diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index dbd1511a8aecc86f89d823201b7751bed318d56c..97bc4cfb6ff8ff79957dfec3a13782c4efb0c237 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -153,7 +153,8 @@ The first supported grid is a regular grid with longitude and latitude.
 
 # Supported Variables
 
-At the moment only a limited number of variables from the TOAR database is supported. 
+This module supports all variables of the TOAR database (Extraction: 2024-05-27). They can be identified by their "cf_standardname" or their name as stored in the TOAR database.
+The full list can be accesses by querying the TOAR database, e.g. with https://toar-data.fz-juelich.de/api/v2/variables/?limit=None
 
 # Supported Time intervals
 
diff --git a/toargridding/gridding.py b/toargridding/gridding.py
index 5523c9e84779adacfcbe1967c039e12f654d99bc..1d645a29439844a51c11270f3d9ba8b7be51487a 100644
--- a/toargridding/gridding.py
+++ b/toargridding/gridding.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def get_gridded_toar_data(
     """
 
     metadatas = [
-        Metadata.construct(standart_name=var, time=time, stat=stat, moreOptions=kwargs) for var, stat in product(variables, stats)
+        Metadata.construct(standard_name=var, time=time, stat=stat, moreOptions=kwargs) for var, stat in product(variables, stats)
     ]
 
     datasets = []
diff --git a/toargridding/metadata.py b/toargridding/metadata.py
index af46d09a75a1508fda8989d34ba2c81610a04b8c..627f1167ceca07b351c8f12058c3c52a5c817755 100644
--- a/toargridding/metadata.py
+++ b/toargridding/metadata.py
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class Metadata:
     moreOptions : Dict = field(default_factory=lambda: {})
 
     @staticmethod
-    def construct(standart_name: str, time: TimeSample, stat: str, moreOptions : Dict = {}):
+    def construct(standard_name: str, time: TimeSample, stat: str, moreOptions : Dict = {}):
         """constructor 
         
         Parameters:
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ class Metadata:
             collection of additional query options for the REST API.
         """
 
-        variable = TOARVariable.get(standart_name)
+        variable = TOARVariable.get(standard_name)
         return Metadata(variable, time, stat, moreOptions)
     
     @property
diff --git a/toargridding/setupFunctions.py b/toargridding/setupFunctions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..1348f4950900bfa743da4152faba98ec00f46d56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toargridding/setupFunctions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+from toargridding.static_metadata import TOAR_VARIABLES_METADATA_PATH
+import requests
+import json
+
+
+def updateTOARVariables():
+    """Download the most recent list of variables from the TOAR database
+    This overwrites the current static file 
+    """
+    response = requests.get("https://toar-data.fz-juelich.de/api/v2/variables/?limit=None")
+    response.raise_for_status()#check, for errors.
+    varList = response.json()
+    with open(TOAR_VARIABLES_METADATA_PATH, "w") as f:
+        json.dump(varList, f, indent=2)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/toargridding/static_metadata.py b/toargridding/static_metadata.py
index adf6566a301795d1e71f90c9d983442f2fc36137..dfca7efc9c1ac2a99f4177071a57ed7a19f5dc1c 100644
--- a/toargridding/static_metadata.py
+++ b/toargridding/static_metadata.py
@@ -47,22 +47,65 @@ class TOARVariable:
         cls.vars = [TOARVariable(**var) for var in variables]
 
     @classmethod
-    def get(cls, standart_name: str) -> "TOARVariable":
+    def get(cls, name: str) -> "TOARVariable":
         """searches the known variables for the requested variable
         
         Parameters:
         ----------
-        standart_name:
+        name:
             name of the variable following the CF convention.
+            For each variable first, the cf_standardname is checked and afterwards the name field.
 
         return:
             provides direct access to the meta data of the selected variable
         """
+        #TODO: update README
+        try:
+            return cls.get_from_cf_standardname(standard_name=name)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            pass
+        try:
+            return cls.get_from_name(name=name)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise ValueError(f"TOAR Database contains no variable with cf_standardname or name '{name}'")
+    @classmethod
+    def get_from_cf_standardname(cls, standard_name: str) -> "TOARVariable":
+        """searches the known variables for the given cf_standardname
+        
+        Parameters:
+        ----------
+        standard_name:
+            name of the variable following the CF convention.
+
+        return:
+            provides direct access to the meta data of the selected variable
+        """
+        if standard_name == "" or standard_name == None:
+            raise ValueError("No name provided for variable.")
+        for var in cls.vars:
+            if var.standard_name == standard_name:
+                return var
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"TOAR Database contains no variable with cf_standardname {standard_name}")
+    @classmethod
+    def get_from_name(cls, name: str) -> "TOARVariable":
+        """searches the known variables for the given name
+        
+        Parameters:
+        ----------
+        name:
+            name of the variable according to the TOAR database config
+
+        return:
+            provides direct access to the meta data of the selected variable
+        """
+        if name == "" or name == None:
+            raise ValueError("No name provided for variable.")
         for var in cls.vars:
-            if var.standart_name == standart_name:
+            if var.name==name:
                 return var
         else:
-            raise ValueError(f"TOAR Database contains no variable {standart_name}")
+            raise ValueError(f"TOAR Database contains no variable {name}")
 
     @property
     def toar_id(self):
@@ -71,7 +114,7 @@ class TOARVariable:
         return self.id
 
     @property
-    def standart_name(self):
+    def standard_name(self):
         """alias to get cf_standardname
         """
         return self.cf_standardname