diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequest.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequest.java
index dea5283a629..8dd7414a21b 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequest.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequest.java
@@ -135,9 +135,10 @@ public final class SearchRequest extends ActionRequest implements IndicesRequest
     }
 
     /**
-     * Creates a new search request by providing the search request to copy all fields from, the indices to search against, the alias of
-     * the cluster where it will be executed, as well as the start time in milliseconds from the epoch time and whether the reduction
-     * should be final or not. Used when a {@link SearchRequest} is created and executed as part of a cross-cluster search request
+     * Creates a new sub-search request starting from the original search request that is provided.
+     * For internal use only, allows to fork a search request into multiple search requests that will be executed independently.
+     * Such requests will not be finally reduced, so that their results can be merged together in one response at completion.
+     * Used when a {@link SearchRequest} is created and executed as part of a cross-cluster search request
      * performing reduction on each cluster in order to minimize network round-trips between the coordinating node and the remote clusters.
      *
      * @param originalSearchRequest the original search request
@@ -146,8 +147,8 @@ public final class SearchRequest extends ActionRequest implements IndicesRequest
      * @param absoluteStartMillis the absolute start time to be used on the remote clusters to ensure that the same value is used
      * @param finalReduce whether the reduction should be final or not
      */
-    static SearchRequest crossClusterSearch(SearchRequest originalSearchRequest, String[] indices,
-                                            String clusterAlias, long absoluteStartMillis, boolean finalReduce) {
+    static SearchRequest subSearchRequest(SearchRequest originalSearchRequest, String[] indices,
+                                          String clusterAlias, long absoluteStartMillis, boolean finalReduce) {
         Objects.requireNonNull(originalSearchRequest, "search request must not be null");
         validateIndices(indices);
         Objects.requireNonNull(clusterAlias, "cluster alias must not be null");
@@ -300,7 +301,7 @@ public final class SearchRequest extends ActionRequest implements IndicesRequest
     /**
      * Returns the current time in milliseconds from the time epoch, to be used for the execution of this search request. Used to
      * ensure that the same value, determined by the coordinating node, is used on all nodes involved in the execution of the search
-     * request. When created through {@link #crossClusterSearch(SearchRequest, String[], String, long, boolean)}, this method returns
+     * request. When created through {@link #subSearchRequest(SearchRequest, String[], String, long, boolean)}, this method returns
      * the provided current time, otherwise it will return {@link System#currentTimeMillis()}.
      */
     long getOrCreateAbsoluteStartMillis() {
@@ -308,7 +309,7 @@ public final class SearchRequest extends ActionRequest implements IndicesRequest
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns the provided <code>absoluteStartMillis</code> when created through {@link #crossClusterSearch} and
+     * Returns the provided <code>absoluteStartMillis</code> when created through {@link #subSearchRequest} and
      * -1 otherwise.
      */
     long getAbsoluteStartMillis() {
diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
index 6eaf53b87c3..2cdcfad12ed 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ public class TransportSearchAction extends HandledTransportAction<SearchRequest,
             String clusterAlias = entry.getKey();
             boolean skipUnavailable = remoteClusterService.isSkipUnavailable(clusterAlias);
             OriginalIndices indices = entry.getValue();
-            SearchRequest ccsSearchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(searchRequest, indices.indices(),
+            SearchRequest ccsSearchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(searchRequest, indices.indices(),
                 clusterAlias, timeProvider.getAbsoluteStartMillis(), true);
             Client remoteClusterClient = remoteClusterService.getRemoteClusterClient(threadPool, clusterAlias);
             remoteClusterClient.search(ccsSearchRequest, new ActionListener<SearchResponse>() {
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ public class TransportSearchAction extends HandledTransportAction<SearchRequest,
                 String clusterAlias = entry.getKey();
                 boolean skipUnavailable = remoteClusterService.isSkipUnavailable(clusterAlias);
                 OriginalIndices indices = entry.getValue();
-                SearchRequest ccsSearchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(searchRequest, indices.indices(),
+                SearchRequest ccsSearchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(searchRequest, indices.indices(),
                     clusterAlias, timeProvider.getAbsoluteStartMillis(), false);
                 ActionListener<SearchResponse> ccsListener = createCCSListener(clusterAlias, skipUnavailable, countDown,
                     skippedClusters, exceptions, searchResponseMerger, totalClusters,  listener);
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ public class TransportSearchAction extends HandledTransportAction<SearchRequest,
             if (localIndices != null) {
                 ActionListener<SearchResponse> ccsListener = createCCSListener(RemoteClusterAware.LOCAL_CLUSTER_GROUP_KEY,
                     false, countDown, skippedClusters, exceptions, searchResponseMerger, totalClusters, listener);
-                SearchRequest ccsLocalSearchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(searchRequest, localIndices.indices(),
+                SearchRequest ccsLocalSearchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(searchRequest, localIndices.indices(),
                     RemoteClusterAware.LOCAL_CLUSTER_GROUP_KEY, timeProvider.getAbsoluteStartMillis(), false);
                 localSearchConsumer.accept(ccsLocalSearchRequest, ccsListener);
             }
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchPhaseControllerTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchPhaseControllerTests.java
index 084a45267b5..3a1adf9748a 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchPhaseControllerTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchPhaseControllerTests.java
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ public class SearchPhaseControllerTests extends ESTestCase {
     }
 
