diff --git a/python/pyarrow/table.pxi b/python/pyarrow/table.pxi
index 68eb5cbdcac..028797e45b8 100644
--- a/python/pyarrow/table.pxi
+++ b/python/pyarrow/table.pxi
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ cdef int _schema_from_arrays(
 
     fields.resize(K)
 
-    if len(arrays) == 0:
+    if not K:
         raise ValueError('Must pass at least one array')
 
     if isinstance(arrays[0], Column):
@@ -328,6 +328,9 @@ cdef int _schema_from_arrays(
         if names is None:
             raise ValueError('Must pass names when constructing '
                              'from Array objects')
+        if len(names) != K:
+            raise ValueError("Length of names ({}) does not match "
+                             "length of arrays ({})".format(len(names), K))
         for i in range(K):
             val = arrays[i]
             if isinstance(val, (Array, ChunkedArray)):
diff --git a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_parquet.py b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_parquet.py
index 9b5a4bcc43c..09e427fb37b 100644
--- a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_parquet.py
+++ b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_parquet.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def test_single_pylist_column_roundtrip(tmpdir):
         filename = tmpdir.join('single_{}_column.parquet'
                                .format(dtype.__name__))
         data = [pa.array(list(map(dtype, range(5))))]
-        table = pa.Table.from_arrays(data, names=('a', 'b'))
+        table = pa.Table.from_arrays(data, names=['a'])
         _write_table(table, filename.strpath)
         table_read = _read_table(filename.strpath)
         for col_written, col_read in zip(table.itercolumns(),
diff --git a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_table.py b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_table.py
index 4d5cb364c69..3a523e73c80 100644
--- a/python/pyarrow/tests/test_table.py
+++ b/python/pyarrow/tests/test_table.py
@@ -82,6 +82,18 @@ def test_recordbatch_basics():
         batch[2]
 
 
+def test_recordbatch_from_arrays_invalid_names():
+    data = [
+        pa.array(range(5)),
+        pa.array([-10, -5, 0, 5, 10])
+    ]
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        pa.RecordBatch.from_arrays(data, names=['a', 'b', 'c'])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        pa.RecordBatch.from_arrays(data, names=['a'])
+
+
 def test_recordbatch_empty_metadata():
     data = [
         pa.array(range(5)),
@@ -200,6 +212,18 @@ def test_table_basics():
             assert chunk is not None
 
 
+def test_table_from_arrays_invalid_names():
+    data = [
+        pa.array(range(5)),
+        pa.array([-10, -5, 0, 5, 10])
+    ]
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        pa.Table.from_arrays(data, names=['a', 'b', 'c'])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        pa.Table.from_arrays(data, names=['a'])
+
+
 def test_table_add_column():
     data = [
         pa.array(range(5)),