diff --git a/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi b/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
index 37a475be668..532d06fa835 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/maintaining.texi
@@ -1066,12 +1066,12 @@ Display the change history for the current repository on another branch
 
 @item C-x v I
 Display log entries for the changes that a ``pull'' operation will
-retrieve (@code{vc-log-incoming}).
+retrieve (@code{vc-root-log-incoming}).
 
 @vindex vc-use-incoming-outgoing-prefixes
 If you customize @code{vc-use-incoming-outgoing-prefixes} to
 non-@code{nil}, @kbd{C-x v I} becomes a prefix key, and
-@code{vc-log-incoming} becomes bound to @kbd{C-x v I L}.
+@code{vc-root-log-incoming} becomes bound to @kbd{C-x v I L}.
 
 @item M-x vc-root-diff-incoming
 Display a diff of all changes that a pull operation will retrieve.
@@ -1088,11 +1088,11 @@ non-@code{nil}, this command becomes available on @kbd{C-x v I =}.
 
 @item C-x v O
 Display log entries for the changes that will be sent by the next
-``push'' operation (@code{vc-log-outgoing}).
+``push'' operation (@code{vc-root-log-outgoing}).
 
 If you customize @code{vc-use-incoming-outgoing-prefixes} to
 non-@code{nil}, @kbd{C-x v O} becomes a prefix key, and
-@code{vc-log-outgoing} becomes bound to @kbd{C-x v O L}.
+@code{vc-root-log-outgoing} becomes bound to @kbd{C-x v O L}.
 
 @item M-x vc-root-diff-outgoing
 Display a diff of all changes that will be sent by the next push
@@ -1188,31 +1188,31 @@ or the remote branch references supported by Git.
 
 @kindex C-x v I
 @kindex C-x v O
-@findex vc-log-incoming
-@findex vc-log-outgoing
+@findex vc-root-log-incoming
+@findex vc-root-log-outgoing
   On a decentralized version control system, the @kbd{C-x v I}
-(@code{vc-log-incoming}) command displays a log buffer showing the
+(@code{vc-root-log-incoming}) command displays a log buffer showing the
 changes that will be applied the next time you run the version control
 system's pull command to get new revisions from another remote location
 (@pxref{Pulling / Pushing}).  This other remote location is the default
 one from which changes are pulled, as defined by the version control
-system; with a prefix argument, @code{vc-log-incoming} prompts for a
-particular remote location.  Similarly, @kbd{C-x v O}
-(@code{vc-log-outgoing}) shows the changes that will be sent to another
-remote location, the next time you run the push command; with a prefix
-argument, it prompts for a particular destination that in case of some
-version control system can be a branch name.
+system; with a prefix argument, @code{vc-root-log-incoming} prompts for
+a particular remote location.  Similarly, @kbd{C-x v O}
+(@code{vc-root-log-outgoing}) shows the changes that will be sent to
+another remote location, the next time you run the push command; with a
+prefix argument, it prompts for a particular destination that in case of
+some version control system can be a branch name.
 
 @findex vc-root-diff-incoming
 @findex vc-root-diff-outgoing
   The closely related commands @code{vc-root-diff-incoming} and
 @code{vc-root-diff-outgoing} are the diff analogues of
-@code{vc-log-incoming} and @code{vc-log-outgoing}.  These display diff
-buffers reporting the changes that would be pulled or pushed.  You can
-use a prefix argument here too to specify a particular remote location.
-@code{vc-root-diff-outgoing} is useful as a way to preview your push and
-quickly check that all and only the changes you intended to include were
-committed and will be pushed.
+@code{vc-root-log-incoming} and @code{vc-root-log-outgoing}.  These
+display diff buffers reporting the changes that would be pulled or
+pushed.  You can use a prefix argument here too to specify a particular
+remote location.  @code{vc-root-diff-outgoing} is useful as a way to
+preview your push and quickly check that all and only the changes you
+intended to include were committed and will be pushed.
 
 @findex vc-diff-incoming
 @findex vc-diff-outgoing
@@ -1562,8 +1562,8 @@ repository, such as the name of the backend in use and the working
 directory.  In addition, for decentralized VCS, if you have outgoing
 commits (@pxref{VC Change Log}), Emacs displays a line @w{"Outgoing : N
 unpushed revisions"} where @var{N} is a number.  You can click on this
-text to execute the @code{vc-log-outgoing} command (@pxref{VC Change
-Log}).
+text to execute the @code{vc-root-log-outgoing} command (@pxref{VC
+Change Log}).
 
