In the midnight hour, she cried, "I need a name for my new laptop!"
July 3, 2023 10:12 PM Subscribe
OK, this is a very low-stakes question, but I love my pets like children and my electronic devices like pets. I have somewhat unexpectedly obtained a new laptop to replace my veteran MacBook Pro, and before I turn it on and get to know it, I need to know its name. I am terrible at naming things (see: the pets), but traditionally I name devices after their color and/or animals. I'm also very fond of sci-fi and terrible puns. The laptop's color is "midnight". Help me, hivemind, you're my only hope!
Best answer: Midnight? The sound of tapping? Lenore. Or Raven, but I don't know if your warranty supports invoking a trickster spirit.
posted by Superilla at 10:18 PM on July 3, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by Superilla at 10:18 PM on July 3, 2023 [7 favorites]
Gizmo? As long as you don't feed it after midnight.
posted by credulous at 10:21 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by credulous at 10:21 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Luna.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 10:33 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Snarl Furillo at 10:33 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'd go with something that means dark, or night, or similar.
Laylah/Leila
Orpheus
Raven
Colin
Esmeray
Donovan
Erebus
Ash
Senka
Ciera
Nisha
Melanie
etc
posted by CleverClover at 10:34 PM on July 3, 2023
Laylah/Leila
Orpheus
Raven
Colin
Esmeray
Donovan
Erebus
Ash
Senka
Ciera
Nisha
Melanie
etc
posted by CleverClover at 10:34 PM on July 3, 2023
Best answer: Nightwatch
Midnight snacks
Gremlin
Kitty (they're nocturnal)
Bat
Betty?
Raven (2nded or 3rded possibly)
Poe
Ticker (as in poe's watch)
Starry sky
Stars
Blue
Cerulean sky
Cerulean sparkle? (As in night sky?)
Famous SF insomniacs? (I'd have to wiki, but thinking 'Orwell' or 'Clarke' could be darkly funny)
Tom cruise (via SF author inventing scientology)
Nothing jumping out to me - I am excellent and dedicated to pet names but don't tend to name objects or cars.
Could you describe this new machine? (How do you personify them? What's their role or orientation?)
What are your pet's names or other names (car, previous machine, other beloved items) so we can get a flavor of your past names?
posted by esoteric things at 10:48 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Midnight snacks
Gremlin
Kitty (they're nocturnal)
Bat
Betty?
Raven (2nded or 3rded possibly)
Poe
Ticker (as in poe's watch)
Starry sky
Stars
Blue
Cerulean sky
Cerulean sparkle? (As in night sky?)
Famous SF insomniacs? (I'd have to wiki, but thinking 'Orwell' or 'Clarke' could be darkly funny)
Tom cruise (via SF author inventing scientology)
Nothing jumping out to me - I am excellent and dedicated to pet names but don't tend to name objects or cars.
Could you describe this new machine? (How do you personify them? What's their role or orientation?)
What are your pet's names or other names (car, previous machine, other beloved items) so we can get a flavor of your past names?
posted by esoteric things at 10:48 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Patsy (Walking After Midnight)
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:49 PM on July 3, 2023
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:49 PM on July 3, 2023
Cowboy X, after the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy, which won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenwriter, and was the first X-rated movie to win best picture.
posted by jamjam at 10:53 PM on July 3, 2023
posted by jamjam at 10:53 PM on July 3, 2023
Quiet Storm
posted by umbú at 10:57 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by umbú at 10:57 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Pony, especially if it’s a wish come true.
posted by shock muppet at 11:06 PM on July 3, 2023
posted by shock muppet at 11:06 PM on July 3, 2023
Rebel
posted by ellenaim at 11:34 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by ellenaim at 11:34 PM on July 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
You could look at Iain M. Banks Culture Universe Spaceship Names , e.g., Thank You and Good Night.
Raven King (from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel)
No Big Deal (a bit far fetched, but HAL in 2001 A Space Odyssey was supposedly a letter shift from IBM. Shifting MAC in the other direction results in NBD)
posted by meijusa at 11:38 PM on July 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Raven King (from Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel)
No Big Deal (a bit far fetched, but HAL in 2001 A Space Odyssey was supposedly a letter shift from IBM. Shifting MAC in the other direction results in NBD)
posted by meijusa at 11:38 PM on July 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
Black to the Future
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:57 PM on July 3, 2023
posted by St. Peepsburg at 11:57 PM on July 3, 2023
Martha inspired by Handmaids Tale or Rosey like the maid in the Jetsons
posted by MadMadam at 12:10 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by MadMadam at 12:10 AM on July 4, 2023
All my computing devices are named after sci fi computing devices. Current devices include:
The Gibson (Hackers)
The Machine (Person of Interest)
A.L.I.E (The 100)
William (Another Life)
There's a bunch more here if that seems like your jam.
posted by Adifferentbear at 1:15 AM on July 4, 2023
The Gibson (Hackers)
The Machine (Person of Interest)
A.L.I.E (The 100)
William (Another Life)
There's a bunch more here if that seems like your jam.
posted by Adifferentbear at 1:15 AM on July 4, 2023
Proxima Midnight (from the Marvel Universe)
posted by Roger Pittman at 2:37 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by Roger Pittman at 2:37 AM on July 4, 2023
> I love my pets like children and my electronic devices like pets.
for naming pets, it's good to have both a long formal name -- including one or more middle names -- and a few short nicknames. the short nicknames are suitable for every day use, e.g. praise for being a good boy, while the full formal name is used sparingly in situations with some degree of exasperation.
this'd work for devices as well. ("Harold Xerxes Neuntausend! Please refrain from stealing my keyboard focus while I am trying to write a comment. I understand you feel strongly about restarting for security updates, we can discuss this shortly")
posted by are-coral-made at 2:44 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
for naming pets, it's good to have both a long formal name -- including one or more middle names -- and a few short nicknames. the short nicknames are suitable for every day use, e.g. praise for being a good boy, while the full formal name is used sparingly in situations with some degree of exasperation.
this'd work for devices as well. ("Harold Xerxes Neuntausend! Please refrain from stealing my keyboard focus while I am trying to write a comment. I understand you feel strongly about restarting for security updates, we can discuss this shortly")
posted by are-coral-made at 2:44 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
The Monolith
Toothless (like the jet-black dragon in How to Train Your Dragon). Presumably it doesn't have teeth so this is a perfect fit; if you wanted to go all out you could get some decals to dragon it up.
posted by trig at 3:00 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Toothless (like the jet-black dragon in How to Train Your Dragon). Presumably it doesn't have teeth so this is a perfect fit; if you wanted to go all out you could get some decals to dragon it up.
posted by trig at 3:00 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Big Blue. (Dark blue as the night sky, and Big Blue as an old nickname for IBM).
posted by rjs at 3:44 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by rjs at 3:44 AM on July 4, 2023
Sputnik -- especially if you take it with you to places, as it means "fellow-traveler".
posted by alexei at 4:08 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by alexei at 4:08 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Is the night a very dark time for you? Then your laptop is named Chazz because Chazz Michael Michaels --IS-- portable computation.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:10 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 4:10 AM on July 4, 2023
Slab.
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:29 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:29 AM on July 4, 2023
PCD The Darkest Hour
Portable Computing Device, after Iain Banks' Culture novels.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:47 AM on July 4, 2023
Portable Computing Device, after Iain Banks' Culture novels.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:47 AM on July 4, 2023
Kitten. (When you are ready to work, give it a delicious little pat and say, “Oh, helloooooo Kitten!”)
posted by mochapickle at 4:55 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by mochapickle at 4:55 AM on July 4, 2023
Dexy ('s Midnight Runners). Or go a step on from that and call it/her Eileen, so that you can sing "Come on, Eileen!" every morning as you sit down to work.
posted by sianifach at 5:10 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by sianifach at 5:10 AM on July 4, 2023 [3 favorites]
Indigo, like the midnight sky.
posted by wandering zinnia at 5:11 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by wandering zinnia at 5:11 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Since you brought up the "midnight hour," how about Wilson or Pickett?
posted by FencingGal at 5:24 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by FencingGal at 5:24 AM on July 4, 2023
"Cale" or "J.J.", as it will be named
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 5:43 AM on July 4, 2023
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 5:43 AM on July 4, 2023
Mac Tonight
posted by box at 5:47 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 5:47 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm also very fond of sci-fi
My naming scheme tends towards stuff from Neuromancer, so like 3Jane, Straylight, Riviera, Armitage, Hideo etc.
posted by juv3nal at 6:24 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
My naming scheme tends towards stuff from Neuromancer, so like 3Jane, Straylight, Riviera, Armitage, Hideo etc.
posted by juv3nal at 6:24 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Nyx, daughter of Chaos, is the goddess of night, mother of Aether.
