diff --git a/src/finn/core/datatype.py b/src/finn/core/datatype.py
index 42a366aafcc002a433d0e03c03ef6a9bed6adede..34eb5abc247c2d44d33a6a57406fba6887316b98 100644
--- a/src/finn/core/datatype.py
+++ b/src/finn/core/datatype.py
@@ -130,3 +130,13 @@ class DataType(Enum):
         """Return whether this DataType represents integer values only."""
         # only FLOAT32 is noninteger for now
         return self != DataType.FLOAT32
+
+    def get_hls_datatype_str(self):
+        """Return the corresponding Vivado HLS datatype name."""
+        if self.is_integer():
+            if self.signed():
+                return "ap_int<%d>" % self.bitwidth()
+            else:
+                return "ap_uint<%d>" % self.bitwidth()
+        else:
+            return "float"