diff --git a/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPOps.td b/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPOps.td
--- a/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPOps.td
+++ b/mlir/include/mlir/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPOps.td
@@ -352,6 +352,21 @@
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
 // 2.17.1 critical Construct
 //===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
+def CriticalDeclareOp : OpenMP_Op<"critical.declare", [Symbol]> {
+  let summary = "declares a named critical section.";
+
+  let description = [{
+    Declares a named critical section.
+
+    The name can be used in critical constructs in the dialect.
+  }];
+
+  let arguments = (ins SymbolNameAttr:$sym_name);
+
+  let assemblyFormat = "$sym_name attr-dict";
+}
+
+
 // TODO: Autogenerate this from OMP.td in llvm/include/Frontend
 def omp_sync_hint_none: I32EnumAttrCase<"none", 0>;
 def omp_sync_hint_uncontended: I32EnumAttrCase<"uncontended", 1>;
diff --git a/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenMP/IR/OpenMPDialect.cpp b/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenMP/IR/OpenMPDialect.cpp
--- a/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenMP/IR/OpenMPDialect.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Dialect/OpenMP/IR/OpenMPDialect.cpp
@@ -979,6 +979,17 @@
       (op.hint().getValue() != SyncHintKind::none))
     return op.emitOpError() << "must specify a name unless the effect is as if "
                                "hint(none) is specified";
+
+  if (op.nameAttr()) {
+    auto symbolRef = op.nameAttr().cast<SymbolRefAttr>();
+    auto decl =
+        SymbolTable::lookupNearestSymbolFrom<CriticalDeclareOp>(op, symbolRef);
+    if (!decl) {
+      return op.emitOpError() << "expected symbol reference " << symbolRef
+                              << " to point to a critical declaration";
+    }
+  }
+
   return success();
 }
 
diff --git a/mlir/lib/Target/LLVMIR/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPToLLVMIRTranslation.cpp b/mlir/lib/Target/LLVMIR/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPToLLVMIRTranslation.cpp
--- a/mlir/lib/Target/LLVMIR/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPToLLVMIRTranslation.cpp
+++ b/mlir/lib/Target/LLVMIR/Dialect/OpenMP/OpenMPToLLVMIRTranslation.cpp
@@ -806,14 +806,18 @@
       .Case([&](omp::WsLoopOp) {
         return convertOmpWsLoop(*op, builder, moduleTranslation);
       })
-      .Case<omp::YieldOp, omp::TerminatorOp, omp::ReductionDeclareOp>(
-          [](auto op) {
-            // `yield` and `terminator` can be just omitted. The block structure
-            // was created in the region that handles their parent operation.
-            // `reduction.declare` will be used by reductions and is not
-            // converted directly, skip it.
-            return success();
-          })
+      .Case<omp::YieldOp, omp::TerminatorOp, omp::ReductionDeclareOp,
+            omp::CriticalDeclareOp>([](auto op) {
+        // `yield` and `terminator` can be just omitted. The block structure
+        // was created in the region that handles their parent operation.
+        // `reduction.declare` will be used by reductions and is not
+        // converted directly, skip it.
+        // `critical.declare` is only used to declare names of critical
+        // sections which will be used by `critical` ops and hence can be
+        // ignored for lowering. The OpenMP IRBuilder will create unique
+        // name for critical section names.
+        return success();
+      })
       .Default([&](Operation *inst) {
         return inst->emitError("unsupported OpenMP operation: ")
                << inst->getName();
diff --git a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/invalid.mlir b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/invalid.mlir
--- a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/invalid.mlir
+++ b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/invalid.mlir
@@ -296,10 +296,20 @@
 
 // -----
 
-func @omp_critical() -> () {
+func @omp_critical1() -> () {
   // expected-error @below {{must specify a name unless the effect is as if hint(none) is specified}}
   omp.critical hint(nonspeculative) {
     omp.terminator
   }
   return
 }
+
+// -----
+
+func @omp_critical2() -> () {
+  // expected-error @below {{expected symbol reference @excl to point to a critical declaration}}
+  omp.critical(@excl) hint(speculative) {
+    omp.terminator
+  }
+  return
+}
diff --git a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/ops.mlir b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/ops.mlir
--- a/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/ops.mlir
+++ b/mlir/test/Dialect/OpenMP/ops.mlir
@@ -369,6 +369,10 @@
   return
 }
 
+// CHECK: omp.critical.declare
+// CHECK-LABEL: @mutex
+omp.critical.declare @mutex
+
 // CHECK-LABEL: omp_critical
 func @omp_critical() -> () {
   omp.critical {
diff --git a/mlir/test/Target/LLVMIR/openmp-llvm.mlir b/mlir/test/Target/LLVMIR/openmp-llvm.mlir
--- a/mlir/test/Target/LLVMIR/openmp-llvm.mlir
+++ b/mlir/test/Target/LLVMIR/openmp-llvm.mlir
@@ -469,6 +469,8 @@
 
 // -----
 
+omp.critical.declare @mutex
+
 // CHECK-LABEL: @omp_critical
 llvm.func @omp_critical(%x : !llvm.ptr<i32>, %xval : i32) -> () {
   // CHECK: call void @__kmpc_critical_with_hint({{.*}}critical_user_.var{{.*}}, i32 0)