diff --git a/R/pkg/R/functions.R b/R/pkg/R/functions.R
index 8f425b12937e4..5110d84172378 100644
--- a/R/pkg/R/functions.R
+++ b/R/pkg/R/functions.R
@@ -3568,6 +3568,8 @@ setMethod("element_at",
 
 #' @details
 #' \code{explode}: Creates a new row for each element in the given array or map column.
+#' Uses the default column name \code{col} for elements in the array and
+#' \code{key} and \code{value} for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_collection_functions
 #' @aliases explode explode,Column-method
@@ -3628,7 +3630,9 @@ setMethod("sort_array",
 
 #' @details
 #' \code{posexplode}: Creates a new row for each element with position in the given array
-#' or map column.
+#' or map column. Uses the default column name \code{pos} for position, and \code{col}
+#' for elements in the array and \code{key} and \code{value} for elements in the map
+#' unless specified otherwise.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_collection_functions
 #' @aliases posexplode posexplode,Column-method
@@ -3769,7 +3773,8 @@ setMethod("repeat_string",
 #' \code{explode}: Creates a new row for each element in the given array or map column.
 #' Unlike \code{explode}, if the array/map is \code{null} or empty
 #' then \code{null} is produced.
-#'
+#' Uses the default column name \code{col} for elements in the array and
+#' \code{key} and \code{value} for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_collection_functions
 #' @aliases explode_outer explode_outer,Column-method
@@ -3794,6 +3799,9 @@ setMethod("explode_outer",
 #' \code{posexplode_outer}: Creates a new row for each element with position in the given
 #' array or map column. Unlike \code{posexplode}, if the array/map is \code{null} or empty
 #' then the row (\code{null}, \code{null}) is produced.
+#' Uses the default column name \code{pos} for position, and \code{col}
+#' for elements in the array and \code{key} and \code{value} for elements in the map
+#' unless specified otherwise.
 #'
 #' @rdname column_collection_functions
 #' @aliases posexplode_outer posexplode_outer,Column-method
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
index 3c33e2bed92d9..953ac6bb62332 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
@@ -2088,7 +2088,10 @@ def array_except(col1, col2):
 
 @since(1.4)
 def explode(col):
-    """Returns a new row for each element in the given array or map.
+    """
+    Returns a new row for each element in the given array or map.
+    Uses the default column name `col` for elements in the array and
+    `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 
     >>> from pyspark.sql import Row
     >>> eDF = spark.createDataFrame([Row(a=1, intlist=[1,2,3], mapfield={"a": "b"})])
@@ -2109,7 +2112,10 @@ def explode(col):
 
 @since(2.1)
 def posexplode(col):
-    """Returns a new row for each element with position in the given array or map.
+    """
+    Returns a new row for each element with position in the given array or map.
+    Uses the default column name `pos` for position, and `col` for elements in the
+    array and `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 
     >>> from pyspark.sql import Row
     >>> eDF = spark.createDataFrame([Row(a=1, intlist=[1,2,3], mapfield={"a": "b"})])
@@ -2130,8 +2136,11 @@ def posexplode(col):
 
 @since(2.3)
 def explode_outer(col):
-    """Returns a new row for each element in the given array or map.
+    """
+    Returns a new row for each element in the given array or map.
     Unlike explode, if the array/map is null or empty then null is produced.
+    Uses the default column name `col` for elements in the array and
+    `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 
     >>> df = spark.createDataFrame(
     ...     [(1, ["foo", "bar"], {"x": 1.0}), (2, [], {}), (3, None, None)],
@@ -2163,8 +2172,11 @@ def explode_outer(col):
 
 @since(2.3)
 def posexplode_outer(col):
-    """Returns a new row for each element with position in the given array or map.
+    """
+    Returns a new row for each element with position in the given array or map.
     Unlike posexplode, if the array/map is null or empty then the row (null, null) is produced.
+    Uses the default column name `pos` for position, and `col` for elements in the
+    array and `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
 