     private static SearchRequest randomSearchRequest() {
-        return randomBoolean() ? new SearchRequest() : SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(),
+        return randomBoolean() ? new SearchRequest() : SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(),
             Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "remote", 0, randomBoolean());
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequestTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequestTests.java
index 5aa0d937b98..c66a9ec93b3 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequestTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/SearchRequestTests.java
@@ -53,21 +53,21 @@ public class SearchRequestTests extends AbstractSearchTestCase {
             return request;
         }
         //clusterAlias and absoluteStartMillis do not have public getters/setters hence we randomize them only in this test specifically.
-        return SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request, request.indices(),
+        return SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request, request.indices(),
             randomAlphaOfLengthBetween(5, 10), randomNonNegativeLong(), randomBoolean());
     }
 
     public void testWithLocalReduction() {
-        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(null, Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean()));
+        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(null, Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean()));
         SearchRequest request = new SearchRequest();
-        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request, null, "", 0, randomBoolean()));
-        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request,
+        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request, null, "", 0, randomBoolean()));
+        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request,
             new String[]{null}, "", 0, randomBoolean()));
-        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request,
+        expectThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request,
             Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, null, 0, randomBoolean()));
-        expectThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request,
+        expectThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request,
             Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", -1, randomBoolean()));
-        SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(request, Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean());
+        SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(request, Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean());
         assertNull(searchRequest.validate());
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests.java
index 82f7c513bf0..10f252c30dc 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
         assertEquals(RestStatus.CREATED, indexResponse.status());
 
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(), Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY,
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(), Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY,
                 "local", nowInMillis, randomBoolean());
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
             assertEquals(1, searchResponse.getHits().getTotalHits().value);
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
             assertEquals("1", hit.getId());
         }
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(), Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY,
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(), Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY,
                 "", nowInMillis, randomBoolean());
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
             assertEquals(1, searchResponse.getHits().getTotalHits().value);
@@ -100,13 +100,13 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
             assertEquals(0, searchResponse.getTotalShards());
         }
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(),
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(),
                 Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean());
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
             assertEquals(2, searchResponse.getHits().getTotalHits().value);
         }
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(),
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(),
                 Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean());
             searchRequest.indices("<test-{now/d}>");
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
             assertEquals("test-1970.01.01", searchResponse.getHits().getHits()[0].getIndex());
         }
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(new SearchRequest(),
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(new SearchRequest(),
                 Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "", 0, randomBoolean());
             SearchSourceBuilder sourceBuilder = new SearchSourceBuilder();
             RangeQueryBuilder rangeQuery = new RangeQueryBuilder("date");
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
         source.aggregation(terms);
 
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = randomBoolean() ? originalRequest : SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(originalRequest,
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = randomBoolean() ? originalRequest : SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(originalRequest,
                 Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "remote", nowInMillis, true);
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
             assertEquals(2, searchResponse.getHits().getTotalHits().value);
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ public class TransportSearchActionSingleNodeTests extends ESSingleNodeTestCase {
             assertEquals(1, longTerms.getBuckets().size());
         }
         {
-            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.crossClusterSearch(originalRequest,
+            SearchRequest searchRequest = SearchRequest.subSearchRequest(originalRequest,
                 Strings.EMPTY_ARRAY, "remote", nowInMillis, false);
             SearchResponse searchResponse = client().search(searchRequest).actionGet();
             assertEquals(2, searchResponse.getHits().getTotalHits().value);