diff --git a/pkg/annotations/annotations.go b/pkg/annotations/annotations.go
index 2178df138..d832d6966 100644
--- a/pkg/annotations/annotations.go
+++ b/pkg/annotations/annotations.go
@@ -44,4 +44,7 @@ const (
 	// UntrustedWorkload is the sandbox annotation for untrusted workload. Untrusted
 	// workload can only run on dedicated runtime for untrusted workload.
 	UntrustedWorkload = "io.kubernetes.cri.untrusted-workload"
+
+	// containerName is the name of the container in the pod
+	ContainerName = "io.kubernetes.cri.container-name"
 )
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create.go b/pkg/server/container_create.go
index cfb5d6aad..b5da83d9c 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func (c *criService) CreateContainer(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.CreateConta
 	if metadata == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("container config must include metadata")
 	}
+	containerName := metadata.Name
 	name := makeContainerName(metadata, sandboxConfig.GetMetadata())
 	log.G(ctx).Debugf("Generated id %q for container %q", id, name)
 	if err = c.containerNameIndex.Reserve(name, id); err != nil {
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ func (c *criService) CreateContainer(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.CreateConta
 	}
 	log.G(ctx).Debugf("Use OCI runtime %+v for sandbox %q and container %q", ociRuntime, sandboxID, id)
 
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(id, sandboxID, sandboxPid, sandbox.NetNSPath, config, sandboxConfig,
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(id, sandboxID, sandboxPid, sandbox.NetNSPath, containerName, config, sandboxConfig,
 		&image.ImageSpec.Config, append(mounts, volumeMounts...), ociRuntime)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to generate container %q spec", id)
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create_test.go b/pkg/server/container_create_test.go
index 3eb18f80f..599e26c8e 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create_test.go
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ func TestGeneralContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 }
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func TestGeneralContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 func TestPodAnnotationPassthroughContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 
 	for desc, test := range map[string]struct {
@@ -120,7 +122,7 @@ func TestPodAnnotationPassthroughContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 			ociRuntime := config.Runtime{
 				PodAnnotations: test.podAnnotations,
 			}
-			spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "",
+			spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName,
 				containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			assert.NotNil(t, spec)
@@ -268,6 +270,7 @@ func TestVolumeMounts(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerAnnotationPassthroughContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 
 	for desc, test := range map[string]struct {
@@ -367,7 +370,7 @@ func TestContainerAnnotationPassthroughContainerSpec(t *testing.T) {
 				PodAnnotations:       test.podAnnotations,
 				ContainerAnnotations: test.containerAnnotations,
 			}
-			spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "",
+			spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName,
 				containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 			assert.NoError(t, err)
 			assert.NotNil(t, spec)
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create_unix.go b/pkg/server/container_create_unix.go
index 4dba453b5..94c6045aa 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create_unix.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create_unix.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (c *criService) containerMounts(sandboxID string, config *runtime.Container
 	return mounts
 }
 
-func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint32, netNSPath string,
+func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint32, netNSPath string, containerName string,
 	config *runtime.ContainerConfig, sandboxConfig *runtime.PodSandboxConfig, imageConfig *imagespec.ImageConfig,
 	extraMounts []*runtime.Mount, ociRuntime config.Runtime) (*runtimespec.Spec, error) {
 
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint3
 		customopts.WithSupplementalGroups(supplementalGroups),
 		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.ContainerType, annotations.ContainerTypeContainer),
 		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.SandboxID, sandboxID),
+		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.ContainerName, containerName),
 	)
 	// cgroupns is used for hiding /sys/fs/cgroup from containers.
 	// For compatibility, cgroupns is not used when running in cgroup v1 mode or in privileged.
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create_unix_test.go b/pkg/server/container_create_unix_test.go
index f72bc48dd..162d2a09e 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create_unix_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create_unix_test.go
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ func getCreateContainerTestData() (*runtime.ContainerConfig, *runtime.PodSandbox
 func TestContainerCapabilities(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	for desc, test := range map[string]struct {
 		capability *runtime.Capability
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ func TestContainerCapabilities(t *testing.T) {
 		c := newTestCRIService()
 
 		containerConfig.Linux.SecurityContext.Capabilities = test.capability
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 		for _, include := range test.includes {
@@ -251,13 +252,14 @@ func TestContainerCapabilities(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerSpecTty(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	for _, tty := range []bool{true, false} {
 		containerConfig.Tty = tty
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 		assert.Equal(t, tty, spec.Process.Terminal)
@@ -272,6 +274,7 @@ func TestContainerSpecTty(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerSpecDefaultPath(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	expectedDefault := "PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
@@ -283,7 +286,7 @@ func TestContainerSpecDefaultPath(t *testing.T) {
 			imageConfig.Env = append(imageConfig.Env, pathenv)
 			expected = pathenv
 		}
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 		assert.Contains(t, spec.Process.Env, expected)
@@ -293,13 +296,14 @@ func TestContainerSpecDefaultPath(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerSpecReadonlyRootfs(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	for _, readonly := range []bool{true, false} {
 		containerConfig.Linux.SecurityContext.ReadonlyRootfs = readonly
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 		assert.Equal(t, readonly, spec.Root.Readonly)
@@ -309,6 +313,7 @@ func TestContainerSpecReadonlyRootfs(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerSpecWithExtraMounts(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
@@ -337,7 +342,7 @@ func TestContainerSpecWithExtraMounts(t *testing.T) {
 			Readonly:      false,
 		},
 	}
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, extraMounts, ociRuntime)
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, extraMounts, ociRuntime)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 	var mounts, sysMounts, devMounts []runtimespec.Mount
@@ -369,6 +374,7 @@ func TestContainerSpecWithExtraMounts(t *testing.T) {
 func TestContainerAndSandboxPrivileged(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, _ := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
@@ -404,7 +410,7 @@ func TestContainerAndSandboxPrivileged(t *testing.T) {
 		sandboxConfig.Linux.SecurityContext = &runtime.LinuxSandboxSecurityContext{
 			Privileged: test.sandboxPrivileged,
 		}
-		_, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		_, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		if test.expectError {
 			assert.Error(t, err)
 		} else {
@@ -568,6 +574,7 @@ func TestPrivilegedBindMount(t *testing.T) {
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, _ := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 
@@ -591,7 +598,7 @@ func TestPrivilegedBindMount(t *testing.T) {
 		containerConfig.Linux.SecurityContext.Privileged = test.privileged
 		sandboxConfig.Linux.SecurityContext.Privileged = test.privileged
 
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(t.Name(), testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(t.Name(), testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 		if test.expectedSysFSRO {
@@ -717,6 +724,7 @@ func TestPidNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, _ := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
@@ -747,7 +755,7 @@ func TestPidNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 	} {
 		t.Logf("TestCase %q", desc)
 		containerConfig.Linux.SecurityContext.NamespaceOptions = &runtime.NamespaceOption{Pid: test.pidNS}
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		assert.Contains(t, spec.Linux.Namespaces, test.expected)
 	}
@@ -757,11 +765,12 @@ func TestNoDefaultRunMount(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, _ := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, mount := range spec.Mounts {
 		assert.NotEqual(t, "/run", mount.Destination)
@@ -903,6 +912,7 @@ func TestGenerateApparmorSpecOpts(t *testing.T) {
 func TestMaskedAndReadonlyPaths(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
@@ -977,7 +987,7 @@ func TestMaskedAndReadonlyPaths(t *testing.T) {
 		sandboxConfig.Linux.SecurityContext = &runtime.LinuxSandboxSecurityContext{
 			Privileged: test.privileged,
 		}
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		if !test.privileged { // specCheck presumes an unprivileged container
 			specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
@@ -990,6 +1000,7 @@ func TestMaskedAndReadonlyPaths(t *testing.T) {
 func TestHostname(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
@@ -1023,7 +1034,7 @@ func TestHostname(t *testing.T) {
 		sandboxConfig.Linux.SecurityContext = &runtime.LinuxSandboxSecurityContext{
 			NamespaceOptions: &runtime.NamespaceOption{Network: test.networkNs},
 		}
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
 		assert.Contains(t, spec.Process.Env, test.expectedEnv)
@@ -1035,7 +1046,7 @@ func TestDisableCgroup(t *testing.T) {
 	ociRuntime := config.Runtime{}
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	c.config.DisableCgroup = true
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec("test-id", "sandbox-id", 1234, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec("test-id", "sandbox-id", 1234, "", "container-name", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	t.Log("resource limit should not be set")
@@ -1121,6 +1132,7 @@ func TestPrivilegedDevices(t *testing.T) {
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, _ := getCreateContainerTestData()
 
 	for desc, test := range map[string]struct {
@@ -1157,7 +1169,7 @@ func TestPrivilegedDevices(t *testing.T) {
 		ociRuntime := config.Runtime{
 			PrivilegedWithoutHostDevices: test.privilegedWithoutHostDevices,
 		}
-		spec, err := c.containerSpec(t.Name(), testSandboxID, testPid, "", containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
+		spec, err := c.containerSpec(t.Name(), testSandboxID, testPid, "", testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, ociRuntime)
 		assert.NoError(t, err)
 
 		hostDevices, err := devices.HostDevices()
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create_windows.go b/pkg/server/container_create_windows.go
index 799a5a039..ea25b64b3 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create_windows.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create_windows.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ func (c *criService) containerMounts(sandboxID string, config *runtime.Container
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint32, netNSPath string,
+func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint32, netNSPath string, containerName string,
 	config *runtime.ContainerConfig, sandboxConfig *runtime.PodSandboxConfig, imageConfig *imagespec.ImageConfig,
 	extraMounts []*runtime.Mount, ociRuntime config.Runtime) (*runtimespec.Spec, error) {
 	specOpts := []oci.SpecOpts{
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ func (c *criService) containerSpec(id string, sandboxID string, sandboxPid uint3
 	specOpts = append(specOpts,
 		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.ContainerType, annotations.ContainerTypeContainer),
 		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.SandboxID, sandboxID),
+		customopts.WithAnnotation(annotations.ContainerName, containerName),
 	)
 
 	return runtimeSpec(id, specOpts...)
diff --git a/pkg/server/container_create_windows_test.go b/pkg/server/container_create_windows_test.go
index 38b14fcf1..1786f84eb 100644
--- a/pkg/server/container_create_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/server/container_create_windows_test.go
@@ -127,12 +127,13 @@ func getCreateContainerTestData() (*runtime.ContainerConfig, *runtime.PodSandbox
 func TestContainerWindowsNetworkNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	nsPath := "test-cni"
 	c := newTestCRIService()
 
 	containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, specCheck := getCreateContainerTestData()
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, nsPath, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, config.Runtime{})
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, nsPath, testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, config.Runtime{})
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, spec)
 	specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)
@@ -144,6 +145,7 @@ func TestContainerWindowsNetworkNamespace(t *testing.T) {
 func TestMountCleanPath(t *testing.T) {
 	testID := "test-id"
 	testSandboxID := "sandbox-id"
+	testContainerName := "container-name"
 	testPid := uint32(1234)
 	nsPath := "test-cni"
 	c := newTestCRIService()
@@ -153,7 +155,7 @@ func TestMountCleanPath(t *testing.T) {
 		ContainerPath: "c:/test/container-path",
 		HostPath:      "c:/test/host-path",
 	})
-	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, nsPath, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, config.Runtime{})
+	spec, err := c.containerSpec(testID, testSandboxID, testPid, nsPath, testContainerName, containerConfig, sandboxConfig, imageConfig, nil, config.Runtime{})
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.NotNil(t, spec)
 	specCheck(t, testID, testSandboxID, testPid, spec)