     >>> df = spark.createDataFrame(
     ...     [(1, ["foo", "bar"], {"x": 1.0}), (2, [], {}), (3, None, None)],
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/generators.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/generators.scala
index 6b6da1c8b4142..82a7d9825e30a 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/generators.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/generators.scala
@@ -127,14 +127,16 @@ case class UserDefinedGenerator(
  *   3      NULL
  * }}}
  */
+// scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(n, expr1, ..., exprk) - Separates `expr1`, ..., `exprk` into `n` rows.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(n, expr1, ..., exprk) - Separates `expr1`, ..., `exprk` into `n` rows. Uses column names col0, col1, etc. by default unless specified otherwise.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT _FUNC_(2, 1, 2, 3);
        1  2
        3  NULL
   """)
+// scalastyle:on line.size.limit
 case class Stack(children: Seq[Expression]) extends Generator {
 
   private lazy val numRows = children.head.eval().asInstanceOf[Int]
@@ -352,7 +354,7 @@ abstract class ExplodeBase extends UnaryExpression with CollectionGenerator with
  */
 // scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Separates the elements of array `expr` into multiple rows, or the elements of map `expr` into multiple rows and columns.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Separates the elements of array `expr` into multiple rows, or the elements of map `expr` into multiple rows and columns. Unless specified otherwise, uses the default column name `col` for elements of the array or `key` and `value` for the elements of the map.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT _FUNC_(array(10, 20));
@@ -375,7 +377,7 @@ case class Explode(child: Expression) extends ExplodeBase {
  */
 // scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Separates the elements of array `expr` into multiple rows with positions, or the elements of map `expr` into multiple rows and columns with positions.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Separates the elements of array `expr` into multiple rows with positions, or the elements of map `expr` into multiple rows and columns with positions. Unless specified otherwise, uses the column name `pos` for position, `col` for elements of the array or `key` and `value` for elements of the map.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT _FUNC_(array(10,20));
@@ -390,14 +392,16 @@ case class PosExplode(child: Expression) extends ExplodeBase {
 /**
  * Explodes an array of structs into a table.
  */
+// scalastyle:off line.size.limit
 @ExpressionDescription(
-  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Explodes an array of structs into a table.",
+  usage = "_FUNC_(expr) - Explodes an array of structs into a table. Uses column names col1, col2, etc. by default unless specified otherwise.",
   examples = """
     Examples:
       > SELECT _FUNC_(array(struct(1, 'a'), struct(2, 'b')));
        1  a
        2  b
   """)
+// scalastyle:on line.size.limit
 case class Inline(child: Expression) extends UnaryExpression with CollectionGenerator {
   override val inline: Boolean = true
   override val position: Boolean = false
diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
index 1199cd8df6a99..46d134ef199e1 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/functions.scala
@@ -3305,6 +3305,8 @@ object functions {
 
   /**
    * Creates a new row for each element in the given array or map column.
+   * Uses the default column name `col` for elements in the array and
+   * `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
    *
    * @group collection_funcs
    * @since 1.3.0
@@ -3313,6 +3315,8 @@ object functions {
 
   /**
    * Creates a new row for each element in the given array or map column.
+   * Uses the default column name `col` for elements in the array and
+   * `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
    * Unlike explode, if the array/map is null or empty then null is produced.
    *
    * @group collection_funcs
@@ -3322,6 +3326,8 @@ object functions {
 
   /**
    * Creates a new row for each element with position in the given array or map column.
+   * Uses the default column name `pos` for position, and `col` for elements in the array
+   * and `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
    *
    * @group collection_funcs
    * @since 2.1.0
@@ -3330,6 +3336,8 @@ object functions {
 
   /**
    * Creates a new row for each element with position in the given array or map column.
+   * Uses the default column name `pos` for position, and `col` for elements in the array
+   * and `key` and `value` for elements in the map unless specified otherwise.
    * Unlike posexplode, if the array/map is null or empty then the row (null, null) is produced.
    *
    * @group collection_funcs