diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
index e570646f9e0..63179d6a727 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtils.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2020 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -74,8 +74,8 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 	/** The path separator character: {@code '/'}. */
 	private static final char PATH_SEPARATOR = '/';
 
-	/** The inner class separator character: {@code '$'}. */
-	private static final char INNER_CLASS_SEPARATOR = '$';
+	/** The nested class separator character: {@code '$'}. */
+	private static final char NESTED_CLASS_SEPARATOR = '$';
 
 	/** The CGLIB class separator: {@code "$$"}. */
 	public static final String CGLIB_CLASS_SEPARATOR = "$$";
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 	/**
 	 * Replacement for {@code Class.forName()} that also returns Class instances
 	 * for primitives (e.g. "int") and array class names (e.g. "String[]").
-	 * Furthermore, it is also capable of resolving inner class names in Java source
+	 * Furthermore, it is also capable of resolving nested class names in Java source
 	 * style (e.g. "java.lang.Thread.State" instead of "java.lang.Thread$State").
 	 * @param name the name of the Class
 	 * @param classLoader the class loader to use
@@ -286,10 +286,10 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 		catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
 			int lastDotIndex = name.lastIndexOf(PACKAGE_SEPARATOR);
 			if (lastDotIndex != -1) {
-				String innerClassName =
-						name.substring(0, lastDotIndex) + INNER_CLASS_SEPARATOR + name.substring(lastDotIndex + 1);
+				String nestedClassName =
+						name.substring(0, lastDotIndex) + NESTED_CLASS_SEPARATOR + name.substring(lastDotIndex + 1);
 				try {
-					return Class.forName(innerClassName, false, clToUse);
+					return Class.forName(nestedClassName, false, clToUse);
 				}
 				catch (ClassNotFoundException ex2) {
 					// Swallow - let original exception get through
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 			nameEndIndex = className.length();
 		}
 		String shortName = className.substring(lastDotIndex + 1, nameEndIndex);
-		shortName = shortName.replace(INNER_CLASS_SEPARATOR, PACKAGE_SEPARATOR);
+		shortName = shortName.replace(NESTED_CLASS_SEPARATOR, PACKAGE_SEPARATOR);
 		return shortName;
 	}
 
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ public abstract class ClassUtils {
 
 	/**
 	 * Return the short string name of a Java class in uncapitalized JavaBeans
-	 * property format. Strips the outer class name in case of an inner class.
+	 * property format. Strips the outer class name in case of a nested class.
 	 * @param clazz the class
 	 * @return the short name rendered in a standard JavaBeans property format
 	 * @see java.beans.Introspector#decapitalize(String)
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/tests/sample/objects/TestObject.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/tests/sample/objects/TestObject.java
index f0dea9af350..e36283acc6e 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/tests/sample/objects/TestObject.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/tests/sample/objects/TestObject.java
@@ -75,7 +75,4 @@ public class TestObject implements ITestObject, ITestInterface, Comparable<Objec
 			return 1;
 		}
 	}
-
-	public static class NestedObject {
-	}
 }
diff --git a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtilsTests.java b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtilsTests.java
index 101c3a8d012..b8ddd8c4ca7 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtilsTests.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/test/java/org/springframework/util/ClassUtilsTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2020 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2021 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Nested;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
 import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
@@ -59,14 +60,6 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 	private final ClassLoader classLoader = getClass().getClassLoader();
 
 
-	@BeforeEach
-	void clearStatics() {
-		InnerClass.noArgCalled = false;
-		InnerClass.argCalled = false;
-		InnerClass.overloadedCalled = false;
-	}
-
-
 	@Test
 	void isPresent() {
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isPresent("java.lang.String", classLoader)).isTrue();
@@ -86,8 +79,12 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("org.springframework.tests.sample.objects.TestObject[][]", classLoader)).isEqualTo(TestObject[][].class);
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName(TestObject[][].class.getName(), classLoader)).isEqualTo(TestObject[][].class);
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("[[[S", classLoader)).isEqualTo(short[][][].class);
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("org.springframework.tests.sample.objects.TestObject$NestedObject", classLoader)).isEqualTo(TestObject.NestedObject.class);
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("org.springframework.tests.sample.objects.TestObject.NestedObject", classLoader)).isEqualTo(TestObject.NestedObject.class);
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void forNameWithNestedType() throws ClassNotFoundException {
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("org.springframework.util.ClassUtilsTests$NestedClass", classLoader)).isEqualTo(NestedClass.class);
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.forName("org.springframework.util.ClassUtilsTests.NestedClass", classLoader)).isEqualTo(NestedClass.class);
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -145,11 +142,11 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(String.class, childLoader1)).isTrue();
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(String.class, childLoader2)).isTrue();
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(String.class, childLoader3)).isTrue();
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(InnerClass.class, null)).isFalse();
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(InnerClass.class, classLoader)).isTrue();
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(InnerClass.class, childLoader1)).isTrue();
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(InnerClass.class, childLoader2)).isTrue();
-		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(InnerClass.class, childLoader3)).isTrue();
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(NestedClass.class, null)).isFalse();
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(NestedClass.class, classLoader)).isTrue();
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(NestedClass.class, childLoader1)).isTrue();
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(NestedClass.class, childLoader2)).isTrue();
+		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(NestedClass.class, childLoader3)).isTrue();
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(composite, null)).isFalse();
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(composite, classLoader)).isFalse();
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isCacheSafe(composite, childLoader1)).isTrue();
@@ -211,9 +208,9 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	void getShortNameForInnerClass() {
-		String className = ClassUtils.getShortName(InnerClass.class);
-		assertThat(className).as("Class name did not match").isEqualTo("ClassUtilsTests.InnerClass");
+	void getShortNameForNestedClass() {
+		String className = ClassUtils.getShortName(NestedClass.class);
+		assertThat(className).as("Class name did not match").isEqualTo("ClassUtilsTests.NestedClass");
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -301,27 +298,6 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.hasAtLeastOneMethodWithName(TestObject.class, "setAge")).isTrue();
 	}
 
