https://github.com/spring-projects/spring-boot/blob/4bc63b579ac90e52614be7ce214cf9d874c63b34/spring-boot-project/spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure/src/main/java/org/springframework/boot/actuate/autoconfigure/opentelemetry/OpenTelemetryAutoConfiguration.java#L54

Spring's Opentelemetry auto configuration seem to use application as a fall back value when the property spring.application.name is not set. As per Opentelemetry semantic convention, the default value when the app name is not available should be unknown_service.

Note: Micrometer also defaults to the value unknown_service. But when used with spring's auto configuration the resource is set to a different value.

Comment From: mhalbritter

Superseded by #38219.