/unit/src/test/scala/tests/cli/CliSuite.scala
@@ -60,12 +60,31 @@ class CliSuite extends BaseCliSuite {
       |# Include
     """.stripMargin,
     extraArgs = Array(
-      "--include-path",
+      "--include",
       "include.md",
-      "--exclude-path",
+      "--exclude",
       "exclude.md"
     )
   )
+  checkCli(
+    "include one file",
+    """
+      |/users/install.md
+      |# Install
+      |/users/usage.md
+      |# Usage
+      |/developers/setup.md
+      |# Setup
+    """.stripMargin,
+    """
+      |/users/install.md
+      |# Install
+    """.stripMargin,
+    extraArgs = Array(
+      "--include",
+      "**/install.md"
+    )
+  )
 
   checkCli(
     "exclude-dir",
@@ -82,7 +101,7 @@ class CliSuite extends BaseCliSuite {
       |# Index 1.0.0
     """.stripMargin,
     extraArgs = Array(
-      "--exclude-path",
+      "--exclude",
       "src"
     )
   )