diff --git a/applets/weather/plugin/abstractunitlistmodel.h b/applets/weather/plugin/abstractunitlistmodel.h
--- a/applets/weather/plugin/abstractunitlistmodel.h
+++ b/applets/weather/plugin/abstractunitlistmodel.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 #ifndef ABSTRACTUNITLISTMODEL_H
 #define ABSTRACTUNITLISTMODEL_H
 
+#include "util.h"
+
 #include <KUnitConversion/Unit>
 
 #include <QAbstractListModel>
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@
 {
 public:
     UnitItem() {}
-    UnitItem(const QString &_name, KUnitConversion::UnitId _unitId) : name(_name), unitId(_unitId) {}
+    UnitItem(KUnitConversion::UnitId _unitId) : name(Util::nameFromUnitId(_unitId)), unitId(_unitId) {}
 
     QString name;
     KUnitConversion::UnitId unitId;
diff --git a/applets/weather/plugin/plugin.cpp b/applets/weather/plugin/plugin.cpp
--- a/applets/weather/plugin/plugin.cpp
+++ b/applets/weather/plugin/plugin.cpp
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@
     Q_UNUSED(scriptEngine)
 
     QVector<UnitItem> items {
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Celsius \302\260C"), KUnitConversion::Celsius),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Fahrenheit \302\260F"), KUnitConversion::Fahrenheit),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Kelvin K"), KUnitConversion::Kelvin)
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Celsius),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Fahrenheit),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Kelvin)
     };
 
     return new AbstractUnitListModel(items);
@@ -48,11 +48,11 @@
     Q_UNUSED(scriptEngine)
 
     QVector<UnitItem> items {
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Hectopascals hPa"), KUnitConversion::Hectopascal),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Kilopascals kPa"), KUnitConversion::Kilopascal),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Millibars mbar"), KUnitConversion::Millibar),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Inches of Mercury inHg"), KUnitConversion::InchesOfMercury),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Millimeters of Mercury mmHg"), KUnitConversion::MillimetersOfMercury)
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Hectopascal),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Kilopascal),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Millibar),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::InchesOfMercury),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::MillimetersOfMercury)
     };
 
     return new AbstractUnitListModel(items);
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@
     Q_UNUSED(scriptEngine)
 
     QVector<UnitItem> items {
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Meters per Second m/s"), KUnitConversion::MeterPerSecond),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Kilometers per Hour km/h"), KUnitConversion::KilometerPerHour),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Miles per Hour mph"), KUnitConversion::MilePerHour),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Knots kt"), KUnitConversion::Knot),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Beaufort scale bft"), KUnitConversion::Beaufort)
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::MeterPerSecond),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::KilometerPerHour),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::MilePerHour),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Knot),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Beaufort)
     };
 
     return new AbstractUnitListModel(items);
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@
     Q_UNUSED(scriptEngine)
 
     QVector<UnitItem> items {
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Kilometers"), KUnitConversion::Kilometer),
-        UnitItem(i18nc("@item", "Miles"), KUnitConversion::Mile)
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Kilometer),
+        UnitItem(KUnitConversion::Mile)
     };
 
     return new AbstractUnitListModel(items);
diff --git a/applets/weather/plugin/util.h b/applets/weather/plugin/util.h
--- a/applets/weather/plugin/util.h
+++ b/applets/weather/plugin/util.h
@@ -44,8 +44,10 @@
                                              int valueUnitType, int precision = 0) const;
     Q_INVOKABLE QString percentToDisplayString(double value) const;
 
+    static QString nameFromUnitId(KUnitConversion::UnitId unitId);
+
 private:
-    KUnitConversion::Converter m_converter;
+    static KUnitConversion::Converter m_converter;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/applets/weather/plugin/util.cpp b/applets/weather/plugin/util.cpp
--- a/applets/weather/plugin/util.cpp
+++ b/applets/weather/plugin/util.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
 // KF
+#include <KUnitConversion/Converter>
 #include <KUnitConversion/Value>
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 // Qt
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
 {
 }
 
+KUnitConversion::Converter Util::m_converter;
 
 QString Util::existingWeatherIconName(const QString &iconName) const
 {
@@ -81,3 +83,10 @@
     return i18nc("value percentsymbol", "%1 %", formattedPercentValue);
 }
 
+QString Util::nameFromUnitId(KUnitConversion::UnitId unitId)
+{
+    const KUnitConversion::Unit unit = m_converter.unit(unitId);
+    QString unitDescription = i18nc("@item %1 is a unit description and %2 its unit symbol",
+                                    "%1 (%2)", unit.description(), unit.symbol());
+    return unitDescription;
+}