diff --git a/api/core/v1alpha1/cnclaim_types.go b/api/core/v1alpha1/cnclaim_types.go
index 90e5b6aa..b8610cc3 100644
--- a/api/core/v1alpha1/cnclaim_types.go
+++ b/api/core/v1alpha1/cnclaim_types.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const (
 
 	CNClaimPhaseOutdated CNClaimPhase = "Outdated"
 
-	ClaimOwnerNameLabel = "matrixorigin.io/claim-owner"
+	PodOwnerNameLabel = "matrixorigin.io/owner"
 )
 
 type CNClaimSpec struct {
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller.go b/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller.go
index 86142669..9b2587fc 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller.go
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (r *Actor) doClaimCN(ctx *recon.Context[*v1alpha1.CNClaim], orphans []corev
 		pod.Labels[v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel] = v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseBound
 		pod.Labels[v1alpha1.PodClaimedByLabel] = c.Name
 		if c.Spec.OwnerName != nil {
-			pod.Labels[v1alpha1.ClaimOwnerNameLabel] = *c.Spec.OwnerName
+			pod.Labels[v1alpha1.PodOwnerNameLabel] = *c.Spec.OwnerName
 		}
 		// atomic operation with optimistic concurrency control, succeed means claimed
 		if err := ctx.Update(pod); err != nil {
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ func priorityFunc(c *v1alpha1.CNClaim) func(a, b corev1.Pod) int {
 }
 
 func previouslyOwned(c *v1alpha1.CNClaim, p corev1.Pod) int {
-	if c.Spec.OwnerName != nil && p.Labels[v1alpha1.ClaimOwnerNameLabel] == *c.Spec.OwnerName {
+	if c.Spec.OwnerName != nil && p.Labels[v1alpha1.PodOwnerNameLabel] == *c.Spec.OwnerName {
 		return 0
 	}
 	return 1
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller_test.go b/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller_test.go
index b0f83f5e..055f4771 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/cnclaim/controller_test.go
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ func Test_sortCNByPriority(t *testing.T) {
 				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 					Name: "previously-claimed",
 					Labels: map[string]string{
-						v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:     v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseIdle,
-						v1alpha1.ClaimOwnerNameLabel: "set1",
+						v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:   v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseIdle,
+						v1alpha1.PodOwnerNameLabel: "set1",
 					},
 					CreationTimestamp: metav1.Unix(10, 0),
 				},
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ func Test_sortCNByPriority(t *testing.T) {
 				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 					Name: "previously-claimed-by-other-set",
 					Labels: map[string]string{
-						v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:     v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseIdle,
-						v1alpha1.ClaimOwnerNameLabel: "set2",
+						v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:   v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseIdle,
+						v1alpha1.PodOwnerNameLabel: "set2",
 					},
 					CreationTimestamp: metav1.Unix(10, 0),
 				},
diff --git a/pkg/controllers/cnclaimset/controller.go b/pkg/controllers/cnclaimset/controller.go
index 79441e10..b8dd465c 100644
--- a/pkg/controllers/cnclaimset/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controllers/cnclaimset/controller.go
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ func (r *Actor) Sync(ctx *recon.Context[*v1alpha1.CNClaimSet]) error {
 	}
 	// used to resolve all CN pods belonged to this CNSet
 	podSelector := common.MustAsSelector(&metav1.LabelSelector{MatchLabels: map[string]string{
-		v1alpha1.ClaimOwnerNameLabel: s.Name,
-		v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:     v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseBound,
+		v1alpha1.PodOwnerNameLabel: s.Name,
+		v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseLabel:   v1alpha1.CNPodPhaseBound,
 	}})
 	s.Status.ReadyReplicas = readyReplicas
 	s.Status.Claims = claimStatuses
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ func makeClaim(cs *v1alpha1.CNClaimSet, id string) *v1alpha1.CNClaim {
 	tpl := cs.Spec.Template
 	labels := tpl.Labels
 	labels[ClaimInstanceIDLabel] = id
-	tpl.Spec.OwnerName = &cs.Name
+	// allow client to override ownerName in claimTemplate
+	if tpl.Spec.OwnerName == nil {
+		tpl.Spec.OwnerName = &cs.Name
+	}
 	return &v1alpha1.CNClaim{
 		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
 			Namespace:   cs.Namespace,