Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for referencing message elements in an application message in a messaging environment that include: establishing a message model on a computer, the message model comprising message element specifications that each specify a message element for storing data in the application messages, each message element specification comprising element characteristics; creating, by a messaging module on the computer in dependence upon the message model, a message element designator map that maps a separate message element designator to each message element specified by the message model; receiving, in the messaging module from a requesting module, a request for an element designator for a specific message element identified by the element characteristics for the specific message element; and providing, by the messaging module to the requesting module, the requested element designator in dependence upon the message element designator map and the element characteristics for the specific message element.