diff --git a/runtimes/google/ipc/context_test.go b/runtimes/google/ipc/context_test.go
index abefdc3..a752156 100644
--- a/runtimes/google/ipc/context_test.go
+++ b/runtimes/google/ipc/context_test.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // implementation should not ever use the Runtime from a context.
 func testContext() context.T {
 	ctx := InternalNewContext(&runtime.PanicRuntime{})
-	ctx, _ = vtrace.WithNewSpan(ctx, "Root")
+	ctx, _ = vtrace.WithNewSpan(ctx, "")
 	ctx, _ = ctx.WithDeadline(time.Now().Add(20 * time.Second))
 	return ctx
 }
diff --git a/runtimes/google/rt/ipc.go b/runtimes/google/rt/ipc.go
index 0e1281a..d7f1a5b 100644
--- a/runtimes/google/rt/ipc.go
+++ b/runtimes/google/rt/ipc.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@
 	ctx := iipc.InternalNewContext(rt)
 	ctx = i18n.ContextWithLangID(ctx, rt.lang)
 	ctx = verror2.ContextWithComponentName(ctx, rt.program)
-	ctx, _ = ivtrace.WithNewSpan(ctx, "Root")
+	ctx, _ = ivtrace.WithNewSpan(ctx, "") // Initial span has empty name.
 	return ctx
 }
 
diff --git a/runtimes/google/vtrace/vtrace_test.go b/runtimes/google/vtrace/vtrace_test.go
index 3f8f586..086c6fb 100644
--- a/runtimes/google/vtrace/vtrace_test.go
+++ b/runtimes/google/vtrace/vtrace_test.go
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
 // TestCancellationPropagation tests that cancellation propogates along an
 // RPC call chain without user intervention.
 func TestTraceAcrossRPCs(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, span := ivtrace.WithNewSpan(testContext(), "Root")
+	ctx, span := ivtrace.WithNewSpan(testContext(), "")
 	span.Trace().ForceCollect()
 	span.Annotate("c0-begin")
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@
 	span.Annotate("c0-end")
 
 	expectedSpans := []string{
-		"Root: c0-begin,c0-end",
+		": c0-begin,c0-end",
 		"Client Call: c1.Run: Started,Finished",
 		"Server Call: .Run: c1-begin,c1-end",
 		"Client Call: c2.Run: Started,Finished",
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@
 // TestCancellationPropagationLateForce tests that cancellation propogates along an
 // RPC call chain when tracing is initiated by someone deep in the call chain.
 func TestTraceAcrossRPCsLateForce(t *testing.T) {
-	ctx, span := ivtrace.WithNewSpan(testContext(), "Root")
+	ctx, span := ivtrace.WithNewSpan(testContext(), "")
 	span.Annotate("c0-begin")
 
 	runCallChain(t, ctx, false, true)
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 	span.Annotate("c0-end")
 
 	expectedSpans := []string{
-		"Root: c0-end",
+		": c0-end",
 		"Client Call: c1.Run: Finished",
 		"Server Call: .Run: c1-end",
 		"Client Call: c2.Run: Finished",