diff --git a/proplot/wrappers.py b/proplot/wrappers.py
index ad80b55bc..1cfc43dd8 100644
--- a/proplot/wrappers.py
+++ b/proplot/wrappers.py
@@ -206,7 +206,8 @@ def default_crs(self, func, *args, crs=None, **kwargs):
     except TypeError as err:  # duplicate keyword args, i.e. crs is positional
         if not args:
             raise err
-        result = func(self, *args[:-1], crs=args[-1], **kwargs)
+        args, crs = args[:-1], args[-1]
+        result = func(self, *args, crs=crs, **kwargs)
     # Fix extent, so axes tight bounding box gets correct box!
     # From this issue:
     # https://github.com/SciTools/cartopy/issues/1207#issuecomment-439975083
@@ -217,15 +218,18 @@ def default_crs(self, func, *args, crs=None, **kwargs):
     return result
 
 
-def _standard_label(data, axis=None, units=True):
+def _axis_labels_title(data, axis=None, units=True):
     """
-    Get data and label for pandas or xarray objects or their coordinates.
+    Get data and label for pandas or xarray objects or their coordinates
+    along axis `axis`. If `units` is ``True`` also look for units on xarray
+    data arrays.
     """
     label = ''
     _load_objects()
     if isinstance(data, ndarray):
         if axis is not None and data.ndim > axis:
             data = np.arange(data.shape[axis])
+
     # Xarray with common NetCDF attribute names
     elif isinstance(data, DataArray):
         if axis is not None and data.ndim > axis:
@@ -239,6 +243,7 @@ def _standard_label(data, axis=None, units=True):
                 label = f'{label} ({units})'
             elif units:
                 label = units
+
     # Pandas object with name attribute
     # if not label and isinstance(data, DataFrame) and data.columns.size == 1:
     elif isinstance(data, (DataFrame, Series, Index)):
@@ -251,6 +256,7 @@ def _standard_label(data, axis=None, units=True):
         # DataFrame has no native name attribute but user can add one:
         # https://github.com/pandas-dev/pandas/issues/447
         label = getattr(data, 'name', '') or ''
+
     return data, str(label).strip()
 
 
@@ -307,7 +313,7 @@ def standardize_1d(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
     if x is None:
         axis = 1 if (name in ('hist', 'boxplot', 'violinplot') or any(
             kwargs.get(s, None) for s in ('means', 'medians'))) else 0
-        x, _ = _standard_label(y, axis=axis)
+        x, _ = _axis_labels_title(y, axis=axis)
     x = _to_array(x)
     if x.ndim != 1:
         raise ValueError(
@@ -332,20 +338,21 @@ def standardize_1d(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
                 kwargs['positions'] = xi
         if name in ('boxplot', 'violinplot'):
             kwargs['positions'] = xi
+
         # Next handle labels if 'autoformat' is on
         if self.figure._auto_format:
             # Ylabel
-            y, label = _standard_label(y)
-            if label:
-                # for histogram, this indicates x coordinate
+            y, label = _axis_labels_title(y)
+            if label:  # for histogram, this label is used for *x* coordinates
                 iaxis = xax if name in ('hist',) else yax
                 kw[iaxis + 'label'] = label
             # Xlabel
-            x, label = _standard_label(x)
+            x, label = _axis_labels_title(x)
             if label and name not in ('hist',):
                 kw[xax + 'label'] = label
             if name != 'scatter' and len(x) > 1 and xi is None and x[1] < x[0]:
                 kw[xax + 'reverse'] = True
+
         # Appply
         if kw:
             self.format(**kw)
@@ -550,7 +557,7 @@ def standardize_2d(self, func, *args, order='C', globe=False, **kwargs):
         # Handle labels if 'autoformat' is on
         if self.figure._auto_format:
             for key, xy in zip(('xlabel', 'ylabel'), (x, y)):
-                _, label = _standard_label(xy)
+                _, label = _axis_labels_title(xy)
                 if label:
                     kw[key] = label
                 if len(xy) > 1 and all(isinstance(xy, Number)
@@ -562,8 +569,8 @@ def standardize_2d(self, func, *args, order='C', globe=False, **kwargs):
         y = yi
     # Handle figure titles
     if self.figure._auto_format:
-        _, colorbar_label = _standard_label(Zs[0], units=True)
-        _, title = _standard_label(Zs[0], units=False)
+        _, colorbar_label = _axis_labels_title(Zs[0], units=True)
+        _, title = _axis_labels_title(Zs[0], units=False)
         if title:
             kw['title'] = title
         if kw:
@@ -1789,7 +1796,7 @@ def cycle_changer(
 
     # Plot susccessive columns
     objs = []
-    label_leg = None  # for colorbar or legend
+    label_leg_cbar = None  # for colorbar or legend
     for i in range(ncols):
         # Prop cycle properties
         kw = kwargs.copy()
@@ -1806,59 +1813,70 @@ def cycle_changer(
                 kw[key] = value
 
         # Get x coordinates
-        ix, iy = x, ys[0]  # samples
+        x_col, y_first = x, ys[0]  # samples
         if name in ('pie',):
-            kw['labels'] = _not_none(labels, ix)  # TODO: move to pie wrapper?
+            kw['labels'] = _not_none(labels, x_col)  # TODO: move to pie wrapper?
         if name in ('bar',):  # adjust
             if not stacked:
-                ix = x + (i - ncols / 2 + 0.5) * width / ncols
-            elif stacked and iy.ndim > 1:
+                x_col = x + (i - ncols / 2 + 0.5) * width / ncols
+            elif stacked and y_first.ndim > 1:
                 key = 'x' if barh else 'bottom'
-                kw[key] = _to_indexer(iy)[:, :i].sum(axis=1)
+                kw[key] = _to_indexer(y_first)[:, :i].sum(axis=1)
 