 @vindex vc-dir-show-outgoing-count
   Emacs tries to use cached information to determine the number of
@@ -1840,9 +1840,9 @@ with Git, and @kbd{hg push} with Mercurial.  The default commands
 always push to the repository in the default location determined by
 the version control system from your branch configuration.
 
-Prior to pushing, you can use @kbd{C-x v O} (@code{vc-log-outgoing})
-to view a log buffer of the changes to be sent upstream.  @xref{VC
-Change Log}.
+Prior to pushing, you can use @kbd{C-x v O}
+(@code{vc-root-log-outgoing}) to view a log buffer of the changes to be
+sent upstream.  @xref{VC Change Log}.
 
 @cindex bound branch (Bazaar VCS)
 This command is currently supported only by Bazaar, Git, and Mercurial.
@@ -1876,9 +1876,9 @@ it into the current branch.  With Mercurial, it calls @kbd{hg pull
 -u} to fetch changesets from the default remote repository and update
 the working directory.
 
-  Prior to pulling, you can use @kbd{C-x v I} (@code{vc-log-incoming})
-to view a log buffer of the changes to be applied.  @xref{VC Change
-Log}.
+  Prior to pulling, you can use @kbd{C-x v I}
+(@code{vc-root-log-incoming}) to view a log buffer of the changes to be
+applied.  @xref{VC Change Log}.
 
   With a centralized version control system like CVS, @kbd{C-x v +}
 updates the current VC fileset from the repository.
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index f1f7deec4e7..9e5c070fd8c 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -2668,8 +2668,8 @@ relevant buffers before generating the contents of a VC Directory buffer
 *** New commands to report incoming and outgoing diffs.
 'vc-root-diff-incoming' and 'vc-root-diff-outgoing' report diffs of all
 the changes that would be pulled and would be pushed, respectively.
-They are the diff analogues of the existing commands 'vc-log-incoming'
-and 'vc-log-outgoing'.
+They are the diff analogues of the existing commands
+'vc-root-log-incoming' and 'vc-root-log-outgoing'.
 
 In particular, 'vc-root-diff-outgoing' is useful as a way to preview
 your push and ensure that all and only the changes you intended to
@@ -2692,9 +2692,9 @@ If this is customized to non-nil, 'C-x v I' and 'C-x v O' become prefix
 commands, such that the new incoming and outgoing commands have global
 bindings:
 
-- 'C-x v I L' is bound to 'vc-log-incoming'
+- 'C-x v I L' is bound to 'vc-root-log-incoming'
 - 'C-x v I D' is bound to 'vc-root-diff-incoming'
-- 'C-x v O L' is bound to 'vc-log-outgoing'
+- 'C-x v O L' is bound to 'vc-root-log-outgoing'
 - 'C-x v O D' is bound to 'vc-root-diff-outgoing'.
 
 +++
diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
index c5e94c90e9b..11ea9d2850f 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc.el
@@ -1086,13 +1086,17 @@ See also `vc-prepare-patch'."
     (vc-prepare-patch (package-maintainers pkg-desc t)
                       subject revisions)))
 
-(defun package-vc-log-incoming (pkg-desc)
-  "Call `vc-log-incoming' for the package PKG-DESC."
+(defun package-vc-root-log-incoming (pkg-desc)
+  "Call `vc-root-log-incoming' for the package PKG-DESC."
   (interactive
    (list (package-vc--read-package-desc "Incoming log for package: " t)))
   (let ((default-directory (package-vc--checkout-dir pkg-desc))
         (vc-deduce-backend-nonvc-modes t))
-    (call-interactively #'vc-log-incoming)))
+    (call-interactively #'vc-root-log-incoming)))
+(define-obsolete-function-alias
+  'package-vc-log-incoming
+  #'package-vc-root-log-incoming
+  "31.1")
 
