diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py b/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
index 6faf0ca3b..5b59da27d 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
-"""Converters for producing compute counter messages from notification events.
+"""Converters for producing compute sample messages from notification events.
 """
 
 from oslo.config import cfg
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class InstanceScheduled(ComputeNotificationBase):
 
 
 class ComputeInstanceNotificationBase(ComputeNotificationBase):
-    """Convert compute.instance.* notifications into Counters
+    """Convert compute.instance.* notifications into Samples
     """
     event_types = ['compute.instance.*']
 
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/nova_notifier.py b/ceilometer/compute/nova_notifier.py
index ea798f15c..47e800b90 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/nova_notifier.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/nova_notifier.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class DeletedInstanceStatsGatherer(object):
         samples = self.mgr.map(self._get_samples_from_plugin,
                                cache=cache,
                                instance=instance)
-        # counters is a list of lists, so flatten it before returning
+        # samples is a list of lists, so flatten it before returning
         # the results
         results = []
         for slist in samples:
@@ -158,15 +158,15 @@ def notify(context, message):
         context, instance_ref, None, None)
 
     # Extend the payload with samples from our plugins.  We only need
-    # to send some of the data from the counter objects, since a lot
+    # to send some of the data from the sample objects, since a lot
     # of the fields are the same.
     instance = Instance(context, instance_ref)
-    counters = gatherer(instance)
-    payload['samples'] = [{'name': c.name,
-                           'type': c.type,
-                           'unit': c.unit,
-                           'volume': c.volume}
-                          for c in counters]
+    samples = gatherer(instance)
+    payload['samples'] = [{'name': s.name,
+                           'type': s.type,
+                           'unit': s.unit,
+                           'volume': s.volume}
+                          for s in samples]
 
     publisher_id = notifier_api.publisher_id('compute', None)
 
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/cpu.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/cpu.py
index 4f4305eed..e064b599c 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/cpu.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/cpu.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class CPUPollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
             LOG.info("CPUTIME USAGE: %s %d",
                      instance.__dict__, cpu_info.time)
             cpu_num = {'cpu_number': cpu_info.number}
-            yield util.make_counter_from_instance(
+            yield util.make_sample_from_instance(
                 instance,
                 name='cpu',
                 type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/disk.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/disk.py
index 44ef42a82..af2af5153 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/disk.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/disk.py
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
         return i_cache[instance_name]
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
-    def _get_counter(instance, c_data):
-        """Return one Counter."""
+    def _get_sample(instance, c_data):
+        """Return one Sample."""
 
     def get_samples(self, manager, cache, instance):
         instance_name = util.instance_name(instance)
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
             instance_name,
         )
         try:
-            yield self._get_counter(instance, c_data)
+            yield self._get_sample(instance, c_data)
         except Exception as err:
             LOG.warning('Ignoring instance %s: %s',
                         instance_name, err)
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
 class ReadRequestsPollster(_Base):
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_counter(instance, c_data):
-        return util.make_counter_from_instance(
+    def _get_sample(instance, c_data):
+        return util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             name='disk.read.requests',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -108,8 +108,8 @@ class ReadRequestsPollster(_Base):
 class ReadBytesPollster(_Base):
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_counter(instance, c_data):
-        return util.make_counter_from_instance(
+    def _get_sample(instance, c_data):
+        return util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             name='disk.read.bytes',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class ReadBytesPollster(_Base):
 class WriteRequestsPollster(_Base):
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_counter(instance, c_data):
-        return util.make_counter_from_instance(
+    def _get_sample(instance, c_data):
+        return util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             name='disk.write.requests',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ class WriteRequestsPollster(_Base):
 class WriteBytesPollster(_Base):
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _get_counter(instance, c_data):
-        return util.make_counter_from_instance(
+    def _get_sample(instance, c_data):
+        return util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             name='disk.write.bytes',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/instance.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/instance.py
index 9b11af319..55b020665 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/instance.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/instance.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class InstancePollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_samples(manager, cache, instance):
-        yield util.make_counter_from_instance(
+        yield util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             name='instance',
             type=sample.TYPE_GAUGE,
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class InstanceFlavorPollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
 
