diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
index 3c33e2bed92d..98e8f15f18b9 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@
 from pyspark.sql.udf import UserDefinedFunction, _create_udf
 
 
-def _create_function(name, doc=""):
-    """ Create a function for aggregator by name"""
+def _create_name_function(name, doc=""):
+    """ Create a function that takes a column name argument, by name"""
     def _(col):
         sc = SparkContext._active_spark_context
         jc = getattr(sc._jvm.functions, name)(col._jc if isinstance(col, Column) else col)
@@ -48,6 +48,17 @@ def _(col):
     return _
 
 
+def _create_function(name, doc=""):
+    """ Create a function that takes a Column object, by name"""
+    def _(col):
+        sc = SparkContext._active_spark_context
+        jc = getattr(sc._jvm.functions, name)(_to_java_column(col))
+        return Column(jc)
+    _.__name__ = name
+    _.__doc__ = doc
+    return _
+
+
 def _wrap_deprecated_function(func, message):
     """ Wrap the deprecated function to print out deprecation warnings"""
     def _(col):
@@ -85,13 +96,16 @@ def _():
     >>> df.select(lit(5).alias('height')).withColumn('spark_user', lit(True)).take(1)
     [Row(height=5, spark_user=True)]
     """
-_functions = {
+_name_functions = {
+    # name functions take a column name as their argument
     'lit': _lit_doc,
     'col': 'Returns a :class:`Column` based on the given column name.',
     'column': 'Returns a :class:`Column` based on the given column name.',
     'asc': 'Returns a sort expression based on the ascending order of the given column name.',
     'desc': 'Returns a sort expression based on the descending order of the given column name.',
+}
 
+_functions = {
     'upper': 'Converts a string expression to upper case.',
     'lower': 'Converts a string expression to upper case.',
     'sqrt': 'Computes the square root of the specified float value.',
@@ -141,7 +155,7 @@ def _():
     'bitwiseNOT': 'Computes bitwise not.',
 }
 
-_functions_2_4 = {
+_name_functions_2_4 = {
     'asc_nulls_first': 'Returns a sort expression based on the ascending order of the given' +
                        ' column name, and null values return before non-null values.',
     'asc_nulls_last': 'Returns a sort expression based on the ascending order of the given' +
@@ -254,6 +268,8 @@ def _():
 _functions_deprecated = {
 }
 
+for _name, _doc in _name_functions.items():
+    globals()[_name] = since(1.3)(_create_name_function(_name, _doc))
 for _name, _doc in _functions.items():
     globals()[_name] = since(1.3)(_create_function(_name, _doc))
 for _name, _doc in _functions_1_4.items():
@@ -268,8 +284,8 @@ def _():
     globals()[_name] = since(2.1)(_create_function(_name, _doc))
 for _name, _message in _functions_deprecated.items():
     globals()[_name] = _wrap_deprecated_function(globals()[_name], _message)
-for _name, _doc in _functions_2_4.items():
-    globals()[_name] = since(2.4)(_create_function(_name, _doc))
+for _name, _doc in _name_functions_2_4.items():
+    globals()[_name] = since(2.4)(_create_name_function(_name, _doc))
 del _name, _doc
 
 
@@ -1437,10 +1453,6 @@ def hash(*cols):
     'ascii': 'Computes the numeric value of the first character of the string column.',
     'base64': 'Computes the BASE64 encoding of a binary column and returns it as a string column.',
     'unbase64': 'Decodes a BASE64 encoded string column and returns it as a binary column.',
-    'initcap': 'Returns a new string column by converting the first letter of each word to ' +
-               'uppercase. Words are delimited by whitespace.',
-    'lower': 'Converts a string column to lower case.',
-    'upper': 'Converts a string column to upper case.',
     'ltrim': 'Trim the spaces from left end for the specified string value.',
     'rtrim': 'Trim the spaces from right end for the specified string value.',
     'trim': 'Trim the spaces from both ends for the specified string column.',