 (provide 'package-vc)
 ;;; package-vc.el ends here
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el b/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
index 6cb162a96f5..1c6b6a4cba4 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-dir.el
@@ -294,10 +294,10 @@ That is, refreshing the VC-Dir buffer also hides `up-to-date' and
       '(menu-item "Compare with Base Version" vc-diff
 		  :help "Compare file set with the base version"))
     (define-key map [logo]
-      '(menu-item "Show Outgoing Log" vc-log-outgoing
+      '(menu-item "Show Outgoing Log" vc-root-log-outgoing
 		  :help "Show a log of changes that will be sent with a push operation"))
     (define-key map [logi]
-      '(menu-item "Show Incoming Log" vc-log-incoming
+      '(menu-item "Show Incoming Log" vc-root-log-incoming
 		  :help "Show a log of changes that will be received with a pull operation"))
     (define-key map [log]
       '(menu-item "Show History" vc-print-log
@@ -354,8 +354,8 @@ That is, refreshing the VC-Dir buffer also hides `up-to-date' and
     (define-key map "P" #'vc-push)	   ;; C-x v P
     (define-key map "l" #'vc-print-log)	   ;; C-x v l
     (define-key map "L" #'vc-print-root-log) ;; C-x v L
-    (define-key map "I" #'vc-log-incoming)   ;; C-x v I
-    (define-key map "O" #'vc-log-outgoing)   ;; C-x v O
+    (define-key map "I" #'vc-root-log-incoming)   ;; C-x v I
+    (define-key map "O" #'vc-root-log-outgoing)   ;; C-x v O
     ;; More confusing than helpful, probably
     ;;(define-key map "R" #'vc-revert) ;; u is taken by vc-dir-unmark.
     ;;(define-key map "A" #'vc-annotate) ;; g is taken by revert-buffer
@@ -1335,7 +1335,7 @@ the *vc-dir* buffer.
 
 (defvar-keymap vc-dir-outgoing-revisions-map
   :doc "Local keymap for viewing outgoing revisions."
-  "<down-mouse-1>" #'vc-log-outgoing)
+  "<down-mouse-1>" #'vc-root-log-outgoing)
 
 (defcustom vc-dir-show-outgoing-count t
   "Whether to display the number of unpushed revisions in VC-Dir.
@@ -1386,7 +1386,7 @@ specific headers."
                          'mouse-face 'highlight
                          'keymap vc-dir-outgoing-revisions-map
                          'help-echo "\\<vc-dir-outgoing-revisions-map>\
-\\[vc-log-outgoing]: List outgoing revisions")
+\\[vc-root-log-outgoing]: List outgoing revisions")
              "\n"))))
 
 (defun vc-dir-refresh-files (files)
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el b/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
index ef80fc084ab..cab05c20db1 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc-hooks.el
@@ -1014,8 +1014,8 @@ In the latter case, VC mode is deactivated for this buffer."
   "i"   #'vc-register
   "l"   #'vc-print-log
   "L"   #'vc-print-root-log
-  "I"   #'vc-log-incoming
-  "O"   #'vc-log-outgoing
+  "I"   #'vc-root-log-incoming
+  "O"   #'vc-root-log-outgoing
   "M L" #'vc-log-mergebase
   "M D" #'vc-diff-mergebase
   "o =" #'vc-diff-outgoing-base
@@ -1044,11 +1044,11 @@ In the latter case, VC mode is deactivated for this buffer."
 (define-key ctl-x-map "v" 'vc-prefix-map)
 
 (defvar-keymap vc-incoming-prefix-map
-  "L" #'vc-log-incoming
+  "L" #'vc-root-log-incoming
   "=" #'vc-diff-incoming
   "D" #'vc-root-diff-incoming)
 (defvar-keymap vc-outgoing-prefix-map
-  "L" #'vc-log-outgoing
+  "L" #'vc-root-log-outgoing
   "=" #'vc-diff-outgoing
   "D" #'vc-root-diff-outgoing)
 
@@ -1056,9 +1056,10 @@ In the latter case, VC mode is deactivated for this buffer."
   "Whether \\`C-x v I' and \\`C-x v O' are prefix commands.
 Historically Emacs bound \\`C-x v I' and \\`C-x v O' directly to
 commands.  That is still the default.  If this option is customized to
-non-nil, these key sequences becomes prefix commands.  `vc-log-incoming'
-moves to \\`C-x v I L', `vc-log-outgoing' moves to \\`C-x v O L', and
-other commands receive global bindings where they had none before."
+non-nil, these key sequences becomes prefix commands.
+`vc-root-log-incoming' moves to \\`C-x v I L', `vc-root-log-outgoing'
+moves to \\`C-x v O L', and other commands receive global bindings where
+they had none before."
   :type 'boolean
   :version "31.1"
   :set (lambda (symbol value)
@@ -1070,8 +1071,8 @@ other commands receive global bindings where they had none before."
                  (keymap-set map "I" vc-incoming-prefix-map)
                  (keymap-set map "O" vc-outgoing-prefix-map))
              (dolist (map maps)
-               (keymap-set map "I" #'vc-log-incoming)
-               (keymap-set map "O" #'vc-log-outgoing))))
+               (keymap-set map "I" #'vc-root-log-incoming)
+               (keymap-set map "O" #'vc-root-log-outgoing))))
          (set-default symbol value)))
 
