4 files changed, 19 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_elements_constructors.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_elements_constructors.py
index 7c5281bee..2e5e399f9 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_elements_constructors.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_elements_constructors.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ from ..util.typing import Literal
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionArgument
     from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionOrLiteralArgument
+    from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument
     from ._typing import _TypeEngineArgument
     from .elements import BinaryExpression
     from .selectable import FromClause
@@ -226,7 +227,9 @@ def any_(expr: _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]) -> CollectionAggregate[bool]:
     return CollectionAggregate._create_any(expr)
 
 
-def asc(column: _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
+def asc(
+    column: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[_T],
+) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
     """Produce an ascending ``ORDER BY`` clause element.
 
     e.g.::
@@ -935,7 +938,9 @@ def column(
     return ColumnClause(text, type_, is_literal, _selectable)
 
 
-def desc(column: _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
+def desc(
+    column: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[_T],
+) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
     """Produce a descending ``ORDER BY`` clause element.
 
     e.g.::
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_typing.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_typing.py
index 8a758e7c7..78e196efc 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_typing.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/_typing.py
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ overall which brings in the TextClause object also.
 
 _ColumnExpressionOrLiteralArgument = Union[Any, _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]]
 
+_ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument = Union[str, _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]]
+
 
 _InfoType = Dict[Any, Any]
 """the .info dictionary accepted and used throughout Core /ORM"""
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py
index eff8c9bc1..3896d4cbd 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/elements.py
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ from ..util.typing import Literal
 
 if typing.TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionArgument
+    from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument
     from ._typing import _InfoType
     from ._typing import _PropagateAttrsType
     from ._typing import _TypeEngineArgument
@@ -3494,7 +3495,7 @@ class UnaryExpression(ColumnElement[_T]):
 
     @classmethod
     def _create_desc(
-        cls, column: _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T]
+        cls, column: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[_T]
     ) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
         return UnaryExpression(
             coercions.expect(roles.ByOfRole, column),
@@ -3505,7 +3506,7 @@ class UnaryExpression(ColumnElement[_T]):
     @classmethod
     def _create_asc(
         cls,
-        column: _ColumnExpressionArgument[_T],
+        column: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[_T],
     ) -> UnaryExpression[_T]:
         return UnaryExpression(
             coercions.expect(roles.ByOfRole, column),
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/selectable.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/selectable.py
index 2dcc611fa..fd4157afd 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/selectable.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/sql/selectable.py
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ _T = TypeVar("_T", bound=Any)
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionArgument
+    from ._typing import _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument
     from ._typing import _FromClauseArgument
     from ._typing import _JoinTargetArgument
     from ._typing import _MAYBE_ENTITY
@@ -4146,9 +4147,10 @@ class GenerativeSelect(SelectBase, Generative):
     def order_by(
         self: SelfGenerativeSelect,
         __first: Union[
-            Literal[None, _NoArg.NO_ARG], _ColumnExpressionArgument[Any]
+            Literal[None, _NoArg.NO_ARG],
+            _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[Any],
         ] = _NoArg.NO_ARG,
-        *clauses: _ColumnExpressionArgument[Any],
+        *clauses: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[Any],
     ) -> SelfGenerativeSelect:
         r"""Return a new selectable with the given list of ORDER BY
         criteria applied.
@@ -4190,9 +4192,10 @@ class GenerativeSelect(SelectBase, Generative):
     def group_by(
         self: SelfGenerativeSelect,
         __first: Union[
-            Literal[None, _NoArg.NO_ARG], _ColumnExpressionArgument[Any]
+            Literal[None, _NoArg.NO_ARG],
+            _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[Any],
         ] = _NoArg.NO_ARG,
-        *clauses: _ColumnExpressionArgument[Any],
+        *clauses: _ColumnExpressionOrStrLabelArgument[Any],
     ) -> SelfGenerativeSelect:
         r"""Return a new selectable with the given list of GROUP BY
         criterion applied.