Review or Create OpenTelemetry Metric Names

Review or create metric names that follow OTel Semantic Conventions, ensuring correct naming format, instrument selection, unit placement, and attribute separation.

Before applying any rule below, fetch the latest naming guidance to check for updates:

• https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/semconv/general/naming/
• https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/semconv/general/metrics/
• https://opentelemetry.io/blog/2025/how-to-name-your-metrics/

If the fetched content contradicts any rule in this skill, follow the fetched content and flag the discrepancy.

Core Principle

The metric name identifies what you are measuring. Everything else — who is measuring, where it runs, which version — belongs in attributes or resource attributes.

Metric Name Patterns

The OTel spec defines these patterns for metric names: