diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain.go
index ddb28bbd08b..49bccc55467 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ package admission
 
 import "time"
 
-// chainAdmissionHandler is an instance of admission.Interface that performs admission control using
+// chainAdmissionHandler is an instance of admission.NamedHandler that performs admission control using
 // a chain of admission handlers
 type chainAdmissionHandler []NamedHandler
 
@@ -35,15 +35,15 @@ func NewNamedHandler(name string, i Interface) NamedHandler {
 }
 
 const (
-	stepValidating = "validating"
-	stepMutating   = "mutating"
+	stepValidate = "validate"
+	stepAdmit    = "admit"
 )
 
 // Admit performs an admission control check using a chain of handlers, and returns immediately on first error
 func (admissionHandler chainAdmissionHandler) Admit(a Attributes) error {
 	start := time.Now()
 	err := admissionHandler.admit(a)
-	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(time.Since(start), err != nil, a, stepMutating)
+	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(time.Since(start), err != nil, a, stepAdmit)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func (admissionHandler chainAdmissionHandler) admit(a Attributes) error {
 		if mutator, ok := handler.Interface().(MutationInterface); ok {
 			t := time.Now()
 			err := mutator.Admit(a)
-			Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(time.Since(t), err != nil, handler, a, stepMutating)
+			Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(time.Since(t), err != nil, handler, a, stepAdmit)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (admissionHandler chainAdmissionHandler) admit(a Attributes) error {
 func (admissionHandler chainAdmissionHandler) Validate(a Attributes) error {
 	start := time.Now()
 	err := admissionHandler.validate(a)
-	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(time.Since(start), err != nil, a, stepValidating)
+	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(time.Since(start), err != nil, a, stepValidate)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (admissionHandler chainAdmissionHandler) validate(a Attributes) (err error)
 		if validator, ok := handler.Interface().(ValidationInterface); ok {
 			t := time.Now()
 			err := validator.Validate(a)
-			Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(time.Since(t), err != nil, handler, a, stepValidating)
+			Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(time.Since(t), err != nil, handler, a, stepValidate)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain_test.go
index 09a1bbdf046..622bd1e9e10 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/chain_test.go
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ func TestAdmitAndValidate(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Errorf("validate handler %s called during admit", h.Name())
 			}
 
-			//  reset value for validation test
+			// reset value for validation test
 			fake.admitCalled = false
 		}
 
 		labelFilter := map[string]string{
-			"type": "mutating",
+			"type": "admit",
 		}
 
 		checkAdmitAndValidateMetrics(t, labelFilter, test.accept, test.calls)
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func TestAdmitAndValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		labelFilter = map[string]string{
-			"type": "validating",
+			"type": "validate",
 		}
 
 		checkAdmitAndValidateMetrics(t, labelFilter, test.accept, test.calls)
@@ -154,22 +154,22 @@ func checkAdmitAndValidateMetrics(t *testing.T, labelFilter map[string]string, a
 
 	if accept {
 		// Ensure exactly one admission end-to-end admission accept should have been recorded.
-		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_latencies", acceptFilter, 1)
+		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_admission_latencies_seconds", acceptFilter, 1)
 
 		// Ensure the expected count of admission controllers have been executed.
-		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_latencies", acceptFilter, len(calls))
+		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_admission_latencies_seconds", acceptFilter, len(calls))
 	} else {
 		// When not accepted, ensure exactly one end-to-end rejection has been recorded.
-		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_latencies", rejectFilter, 1)
+		expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_admission_latencies_seconds", rejectFilter, 1)
 		if len(calls) > 0 {
 			if len(calls) > 1 {
 				// When not accepted, ensure that all but the last controller had been accepted, since
 				// the chain stops execution at the first rejection.
-				expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_latencies", acceptFilter, len(calls)-1)
+				expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_admission_latencies_seconds", acceptFilter, len(calls)-1)
 			}
 
 			// When not accepted, ensure exactly one controller has been rejected.
-			expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_latencies", rejectFilter, 1)
+			expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_admission_latencies_seconds", rejectFilter, 1)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics.go
index 877ea660d20..22c0cef130d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics.go
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ type NamedHandler interface {
 
 // AdmissionMetrics instruments admission with prometheus metrics.
 type AdmissionMetrics struct {
-	step            *metricSet
-	controller      *metricSet
-	externalWebhook *metricSet
+	step       *metricSet
+	controller *metricSet
+	webhook    *metricSet
 }
 
 // newAdmissionMetrics create a new AdmissionMetrics, configured with default metric names.
@@ -58,28 +58,28 @@ func newAdmissionMetrics() *AdmissionMetrics {
 	// Each step is identified by a distinct type label value.
 	step := newMetricSet("step",
 		[]string{"type", "operation", "group", "version", "resource", "subresource", "rejected"},
-		"Admission sub-step %s, broken out for each operation and API resource and step type (validating or mutating).")
+		"Admission sub-step %s, broken out for each operation and API resource and step type (validate or admit).")
 
 	// Built-in admission controller metrics. Each admission controller is identified by name.
 	controller := newMetricSet("controller",
 		[]string{"name", "type", "operation", "group", "version", "resource", "subresource", "rejected"},
-		"Admission controller %s, identified by name and broken out for each operation and API resource and type (validating or mutating).")
+		"Admission controller %s, identified by name and broken out for each operation and API resource and type (validate or admit).")
 
-	// External admission webhook metrics. Each webhook is identified by name.
-	externalWebhook := newMetricSet("external_webhook",
+	// Admission webhook metrics. Each webhook is identified by name.
+	webhook := newMetricSet("webhook",
 		[]string{"name", "type", "operation", "group", "version", "resource", "subresource", "rejected"},
-		"External admission webhook %s, identified by name and broken out for each operation and API resource and type (validating or mutating).")
+		"Admission webhook %s, identified by name and broken out for each operation and API resource and type (validate or admit).")
 
 	step.mustRegister()
 	controller.mustRegister()
-	externalWebhook.mustRegister()
-	return &AdmissionMetrics{step: step, controller: controller, externalWebhook: externalWebhook}
+	webhook.mustRegister()
+	return &AdmissionMetrics{step: step, controller: controller, webhook: webhook}
 }
 
 func (m *AdmissionMetrics) reset() {
 	m.step.reset()
 	m.controller.reset()
-	m.externalWebhook.reset()
+	m.webhook.reset()
 }
 
 // ObserveAdmissionStep records admission related metrics for a admission step, identified by step type.
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ func (m *AdmissionMetrics) ObserveAdmissionController(elapsed time.Duration, rej
 	m.controller.observe(elapsed, handler.Name(), stepType, string(attr.GetOperation()), gvr.Group, gvr.Version, gvr.Resource, attr.GetSubresource(), strconv.FormatBool(rejected))
 }
 
-// ObserveExternalWebhook records admission related metrics for a external admission webhook.
-func (m *AdmissionMetrics) ObserveExternalWebhook(elapsed time.Duration, rejected bool, hook *v1alpha1.Webhook, attr Attributes) {
-	t := "validating" // TODO: pass in type (validating|mutating) once mutating webhook functionality has been implemented
+// ObserveWebhook records admission related metrics for a admission webhook.
+func (m *AdmissionMetrics) ObserveWebhook(elapsed time.Duration, rejected bool, hook *v1alpha1.Webhook, attr Attributes) {
+	t := "admit" // TODO: pass in type (validate|admit) once mutating webhook functionality has been implemented
 	gvr := attr.GetResource()
-	m.externalWebhook.observe(elapsed, hook.Name, t, string(attr.GetOperation()), gvr.Group, gvr.Version, gvr.Resource, attr.GetSubresource(), strconv.FormatBool(rejected))
+	m.webhook.observe(elapsed, hook.Name, t, string(attr.GetOperation()), gvr.Group, gvr.Version, gvr.Resource, attr.GetSubresource(), strconv.FormatBool(rejected))
 }
 
