diff --git a/dotenv/examples/multiple_files.rs b/dotenv/examples/multiple_files.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4fec59a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dotenv/examples/multiple_files.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+use dotenv;
+use std::env;
+
+fn main() {
+    // Try to load from multiple files in priority order
+    // This will load from .env.local first, then fall back to .env if .env.local doesn't exist
+    match dotenv::from_filenames(&[".env.local", ".env"]) {
+        Ok(path) => println!("Loaded environment from: {:?}", path),
+        Err(e) => println!("Failed to load any environment file: {}", e),
+    }
+
+    // Now you can use environment variables as usual
+    match env::var("MY_VAR") {
+        Ok(val) => println!("MY_VAR = {}", val),
+        Err(_) => println!("MY_VAR not found in environment"),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/dotenv/src/find.rs b/dotenv/src/find.rs
index dd60728..bb4faf1 100644
--- a/dotenv/src/find.rs
+++ b/dotenv/src/find.rs
@@ -6,26 +6,54 @@ use crate::errors::*;
 use crate::iter::Iter;
 
 pub struct Finder<'a> {
-    filename: &'a Path,
+    filenames: Vec<&'a Path>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> Finder<'a> {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Finder {
-            filename: Path::new(".env"),
+            filenames: vec![Path::new(".env")],
         }
     }
 
     pub fn filename(mut self, filename: &'a Path) -> Self {
-        self.filename = filename;
+        self.filenames = vec![filename];
+        self
+    }
+
+    pub fn filenames(mut self, filenames: Vec<&'a Path>) -> Self {
+        self.filenames = filenames;
         self
     }
 
     pub fn find(self) -> Result<(PathBuf, Iter<File>)> {
-        let path = find(&env::current_dir().map_err(Error::Io)?, self.filename)?;
-        let file = File::open(&path).map_err(Error::Io)?;
-        let iter = Iter::new(file);
-        Ok((path, iter))
+        if self.filenames.is_empty() {
+            return Err(Error::Io(io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::NotFound,
+                "No filenames specified",
+            )));
+        }
+        
+        let current_dir = &env::current_dir().map_err(Error::Io)?;
+        
+        for filename in &self.filenames {
+            match find(current_dir, filename) {
+                Ok(path) => {
+                    let file = File::open(&path).map_err(Error::Io)?;
+                    let iter = Iter::new(file);
+                    return Ok((path, iter));
+                }
+                Err(e) if e.not_found() => continue,
+                Err(e) => return Err(e),
+            }
+        }
+        
+        // If we get here, none of the files were found
+        Err(Error::Io(io::Error::new(
+            io::ErrorKind::NotFound,
+            format!("None of the specified dotenv files found: {:?}", 
+                self.filenames.iter().map(|p| p.to_string_lossy()).collect::<Vec<_>>()),
+        )))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/dotenv/src/lib.rs b/dotenv/src/lib.rs
index f2b1b0a..c06334d 100644
--- a/dotenv/src/lib.rs
+++ b/dotenv/src/lib.rs
@@ -150,6 +150,48 @@ pub fn from_filename_iter<P: AsRef<Path>>(filename: P) -> Result<Iter<File>> {
     Ok(iter)
 }
 
+/// Loads the first available file from the specified list of filenames from the environment's current directory or its parents in sequence.
+///
+/// This function will try each filename in order until it finds one that exists, then load that file.
+/// If none of the files exist, it returns an error.
+///
+/// # Examples
+/// ```
+/// use dotenv;
+/// 
+/// // Try to load from .env.local first, then .env if .env.local doesn't exist
+/// dotenv::from_filenames(&[".env.local", ".env"]).ok();
+/// ```
+pub fn from_filenames<P: AsRef<Path>>(filenames: &[P]) -> Result<PathBuf> {
+    let paths: Vec<&Path> = filenames.iter().map(|p| p.as_ref()).collect();
+    let (path, iter) = Finder::new().filenames(paths).find()?;
+    iter.load()?;
+    Ok(path)
+}
+
+/// Like `from_filenames`, but returns an iterator over variables instead of loading into environment.
+///
+/// This function will try each filename in order until it finds one that exists, then return an iterator for that file.
+/// If none of the files exist, it returns an error.
+///
+/// # Examples
+/// ```no_run
+/// use dotenv;
+/// 
+/// // Try to load from .env.local first, then .env if .env.local doesn't exist
+/// let iter = dotenv::from_filenames_iter(&[".env.local", ".env"]).unwrap();
+///
+/// for item in iter {
+///   let (key, val) = item.unwrap();
+///   println!("{}={}", key, val);
+/// }
+/// ```
+pub fn from_filenames_iter<P: AsRef<Path>>(filenames: &[P]) -> Result<Iter<File>> {
+    let paths: Vec<&Path> = filenames.iter().map(|p| p.as_ref()).collect();
+    let (_, iter) = Finder::new().filenames(paths).find()?;
+    Ok(iter)
+}
+
 /// This is usually what you want.
 /// It loads the .env file located in the environment's current directory or its parents in sequence.
 ///
diff --git a/dotenv/tests/test-from-filenames.rs b/dotenv/tests/test-from-filenames.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5c21d8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dotenv/tests/test-from-filenames.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+use std::env;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::Write;
+use tempfile::TempDir;
+
+use dotenv::*;
+
+#[test]
+fn test_from_filenames_priority() {
+    let temp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    let current = env::current_dir().unwrap();
+    env::set_current_dir(temp.path()).unwrap();
+
+    let mut env_file = File::create(".env").unwrap();
+    env_file.write_all(b"TESTKEY=test_val\n").unwrap();
+    env_file.sync_all().unwrap();
+
+    // clear it to start fresh
+    env::remove_var("TESTKEY");
+
+    // should find .env when .env.local doesn't exist
+    from_filenames(&[".env.local", ".env"]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(env::var("TESTKEY").unwrap(), "test_val");
+
+    let mut local_file = File::create(".env.local").unwrap();
+    local_file.write_all(b"TESTKEY=local_val\n").unwrap();
+    local_file.sync_all().unwrap();
+
+    env::remove_var("TESTKEY");
+
+    // should find .env.local first (higher priority)
+    from_filenames(&[".env.local", ".env"]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(env::var("TESTKEY").unwrap(), "local_val");
+
+    // restore
+    env::set_current_dir(&current).unwrap();
+    temp.close().unwrap();
+}