diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter.java
index f329d7bf17..d3e32e1674 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter extends StepRegistryPropertiesConfigAdapter<Ot
 	/**
 	 * Default value for application name if {@code spring.application.name} is not set.
 	 */
-	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "application";
+	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "unknown_service";
 
 	private final OpenTelemetryProperties openTelemetryProperties;
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
index f87bfa6548..4c6ec413b3 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration {
 	/**
 	 * Default value for application name if {@code spring.application.name} is not set.
 	 */
-	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "application";
+	private static final String DEFAULT_APPLICATION_NAME = "unknown_service";
 
 	private static final AttributeKey<String> ATTRIBUTE_KEY_SERVICE_NAME = AttributeKey.stringKey("service.name");
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapterTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapterTests.java
index 25151b63a6..2625b4b01b 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapterTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/metrics/export/otlp/OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapterTests.java
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapterTests {
 
 	@Test
 	void shouldUseDefaultApplicationNameIfApplicationNameIsNotSet() {
-		assertThat(createAdapter().resourceAttributes()).containsEntry("service.name", "application");
+		assertThat(createAdapter().resourceAttributes()).containsEntry("service.name", "unknown_service");
 	}
 
 	private OtlpPropertiesConfigAdapter createAdapter() {
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
index 167be648bf..4cd6ef9023 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests {
 		this.runner.run((context) -> {
 			Resource resource = context.getBean(Resource.class);
 			assertThat(resource.getAttributes().asMap())
-				.contains(entry(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "application"));
+				.contains(entry(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "unknown_service"));
 		});
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/tracing/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/tracing/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
index 1e332bedaa..a276456cd1 100644
--- a/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/tracing/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
+++ b/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/test/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/tracing/OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests.java
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ class OpenTelemetryAutoConfigurationTests {
 				exporter.await(Duration.ofSeconds(10));
 				SpanData spanData = exporter.getExportedSpans().get(0);
 				Map<AttributeKey<?>, Object> expectedAttributes = Resource.getDefault()
-					.merge(Resource.create(Attributes.of(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "application")))
+					.merge(Resource.create(Attributes.of(ResourceAttributes.SERVICE_NAME, "unknown_service")))
 					.getAttributes()
 					.asMap();
 				assertThat(spanData.getResource().getAttributes().asMap()).isEqualTo(expectedAttributes);