         # Get y coordinates and labels
         if name in ('pie', 'boxplot', 'violinplot'):
-            iys = (iy,)  # only ever have one y value, cannot have legend labs
+            # Only ever have one y value, cannot have legend labs
+            ys_col = (y_first,)
+
         else:
             # The coordinates
             # WARNING: If stacked=True then we always *ignore* second
             # argument passed to fill_between. Warning should be issued
             # by fill_between_wrapper in this case.
             if stacked and 'fill_between' in name:
-                iys = tuple(
-                    iy if iy.ndim == 1 else _to_indexer(iy)[:, :ii].sum(axis=1)
+                ys_col = tuple(
+                    y_first if y_first.ndim == 1
+                    else _to_indexer(y_first)[:, :ii].sum(axis=1)
                     for ii in (i, i + 1)
                 )
             else:
-                iys = tuple(
-                    iy if iy.ndim == 1 else _to_indexer(iy)[:, i]
-                    for iy in ys
+                ys_col = tuple(
+                    y_i if y_i.ndim == 1 else _to_indexer(y_i)[:, i]
+                    for y_i in ys
                 )
+
             # Possible legend labels
+            # Several scenarios:
+            # 1. Always prefer input labels
+            # 2. Always add labels if this is a *named* dimension.
+            # 3. Even if not *named* dimension add labels if labels are string
             if len(labels) != ncols:
                 raise ValueError(
                     f'Got {ncols} columns in data array, '
                     f'but {len(labels)} labels.'
                 )
-            label = labels[i]
-            values, label_leg = _standard_label(iy, axis=1)
-            if label_leg and label is None:
-                label = _to_ndarray(values)[i]
+            label = labels[i]  # input labels
+            labels_cols, label_leg_cbar = _axis_labels_title(y_first, axis=1)
+            labels_cols = _to_ndarray(labels_cols)
+            if label is None and (
+                label_leg_cbar or labels_cols.size and isinstance(labels_cols[i], str)
+            ):
+                label = labels_cols[i]
             if label is not None:
                 kw['label'] = label
 
         # Build coordinate arguments
-        xy = ()
+        x_ys_col = ()
         if barh:  # special, use kwargs only!
-            kw.update({'bottom': ix, 'width': iys[0]})
+            kw.update({'bottom': x_col, 'width': ys_col[0]})
             kw.setdefault('x', kwargs.get('bottom', 0))  # required
         elif name in ('pie', 'hist', 'boxplot', 'violinplot'):
-            xy = (*iys,)
+            x_ys_col = ys_col
         else:  # has x-coordinates, and maybe more than one y
-            xy = (ix, *iys)
+            x_ys_col = (x_col, *ys_col)
 
         # Call plotting function
-        obj = func(self, *xy, *args, **kw)
+        obj = func(self, *x_ys_col, *args, **kw)
         if isinstance(obj, (list, tuple)) and len(obj) == 1:
             obj = obj[0]
         objs.append(obj)
@@ -1873,8 +1891,8 @@ def cycle_changer(
         # Add keywords
         if loc != 'fill':
             colorbar_kw.setdefault('loc', loc)
-        if label_leg:
-            colorbar_kw.setdefault('label', label_leg)
+        if label_leg_cbar:
+            colorbar_kw.setdefault('label', label_leg_cbar)
         self._auto_colorbar[loc][1].update(colorbar_kw)
 
     # Add legend
@@ -1887,8 +1905,8 @@ def cycle_changer(
         # Add keywords
         if loc != 'fill':
             legend_kw.setdefault('loc', loc)
-        if label_leg:
-            legend_kw.setdefault('label', label_leg)
+        if label_leg_cbar:
+            legend_kw.setdefault('label', label_leg_cbar)
         self._auto_legend[loc][1].update(legend_kw)
 
     # Return
@@ -2270,6 +2288,7 @@ def cmap_changer(
     colorbar_kw = colorbar_kw or {}
 
     # Flexible user input
+    Z_sample = args[-1]
     vmin = _not_none(vmin=vmin, norm_kw_vmin=norm_kw.pop('vmin', None))
     vmax = _not_none(vmax=vmax, norm_kw_vmax=norm_kw.pop('vmax', None))
     values = _not_none(values=values, centers=centers)
@@ -2349,7 +2368,7 @@ def cmap_changer(
     ticks = None
     if cmap is not None and name not in ('hexbin',):
         norm, cmap, levels, ticks = _build_discrete_norm(
-            args[-1],  # sample data for getting suitable levels
+            Z_sample,  # sample data for getting suitable levels
             levels=levels, values=values,
             norm=norm, norm_kw=norm_kw,
             locator=locator, locator_kw=locator_kw,
@@ -2471,7 +2490,7 @@ def cmap_changer(
     if colorbar:
         loc = self._loc_translate(colorbar, 'colorbar', allow_manual=False)
         if 'label' not in colorbar_kw and self.figure._auto_format:
-            _, label = _standard_label(args[-1])  # last one is data, we assume
+            _, label = _axis_labels_title(Z_sample)  # last one is data, we assume
             if label:
                 colorbar_kw.setdefault('label', label)
         if name in ('parametric',) and values is not None: