diff --git a/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java b/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
index 83e347029d820..9a0ded0fca1ef 100644
--- a/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
+++ b/java/vector/src/main/java/org/apache/arrow/vector/complex/ListVector.java
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ public ArrowBuf[] getBuffers(boolean clear) {
 
   @Override
   public UnionVector promoteToUnion() {
-    UnionVector vector = new UnionVector(name, allocator, callBack);
+    UnionVector vector = new UnionVector("$data$", allocator, callBack);
     replaceDataVector(vector);
     reader = new UnionListReader(this);
     if (callBack != null) {