     @staticmethod
     def get_samples(manager, cache, instance):
-        yield util.make_counter_from_instance(
+        yield util.make_sample_from_instance(
             instance,
             # Use the "meter name + variable" syntax
             name='instance:%s' %
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/net.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/net.py
index 4c9c45709..df8a820ed 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/net.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/net.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
                                   "write-bytes=%d"])
 
     @staticmethod
-    def make_vnic_counter(instance, name, type, unit, volume, vnic_data):
+    def make_vnic_sample(instance, name, type, unit, volume, vnic_data):
         metadata = copy.copy(vnic_data)
         resource_metadata = dict(zip(metadata._fields, metadata))
         resource_metadata['instance_id'] = instance.id
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
             for vnic, info in vnics:
                 LOG.info(self.NET_USAGE_MESSAGE, instance_name,
                          vnic.name, info.rx_bytes, info.tx_bytes)
-                yield self._get_counter(instance, vnic, info)
+                yield self._get_sample(instance, vnic, info)
         except Exception as err:
             LOG.warning('Ignoring instance %s: %s',
                         instance_name, err)
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ class _Base(plugin.ComputePollster):
 
 class IncomingBytesPollster(_Base):
 
-    def _get_counter(self, instance, vnic, info):
-        return self.make_vnic_counter(
+    def _get_sample(self, instance, vnic, info):
+        return self.make_vnic_sample(
             instance,
             name='network.incoming.bytes',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -104,8 +104,8 @@ class IncomingBytesPollster(_Base):
 
 class IncomingPacketsPollster(_Base):
 
-    def _get_counter(self, instance, vnic, info):
-        return self.make_vnic_counter(
+    def _get_sample(self, instance, vnic, info):
+        return self.make_vnic_sample(
             instance,
             name='network.incoming.packets',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -117,8 +117,8 @@ class IncomingPacketsPollster(_Base):
 
 class OutgoingBytesPollster(_Base):
 
-    def _get_counter(self, instance, vnic, info):
-        return self.make_vnic_counter(
+    def _get_sample(self, instance, vnic, info):
+        return self.make_vnic_sample(
             instance,
             name='network.outgoing.bytes',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ class OutgoingBytesPollster(_Base):
 
 class OutgoingPacketsPollster(_Base):
 
-    def _get_counter(self, instance, vnic, info):
-        return self.make_vnic_counter(
+    def _get_sample(self, instance, vnic, info):
+        return self.make_vnic_sample(
             instance,
             name='network.outgoing.packets',
             type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,
diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/util.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/util.py
index 1a94cbcbe..a0994e1c6 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/util.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters/util.py
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@ def _get_metadata_from_object(instance):
     return _add_reserved_user_metadata(instance, metadata)
 
 
-def make_counter_from_instance(instance, name, type, unit, volume,
-                               additional_metadata={}):
+def make_sample_from_instance(instance, name, type, unit, volume,
+                              additional_metadata={}):
     resource_metadata = _get_metadata_from_object(instance)
     resource_metadata.update(additional_metadata)
     return sample.Sample(
diff --git a/nova_tests/test_notifier.py b/nova_tests/test_notifier.py
index d2269d6a8..5b814e838 100644
--- a/nova_tests/test_notifier.py
+++ b/nova_tests/test_notifier.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class TestNovaNotifier(base.TestCase):
 
         def get_samples(self, manager, cache, instance):
             self.instances.append((manager, instance))
-            test_data_2 = util.make_counter_from_instance(
+            test_data_2 = util.make_sample_from_instance(
                 instance,
                 name='test2',
                 type=sample.TYPE_CUMULATIVE,