Astra (star)
Aspera (difficulty, as in Ad Astra per Aspera)
Puppers? Dog Tax?
posted by theora55 at 7:19 AM on July 4, 2023
Astra (star)
Aspera (difficulty, as in Ad Astra per Aspera)
Puppers? Dog Tax?
posted by theora55 at 7:19 AM on July 4, 2023
I like food themes:
bento, kappa, nigiri, tamago, toro
bianaca, pepperoni, pesto, hawaiian, margherita
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:20 AM on July 4, 2023
bento, kappa, nigiri, tamago, toro
bianaca, pepperoni, pesto, hawaiian, margherita
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:20 AM on July 4, 2023
absolutely “Proxima Midnight”!
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Proxima_Midnight_(Earth-616)
posted by alchemist at 7:25 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Proxima_Midnight_(Earth-616)
posted by alchemist at 7:25 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Call him Clark.
If asked, you can explain that his full name is Clark Kent, and you called him that because his colour is "midnight" and that's when Batman is out and about.
Depending on your audience, this will leave them somewhere between bemused and furious.
posted by flabdablet at 7:29 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
If asked, you can explain that his full name is Clark Kent, and you called him that because his colour is "midnight" and that's when Batman is out and about.
Depending on your audience, this will leave them somewhere between bemused and furious.
posted by flabdablet at 7:29 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, if anybody actually rises to the bait and tries to splain you that Clark Kent is not Batman's secret identity, demand proof. And when they produce it, you just say "Huh! How about that. Well, I'm not changing his name now, he's used to it" and watch them just fume.
posted by flabdablet at 7:39 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by flabdablet at 7:39 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Murderbot. Or, if you prefer puzzles, Wordlebot.
My Mac is Spike, because it's my Number One Personal Assistant. My cellphone is Belldandy, because I always want it by my side.
posted by SPrintF at 8:48 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
My Mac is Spike, because it's my Number One Personal Assistant. My cellphone is Belldandy, because I always want it by my side.
posted by SPrintF at 8:48 AM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
The Wine-Dark Sea
posted by trig at 9:09 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 9:09 AM on July 4, 2023 [2 favorites]
Quoth
posted by meepmeow at 3:18 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by meepmeow at 3:18 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
I find that sometimes you can hone in on what something wants to be called by thinking about what it wouldn't want to be called:
Droppy McFallsOfftheTableaLot
Spill Magnet
Smokey
Exhibit A
Mr. Bendy
Insert Load Letter
posted by Ghidorah at 11:08 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Droppy McFallsOfftheTableaLot
Spill Magnet
Smokey
Exhibit A
Mr. Bendy
Insert Load Letter
posted by Ghidorah at 11:08 PM on July 4, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: You all have so much amazing creativity! I reserve the right to use some of these for future devices/pets/story characters.
The Raven reference caught me immediately, because I often name my computers after animals. I really wish I could name it ʻAlalā, after the Hawaiian crow, but alas, diacritical marks are not a thing for machine names. As a compromise, I'm going with "Corvus", the genus of the ʻAlalā (and many other corvids).
It is such a sleek thing, like the 2001 monolith, or a Stealth Blackbird, but I want to give it a more biological name, to soften that, even in a slightly stern crow kind of way.
In answer to the question about how I see my devices - my laptop is my auxiliary brain, my conduit to the world, and my beloved friend. Its soul (such as might be preserved in a backup) is the most important thing, but its body is also dear to me, especially since this particular laptop is so beautiful.
Thank you all so, so much for your help!
posted by LadyOscar at 10:21 PM on July 14, 2023
The Raven reference caught me immediately, because I often name my computers after animals. I really wish I could name it ʻAlalā, after the Hawaiian crow, but alas, diacritical marks are not a thing for machine names. As a compromise, I'm going with "Corvus", the genus of the ʻAlalā (and many other corvids).
It is such a sleek thing, like the 2001 monolith, or a Stealth Blackbird, but I want to give it a more biological name, to soften that, even in a slightly stern crow kind of way.
In answer to the question about how I see my devices - my laptop is my auxiliary brain, my conduit to the world, and my beloved friend. Its soul (such as might be preserved in a backup) is the most important thing, but its body is also dear to me, especially since this particular laptop is so beautiful.
Thank you all so, so much for your help!
posted by LadyOscar at 10:21 PM on July 14, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mdonley at 10:16 PM on July 3, 2023