diff --git a/codegen/templates/templates.go b/codegen/templates/templates.go
index 0ea3c8725e6..6f5324e3f21 100644
--- a/codegen/templates/templates.go
+++ b/codegen/templates/templates.go
@@ -289,7 +289,12 @@ func ToGo(name string) string {
 	if name == "_" {
 		return "_"
 	}
+
 	runes := make([]rune, 0, len(name))
+	for strings.HasPrefix(name, "_") {
+		name = name[1:]
+		runes = append(runes, '_')
+	}
 
 	wordWalker(name, func(info *wordInfo) {
 		word := info.Word
@@ -312,7 +317,12 @@ func ToGoPrivate(name string) string {
 	if name == "_" {
 		return "_"
 	}
+
 	runes := make([]rune, 0, len(name))
+	for strings.HasPrefix(name, "_") {
+		name = name[1:]
+		runes = append(runes, '_')
+	}
 
 	first := true
 	wordWalker(name, func(info *wordInfo) {
diff --git a/codegen/templates/templates_test.go b/codegen/templates/templates_test.go
index e77930d85c7..08ad78e4c19 100644
--- a/codegen/templates/templates_test.go
+++ b/codegen/templates/templates_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func TestToGo(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, "ToCamel", ToGo("ToCamel"))
 	require.Equal(t, "ToCamel", ToGo("to-camel"))
 	require.Equal(t, "ToCamel", ToGo("-to-camel"))
-	require.Equal(t, "ToCamel", ToGo("_to-camel"))
+	require.Equal(t, "_ToCamel", ToGo("_to-camel"))
 	require.Equal(t, "_", ToGo("_"))
 
 	require.Equal(t, "RelatedURLs", ToGo("RelatedURLs"))