 (defvar vc-menu-map
@@ -1122,10 +1123,10 @@ other commands receive global bindings where they had none before."
       '(menu-item "Update ChangeLog" vc-update-change-log
 		  :help "Find change log file and add entries from recent version control logs"))
     (define-key map [vc-log-out]
-      '(menu-item "Show Outgoing Log" vc-log-outgoing
+      '(menu-item "Show Outgoing Log" vc-root-log-outgoing
 		  :help "Show a log of changes that will be sent with a push operation"))
     (define-key map [vc-log-in]
-      '(menu-item "Show Incoming Log" vc-log-incoming
+      '(menu-item "Show Incoming Log" vc-root-log-incoming
 		  :help "Show a log of changes that will be received with a pull operation"))
     (define-key map [vc-print-log]
       '(menu-item "Show History" vc-print-log
diff --git a/lisp/vc/vc.el b/lisp/vc/vc.el
index 5400e97685c..fc4a8b2d991 100644
--- a/lisp/vc/vc.el
+++ b/lisp/vc/vc.el
@@ -4150,7 +4150,7 @@ starting at that revision.  Tags and remote references also work."
           (user-error "No incoming revision -- local-only branch?")))))
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defun vc-log-incoming (&optional upstream-location)
+(defun vc-root-log-incoming (&optional upstream-location)
   "Show log of changes that will be received with pull from UPSTREAM-LOCATION.
 When unspecified UPSTREAM-LOCATION is the place \\[vc-update] would pull
 from.  When called interactively with a prefix argument, prompt for
@@ -4160,6 +4160,10 @@ can be a remote branch name."
   (vc--with-backend-in-rootdir "VC root-log"
     (vc-incoming-outgoing-internal backend upstream-location
                                    "*vc-incoming*" 'log-incoming)))
+;; We plan to reuse the name `vc-log-incoming' for the fileset-specific
+;; command in Emacs 32.1.  --spwhitton
+(define-obsolete-function-alias 'vc-log-incoming #'vc-root-log-incoming
+  "31.1")
 
 (defun vc-default-log-incoming (backend buffer upstream-location)
   (let ((incoming (vc--incoming-revision backend upstream-location
@@ -4170,7 +4174,7 @@ can be a remote branch name."
                      (vc-call-backend backend 'mergebase incoming))))
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defun vc-log-outgoing (&optional upstream-location)
+(defun vc-root-log-outgoing (&optional upstream-location)
   "Show log of changes that will be sent with a push to UPSTREAM-LOCATION.
 When unspecified UPSTREAM-LOCATION is the place \\[vc-push] would push
 to.  When called interactively with a prefix argument, prompt for
@@ -4180,6 +4184,10 @@ can be a remote branch name."
   (vc--with-backend-in-rootdir "VC root-log"
     (vc-incoming-outgoing-internal backend upstream-location
                                    "*vc-outgoing*" 'log-outgoing)))
+;; We plan to reuse the name `vc-log-outgoing' for the fileset-specific
+;; command in Emacs 32.1.  --spwhitton
+(define-obsolete-function-alias 'vc-log-outgoing #'vc-root-log-outgoing
+  "31.1")
 
 (defun vc-default-log-outgoing (backend buffer upstream-location)
   (let ((incoming (vc--incoming-revision backend upstream-location))
diff --git a/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc-tests.el b/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc-tests.el
index 5c7930f12af..150d5c4a6e0 100644
--- a/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc-tests.el
+++ b/test/lisp/emacs-lisp/package-vc-tests.el
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ contains key `:tags' use its value as tests tags."
   (should
    (package-vc-tests-package-vc-async-wait
        5 1 '("log" "--decorate")
-     (package-vc-log-incoming (package-vc-tests-package-desc pkg t))
+     (package-vc-root-log-incoming (package-vc-tests-package-desc pkg t))
      t))
   (let ((incoming-buffer (get-buffer "*vc-incoming*"))
         (pattern (rx (literal