 type metricSet struct {
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func newMetricSet(name string, labels []string, helpTemplate string) *metricSet
 			prometheus.HistogramOpts{
 				Namespace: namespace,
 				Subsystem: subsystem,
-				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s_latencies", name),
+				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s_admission_latencies_seconds", name),
 				Help:      fmt.Sprintf(helpTemplate, "latency histogram"),
 				Buckets:   latencyBuckets,
 			},
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func newMetricSet(name string, labels []string, helpTemplate string) *metricSet
 			prometheus.SummaryOpts{
 				Namespace: namespace,
 				Subsystem: subsystem,
-				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s_latencies_summary", name),
+				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s_admission_latencies_seconds_summary", name),
 				Help:      fmt.Sprintf(helpTemplate, "latency summary"),
 				MaxAge:    latencySummaryMaxAge,
 			},
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics_test.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics_test.go
index c1402e50a08..264d3adb765 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics_test.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/metrics_test.go
@@ -33,24 +33,24 @@ var (
 
 func TestObserveAdmissionStep(t *testing.T) {
 	Metrics.reset()
-	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(2*time.Second, false, attr, "mutating")
+	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionStep(2*time.Second, false, attr, "admit")
 	wantLabels := map[string]string{
 		"operation":   string(Create),
 		"group":       resource.Group,
 		"version":     resource.Version,
 		"resource":    resource.Resource,
 		"subresource": "subresource",
-		"type":        "mutating",
+		"type":        "admit",
 		"rejected":    "false",
 	}
-	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_latencies", wantLabels, 1)
-	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_step_latencies_summary", wantLabels)
+	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_step_admission_latencies_seconds", wantLabels, 1)
+	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_step_admission_latencies_seconds_summary", wantLabels)
 }
 
 func TestObserveAdmissionController(t *testing.T) {
 	Metrics.reset()
 	handler := makeValidatingNamedHandler("a", true, Create)
-	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(2*time.Second, false, handler, attr, "validating")
+	Metrics.ObserveAdmissionController(2*time.Second, false, handler, attr, "validate")
 	wantLabels := map[string]string{
 		"name":        "a",
 		"operation":   string(Create),
@@ -58,17 +58,17 @@ func TestObserveAdmissionController(t *testing.T) {
 		"version":     resource.Version,
 		"resource":    resource.Resource,
 		"subresource": "subresource",
-		"type":        "validating",
+		"type":        "validate",
 		"rejected":    "false",
 	}
-	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_latencies", wantLabels, 1)
-	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_latencies_summary", wantLabels)
+	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_admission_latencies_seconds", wantLabels, 1)
+	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_controller_admission_latencies_seconds_summary", wantLabels)
 }
 
-func TestObserveExternalWebhook(t *testing.T) {
+func TestObserveWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 	Metrics.reset()
 	hook := &v1alpha1.Webhook{Name: "x"}
-	Metrics.ObserveExternalWebhook(2*time.Second, false, hook, attr)
+	Metrics.ObserveWebhook(2*time.Second, false, hook, attr)
 	wantLabels := map[string]string{
 		"name":        "x",
 		"operation":   string(Create),
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ func TestObserveExternalWebhook(t *testing.T) {
 		"version":     resource.Version,
 		"resource":    resource.Resource,
 		"subresource": "subresource",
-		"type":        "validating",
+		"type":        "admit",
 		"rejected":    "false",
 	}
-	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_external_webhook_latencies", wantLabels, 1)
-	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_external_webhook_latencies_summary", wantLabels)
+	expectHistogramCountTotal(t, "apiserver_admission_webhook_admission_latencies_seconds", wantLabels, 1)
+	expectFindMetric(t, "apiserver_admission_webhook_admission_latencies_seconds_summary", wantLabels)
 }
diff --git a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/webhook/admission.go b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/webhook/admission.go
index b28d1615337..4461372188d 100644
--- a/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/webhook/admission.go
+++ b/staging/src/k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/admission/plugin/webhook/admission.go
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ func (a *GenericAdmissionWebhook) Admit(attr admission.Attributes) error {
 
 			t := time.Now()
 			err := a.callHook(ctx, hook, versionedAttr)
-			admission.Metrics.ObserveExternalWebhook(time.Since(t), err != nil, hook, attr)
+			admission.Metrics.ObserveWebhook(time.Since(t), err != nil, hook, attr)
 			if err == nil {
 				return
 			}