diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4051ebc4271..8ae156e9984 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 * Fix #5377: added a createOr and unlock function to provide a straight-forward replacement for createOrReplace.
 * Fix #5388: [crd-generator] Generate deterministic CRDs
 * Fix #5257: Add ErrorStreamMessage and StatusStreamMessage to ease mocking of pods/exec requests
+* Fix #5220: refinements and clarifications to the validation of names
 
 #### Dependency Upgrade
 * Fix #5373: Gradle base API based on v8.2.1
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@
 * Fix #5343: Removed `io.fabric8.kubernetes.model.annotation.PrinterColumn`, use `io.fabric8.crd.generator.annotation.PrinterColumn`
 * Fix #5368: ListOptions parameter ordering is now alphabetical.  If you are using non-crud mocking for lists with options, you may need to update your parameter order.
 * Fix #5391: Removed the vertx-uri-template dependency from the vertx client, if you need that for your application, then introduce your own dependency.
+* Fix #5220: KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidLabelOrAnnotation has been deprecated because the rules for labels and annotations are different
 
 ### 6.8.1 (2023-08-14)
 
diff --git a/kubernetes-client-api/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtil.java b/kubernetes-client-api/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtil.java
index ff99f69e28a..1dc5e54c4ab 100644
--- a/kubernetes-client-api/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtil.java
+++ b/kubernetes-client-api/src/main/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtil.java
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@ public class KubernetesResourceUtil {
   private KubernetesResourceUtil() {
   }
 
+  public static final Pattern KUBERNETES_SUBDOMAIN_REGEX = Pattern
+      .compile("[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]*[a-z0-9])?(\\.[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]*[a-z0-9])?)*");
   public static final Pattern KUBERNETES_DNS1123_LABEL_REGEX = Pattern.compile("[a-z0-9]([-a-z0-9]{0,61}[a-z0-9])?");
+  public static final Pattern KUBERNETES_KEY_REGEX = Pattern
+      .compile("(" + KUBERNETES_SUBDOMAIN_REGEX.toString() + "/)?[a-z0-9]([-_.a-z0-9]{0,61}[a-z0-9])?");
+
   private static final Pattern INVALID_LABEL_CHARS_PATTERN = Pattern.compile("[^-A-Za-z0-9]+");
   private static final String DEFAULT_CONTAINER_IMAGE_REGISTRY_SECRET_NAME = "container-image-registry-secret";
 
@@ -249,7 +254,11 @@ public static Map<String, String> getOrCreateAnnotations(HasMetadata entity) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Returns an identifier from the given string that can be used as resource name.
+   * Returns an identifier from the given string that can be used as resource, label key/value, or annotation key
+   * in accordance to RFC 1123 Label Names.
+   * <p>
+   * Note that this is more restrictive than necessary for most resources and label/annotation keys. It will truncate the name
+   * if necessary, which may affect uniqueness.
    *
    * @param name which needs to be sanitized
    * @return sanitized name
@@ -324,7 +333,15 @@ public static ObjectMeta getOrCreateMetadata(HasMetadata entity) {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Validates name of Kubernetes Resource name, label or annotation based on Kubernetes regex
+   * Validates name of a Kubernetes Resource name, label key/value or annotation key based on RFC 1123 Label Names.
+   * <p>
+   * Note: this is more restrictive than what is allowed for annotation names or most resource names, however some resource
+   * types have additional restrictions on their names.
+   * <p>
+   * Refer to <a href="https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/names/">Kubernetes Naming
+   * Conventions</a>
+   * <p>
+   * See also {@link #isValidKey(String)} and {@link #isValidSubdomainName(String)}
    *
    * @param name Name of resource/label/annotation
    * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
@@ -333,19 +350,62 @@ public static boolean isValidName(String name) {
     return Utils.isNotNullOrEmpty(name) && KUBERNETES_DNS1123_LABEL_REGEX.matcher(name).matches();
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Validates annotation or label key.
+   *
+   * @param key the annotation or label key
+   * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
+   */
+  public static boolean isValidKey(String key) {
+    return Utils.isNotNullOrEmpty(key) && key.length() < 254 && KUBERNETES_KEY_REGEX.matcher(key).matches();
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Validates name of an resource according to DNS Subdomain rules.
+   * <p>
+   * Refer to <a href="https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/overview/working-with-objects/names/">Kubernetes Naming
+   * Conventions</a>
+   *
+   * @param name Name of annotation
+   * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
+   */
+  public static boolean isValidSubdomainName(String name) {
+    return Utils.isNotNullOrEmpty(name) && name.length() < 254 && KUBERNETES_SUBDOMAIN_REGEX.matcher(name).matches();
+  }
+
   /**
    * Validates labels/annotations of Kubernetes resources
    *
    * @param map Label/Annotation of resource
    * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
+   *
+   * @see #areLabelsValid(Map) {@link #areAnnotationsValid(Map)}
+   *
+   * @deprecated the rules are different for label and annotation values
    */
+  @Deprecated
   public static boolean isValidLabelOrAnnotation(Map<String, String> map) {
-    for (Map.Entry<String, String> entry : map.entrySet()) {
-      if (!(isValidName(entry.getKey()) && isValidName(entry.getValue()))) {
-        return false;
-      }
-    }
-    return true;
+    return areLabelsValid(map);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks the given map keys and values for validity as labels.
+   *
+   * @param map labels
+   * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
+   */
+  public static boolean areLabelsValid(Map<String, String> map) {
+    return map.entrySet().stream().allMatch(e -> isValidKey(e.getKey()) && isValidName(e.getValue()));
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Checks the given map keys validity as annotations.
+   *
+   * @param map annotations
+   * @return returns a boolean value indicating whether it's valid or not
+   */
+  public static boolean areAnnotationsValid(Map<String, String> map) {
+    return map.keySet().stream().allMatch(KubernetesResourceUtil::isValidKey);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/kubernetes-client-api/src/test/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtilTest.java b/kubernetes-client-api/src/test/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtilTest.java
index 0199aa7be1c..e2ced0ed10a 100644
--- a/kubernetes-client-api/src/test/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtilTest.java
+++ b/kubernetes-client-api/src/test/java/io/fabric8/kubernetes/client/utils/KubernetesResourceUtilTest.java
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ void testNullSafeOperationsForAnnotations() {
   void testNames() {
     assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidName(KubernetesResourceUtil.getName(configMap1)));
     assertFalse(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidName("test.invalid.name"));
-    assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidLabelOrAnnotation(KubernetesResourceUtil.getOrCreateAnnotations(configMap1)));
+    assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.areLabelsValid(KubernetesResourceUtil.getOrCreateAnnotations(configMap1)));
     assertFalse(KubernetesResourceUtil
-        .isValidLabelOrAnnotation(Collections.singletonMap("NoUppercaseOrSpecialCharsLike=Equals", "bar")));
+        .areLabelsValid(Collections.singletonMap("NoUppercaseOrSpecialCharsLike=Equals", "bar")));
 
     assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidName(KubernetesResourceUtil.sanitizeName("test.invalid.name")));
     assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidName(KubernetesResourceUtil.sanitizeName("90notcool-n@me")));
@@ -132,6 +132,24 @@ void testNames() {
         KubernetesResourceUtil.sanitizeName("90notcool-n@me_______waytoooooooooolooooooooongand should be shorten for sure")));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void testSubdomainValidation() {
+    assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidSubdomainName("a.b"));
+    assertFalse(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidSubdomainName("a..b"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void testKeyValidation() {
+    assertTrue(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidKey("domain.prefix.io/label.key"));
+    assertFalse(KubernetesResourceUtil.isValidKey("domain.prefix.io?label.key"));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void testAnnotationValidation() {
+    assertTrue(
+        KubernetesResourceUtil.areAnnotationsValid(Collections.singletonMap("simple-key", "Something not valid for a label!")));
+  }
+
   @Test
   void testSortEventListBasedOnTimestamp() {
     // Given