diff --git a/boards/deprecated.cmake b/boards/deprecated.cmake
index b47fcfb6e1d..826365390fb 100644
--- a/boards/deprecated.cmake
+++ b/boards/deprecated.cmake
@@ -46,3 +46,6 @@ set(mimxrt1060_evk_DEPRECATED
 set(mimxrt1060_evkb_DEPRECATED
     mimxrt1060_evk@B/mimxrt1062/qspi
 )
+set(neorv32_DEPRECATED
+    neorv32/neorv32/up5kdemo
+)
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/Kconfig b/boards/others/neorv32/Kconfig
index e40ee1ac716..4a77b73f23b 100644
--- a/boards/others/neorv32/Kconfig
+++ b/boards/others/neorv32/Kconfig
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2021,2025 Henrik Brix Andersen <henrik@brixandersen.dk>
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
+if BOARD_NEORV32_NEORV32_UP5KDEMO
+
 config BOARD_NEORV32
 	select RISCV_ISA_RV32I
 	select RISCV_ISA_EXT_M
 	select ATOMIC_OPERATIONS_C
+
+endif # BOARD_NEORV32_NEORV32_UP5KDEMO
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/board.cmake b/boards/others/neorv32/board.cmake
index b5088e8677e..91bb9be7ebb 100644
--- a/boards/others/neorv32/board.cmake
+++ b/boards/others/neorv32/board.cmake
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2021 Henrik Brix Andersen <henrik@brixandersen.dk>
+# Copyright (c) 2021,2025 Henrik Brix Andersen <henrik@brixandersen.dk>
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 board_runner_args(openocd "--use-elf" "--cmd-reset-halt" "halt")
 include(${ZEPHYR_BASE}/boards/common/openocd.board.cmake)
+
+if("${BOARD_QUALIFIERS}" STREQUAL "/neorv32")
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "Please specify a variant for the neorv32 board "
+                      "(e.g. neorv32/neorv32/up5kdemo)")
+endif()
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/board.yml b/boards/others/neorv32/board.yml
index 98bac3df3ed..17668b0b5bc 100644
--- a/boards/others/neorv32/board.yml
+++ b/boards/others/neorv32/board.yml
@@ -4,3 +4,5 @@ board:
   vendor: others
   socs:
     - name: neorv32
+      variants:
+        - name: "up5kdemo"
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.dts b/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.dts
similarity index 96%
rename from boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.dts
rename to boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.dts
index e6f6893c191..43046f9398e 100644
--- a/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.dts
+++ b/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.dts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 #include <mem.h>
 
 / {
-	model = "NEORV32";
+	model = "NEORV32 UP5KDemo";
 	compatible = "neorv32";
 
 	aliases {
@@ -86,4 +86,5 @@
 
 &gpio {
 	status = "okay";
+	ngpios = <32>;
 };
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.yaml b/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.yaml
similarity index 62%
rename from boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.yaml
rename to boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.yaml
index 0af88ac6f50..273e702c57a 100644
--- a/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32.yaml
+++ b/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-identifier: neorv32
-name: NEORV32 Processor (SoC)
+identifier: neorv32/neorv32/up5kdemo
+name: NEORV32 UP5KDemo
 type: mcu
 arch: riscv
 toolchain:
diff --git a/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_defconfig b/boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo_defconfig
similarity index 100%
rename from boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_defconfig
rename to boards/others/neorv32/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo_defconfig
diff --git a/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_api_1pin/testcase.yaml b/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_api_1pin/testcase.yaml
index 54490022198..cb6da4980ae 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_api_1pin/testcase.yaml
+++ b/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_api_1pin/testcase.yaml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ tests:
       - mps2/an383
       - mps2/an386
       - mps2/an500
-      - neorv32
+      - neorv32/neorv32/up5kdemo
   drivers.gpio.1pin.aw9523b:
     tags:
       - drivers
diff --git a/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_basic_api/boards/neorv32.overlay b/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_basic_api/boards/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.overlay
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_basic_api/boards/neorv32.overlay
rename to tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_basic_api/boards/neorv32_neorv32_up5kdemo.overlay
diff --git a/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_get_direction/testcase.yaml b/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_get_direction/testcase.yaml
index c8dfc105c27..ddc600a29d7 100644
--- a/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_get_direction/testcase.yaml
+++ b/tests/drivers/gpio/gpio_get_direction/testcase.yaml
@@ -8,5 +8,5 @@ tests:
     # Fix exclude when we can exclude just sim run
     platform_exclude:
       - mps2/an385
-      - neorv32
+      - neorv32/neorv32/up5kdemo
     filter: dt_enabled_alias_with_parent_compat("led0", "gpio-leds")