diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a5207baab1e..f14ec67fc5e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ release.
 Google products under `cloud.infrastructure_service` ([#1496](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1496))
 - `http.url` MUST NOT contain credentials ([#1502](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1502))
 - Add `aws.eks.cluster.arn` to EKS specific semantic conventions ([#1484](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1484))
+- Rename `zone` to `availability_zone` in `cloud` semantic conventions ([#1495](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification/pull/1495))
 
 ## v1.0.1 (2021-02-11)
 
diff --git a/semantic_conventions/resource/cloud.yaml b/semantic_conventions/resource/cloud.yaml
index 8c45dfcbe97..d134478c030 100644
--- a/semantic_conventions/resource/cloud.yaml
+++ b/semantic_conventions/resource/cloud.yaml
@@ -33,15 +33,15 @@ groups:
           [AWS regions](https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regions_az/), [Azure regions](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/global-infrastructure/geographies/), or
           [Google Cloud regions](https://cloud.google.com/about/locations).
         examples: ['us-central1', 'us-east-1']
-      - id: zone
+      - id: availability_zone
         type: string
         brief: >
           Cloud regions often have multiple, isolated locations known as zones
-          to increase availability. Zone represents the zone where the resource 
-          is running.
+          to increase availability. Availability zone represents the
+          zone where the resource is running.
         note: >
-          AWS and Azure calls them availability zones or AZs.
-        examples: ['us-central1-a', 'us-east-1c']
+          Availability zones are called "zones" on Google Cloud.
+        examples: ['us-east-1c']
       - id: infrastructure_service
         type:
           allow_custom_values: true
diff --git a/specification/resource/semantic_conventions/cloud.md b/specification/resource/semantic_conventions/cloud.md
index 60178b42052..5e068bcb49a 100644
--- a/specification/resource/semantic_conventions/cloud.md
+++ b/specification/resource/semantic_conventions/cloud.md
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@
 | `cloud.provider` | string | Name of the cloud provider. | `gcp` | No |
 | `cloud.account.id` | string | The cloud account ID the resource is assigned to. | `111111111111`; `opentelemetry` | No |
 | `cloud.region` | string | The geographical region the resource is running. Refer to your provider's docs to see the available regions, for example [AWS regions](https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/global-infrastructure/regions_az/), [Azure regions](https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/global-infrastructure/geographies/), or [Google Cloud regions](https://cloud.google.com/about/locations). | `us-central1`; `us-east-1` | No |
-| `cloud.zone` | string | Cloud regions often have multiple, isolated locations known as zones to increase availability. Zone represents the zone where the resource  is running. [1] | `us-central1-a`; `us-east-1c` | No |
+| `cloud.availability_zone` | string | Cloud regions often have multiple, isolated locations known as zones to increase availability. Availability zone represents the zone where the resource is running. [1] | `us-east-1c` | No |
 | `cloud.infrastructure_service` | string | The cloud infrastructure resource in use. [2] | `aws_ec2`; `azure_vm`; `gcp_compute_engine` | No |
 
-**[1]:** AWS and Azure calls them availability zones or AZs.
+**[1]:** Availability zones are called "zones" on Google Cloud.
 
 **[2]:** The prefix of the service SHOULD match the one specified in `cloud.provider`.