-	@Test
-	void noArgsStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
-		Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(InnerClass.class, "staticMethod");
-		method.invoke(null, (Object[]) null);
-		assertThat(InnerClass.noArgCalled).as("no argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
-	}
-
-	@Test
-	void argsStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
-		Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(InnerClass.class, "argStaticMethod", String.class);
-		method.invoke(null, "test");
-		assertThat(InnerClass.argCalled).as("argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
-	}
-
-	@Test
-	void overloadedStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
-		Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(InnerClass.class, "staticMethod", String.class);
-		method.invoke(null, "test");
-		assertThat(InnerClass.overloadedCalled).as("argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
-	}
-
 	@Test
 	void isAssignable() {
 		assertThat(ClassUtils.isAssignable(Object.class, Object.class)).isTrue();
@@ -433,6 +409,40 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 	}
 
 
+	@Nested
+	class GetStaticMethodTests {
+
+		@BeforeEach
+		void clearStatics() {
+			NestedClass.noArgCalled = false;
+			NestedClass.argCalled = false;
+			NestedClass.overloadedCalled = false;
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		void noArgsStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
+			Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(NestedClass.class, "staticMethod");
+			method.invoke(null, (Object[]) null);
+			assertThat(NestedClass.noArgCalled).as("no argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		void argsStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
+			Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(NestedClass.class, "argStaticMethod", String.class);
+			method.invoke(null, "test");
+			assertThat(NestedClass.argCalled).as("argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
+		}
+
+		@Test
+		void overloadedStaticMethod() throws IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
+			Method method = ClassUtils.getStaticMethod(NestedClass.class, "staticMethod", String.class);
+			method.invoke(null, "test");
+			assertThat(NestedClass.overloadedCalled).as("argument method was not invoked.").isTrue();
+		}
+
+	}
+
+
 	@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
 	@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
 	@ValueSource(classes = { Boolean.class, Character.class, Byte.class, Short.class,
@@ -447,7 +457,7 @@ class ClassUtilsTests {
 	@interface PrimitiveTypes {
 	}
 
-	public static class InnerClass {
+	public static class NestedClass {
 
 		static boolean noArgCalled;
 		static boolean argCalled;
diff --git a/src/docs/asciidoc/core/core-beans.adoc b/src/docs/asciidoc/core/core-beans.adoc
index e0db0af8c8f..6aa1d45a157 100644
--- a/src/docs/asciidoc/core/core-beans.adoc
+++ b/src/docs/asciidoc/core/core-beans.adoc
@@ -639,15 +639,16 @@ You can use the `Class` property in one of two ways:
   from the invocation of the `static` factory method may be the same class or another
   class entirely.
 
+.Nested class names
 ****
-.Inner class names
-If you want to configure a bean definition for a `static` nested class, you may use
-either binary name of the nested class or separate it with dot.
+If you want to configure a bean definition for a nested class, you may use either the
+binary name or the source name of the nested class.
 
-For example, if you have a class called `SomeThing` in the `com.example` package, and this
-`SomeThing` class has a `static` nested class called `OtherThing`, they can be separated
-by a dollar (`$`) or dot (`.`). So the value of the `class` attribute on a bean definition
-would be `com.example.SomeThing$OtherThing` or `com.example.SomeThing.OtherThing`.
+For example, if you have a class called `SomeThing` in the `com.example` package, and
+this `SomeThing` class has a `static` nested class called `OtherThing`, they can be
+separated by a dollar sign (`$`) or a dot (`.`). So the value of the `class` attribute in
+a bean definition would be `com.example.SomeThing$OtherThing` or
+`com.example.SomeThing.OtherThing`.
 ****