Talk:Code name

Typo

The sentence it was extended both throughout NATO as the NATO reporting name for aircraft, rockets and missiles uses the word both in a way that suggests something is missing though I cannot determine what that would be. (unsigned by User:85.164.107.7)

As it was probably, as you say, a typo, I've removed it; thanks for pointing it out, and in future remember that you can just edit it yourself - if you spot any obvious mistakes like this, just click "edit this page", correct them, and click "save"; it really is that simple! - IMSoP 17:12, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Aircraft recognition reporting names

I'm not an expert on this, but IMHO this section is badly written. I have seen this subject on Discovery and there is a lot more than what is presented here. I understand the US started the system to classify unkown Japanese aircraft, and it was adopted as the NATO reporting name system. The US had some sort of technical intelligence team doing this work in WWII. Perhaps someone with more knowledge and interest could rework this. --Gadget850 13:38, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

More information on this would be useful. Does WP have a comprehensive list of WWII code names? Drutt (talk) 16:41, 1 March 2009 (UTC)

Merge

I don't see a need to merge, the two articles seem to refer to two different topics. One is used strictly for secretcy, the other is used for various reasons, including secretcy. hateless 05:50, 10 December 2006 (UTC) °±SHIROA±° — Preceding unsigned comment added by 180.190.96.77 (talk) 09:34, 16 April 2018 (UTC)

Codename as a working title

For a working title of something, a codename only applies to computer and video game related stuff. --PJ Pete

Actually, a codename in this sense applies to all manner of products and prototypes and concepts. The name can change, be more or less secret, and even be adopted for general usage. This word sense alone is complex, and could benefit from its own article. It's partly for this that I'm suggesting splitting and renaming the current Code name article. See Section below, Code names in broadest sense.

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (talk) 11:10, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Does anyone know when the convention of referring to a specific plan as "Operation <something>" (or equivalents like "<something>-Go" in Japanese) began? The article credits US and UK for starting to use irrelevant names for obfuscation but doesn't give a citation. KevinBTheobald (talk) 04:02, 8 December 2022 (UTC)

What about movies?

I frequently read that some movies (usually much anticipated sequels, e.g. the Star Wars films since Return of the Jedi) are filmed and/or shipped to theaters using code names to prevent leaks. Could someone with more knowledge of this use add this to the article?

Would also apply to things like book adaptations. Even fully-original movies often have a "working title," but that's mainly so the producers can get to work while the marketing department spends months deciding on a title. You can sometimes see working titles mentioned in IMDB in the trivia sections. KevinBTheobald (talk) 04:16, 8 December 2022 (UTC)

Color usage

Under "German code names" we see this quote: "in the post War period the British Ministry of Supply adopted the Rainbow Codes system which randomly combined a color and a noun (from a list) to create the name for projects."

The following section, "Ironic code names of other powers," says "The names of colors are generally avoided in British and American practice to avoid confusion with meteorological reporting practices."

This is contradictory. Which is it? I think the second is incorrect. Apart from it lacking a source, there are examples of American projects with color names, such as Have Blue. 24.199.34.242 (talk) 22:08, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

Yeah, "Ironic code names" must be quoting a "best practices" or limited rule-of-thumb in some unspecified context. The military loves to use colors in code words!" Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (talk) 11:14, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

Code names in broadest sense

Code names are used quite broadly in language. At the moment, Cant (language) comes closest to capturing this. This article is largely about military or commercial code names.

There's an issue about the interrelated structure of these Wiki articles:

• Argot
• Cant (language)
• CIA cryptonym
• Code name
• Code word
• Doublespeak
• List of computer technology code names
• List of Microsoft software codenames
• List of Intel codenames
• Rainbow codes
• Secret language (which redirects, questionably, to Language game)

A Wiki search on "code name" should direct to the most generalized usage? (And this article should be broken into Code name (military) and Code name (commercial)?

The most generalized usage would be something like Cant (language), combined with this statement from The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. (Paraphrase) There are three reasons to make a language unintelligible to all but a few initiates: to mark a person's membership of a group, to ensure secrecy, and as a pastime.

Thoughts?

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard (talk) 11:03, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

To which I'd add there needs to be a separate page for cryptonyms, as used by intel agencies for their agents (TRICYCLE comes immediately to mind), which aren't codenames as I've usually understood the term. TREKphiler ^{any time you're ready, Uhura} 18:09, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

Agree. I've already broken the article up a bit, to try to move the focus away from the military alone, and think it would make a great deal of sense to split the existing article into a code name (military) and code name (commercial). There are certainly other senses as well; cryptonyms and films has been mentioned, and I'm sure there are others. A big part of the solution will be creating a good disambiguation page. 70.250.185.165 (talk) 00:09, 29 May 2010 (UTC)

Possible vandalism?

I'm not sure why, but the first line has "Blah blah get to the point!" in it, which i doubt should be there. feel free to delete this post when fixed. 3:15, November 28, 2008 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.169.77.136 (talk) 20:17, 28 November 2008 (UTC)

Military nicknames

Is there a page somewhere for the two-word military nicknames as described here:

U.S. Military Code Names

I'm looking for a similar list here at Wikipedia, but can't find it, despite listings such as HAVE QUICK. I feel like the situation is a little clearer, now that code word (disambiguation) has been disambiguated, but I'm still not sure whether these two-word phrases are typically called "code words", "nicknames", or something else. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.251.148.89 (talk) 22:14, 1 January 2009 (UTC)

Also, Allied reporting name, for the Japanese a/c of WW2, would seem to be useful... TREKphiler ^{any time you're ready, Uhura} 21:30, 14 May 2010 (UTC)

Good example of where this would be useful is on the page LGM-30 Minuteman, where it could be used to help clarify what all thes names mean. 70.247.160.227 (talk) 02:23, 6 June 2010 (UTC)

Biology

I've found this use of codename in biology for defining an anctient dino. Predator X. I think it would be interesting to add it here.--Oleg Str (talk) 17:47, 16 July 2009 (UTC)

References

Sieminski, Gregory C. "The Art of Naming Operations." (Autumn 1995) Parameters, US Army War College pp. 81-98.

Chief of Naval Operations (January 30, 2007) OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5511.37D - CODE WORD, NICKNAMES, AND EXERCISE TERMINOLOGY SYSTEM

Rawnsley, Adam (March 21, 2011) What’s in a Name? ‘Odyssey Dawn’ Is Pentagon-Crafted Nonsense Wired

75.47.130.66 (talk) 00:00, 22 March 2011 (UTC)

Badly edited

I recall that I put in a section of the code names of military operations in the First World War. Something like the first sentence remains in the section, "Military Origins", then the paragraph deals with the Second World War without saying that the time frame has changed. I won't mention other details, it's in the records. 4.154.226.232 (talk) 02:19, 26 January 2013 (UTC)

Removed text

I just removed this text: "Operation Desert Shield was what the build-up in Saudi Arabia was blatantly referred to in the press, before war was declared. During this time, "Desert Storm" was secret. When the war broke out, the name Operation Desert Storm—but not the tactical details—was also broken to the press." It's untrue. Desert Shield was the defense of Saudi Arabia and build-up for counterattack. Desert Storm was the counterattack that liberated Kuwait. Desert Sortie (omitted from original entry) was the return to home station. I was in all three. It was a multiphase operation, not an attempt to use a false operation name. 155.213.224.59 (talk) 16:07, 29 July 2015 (UTC)

References

Linux?

Given that Microsoft and Apple OSes made the grade, should Debian, Ubuntu, get an "honorable mention"? — Preceding unsigned comment added by KevinCole (talk • contribs) 00:37, 1 November 2020 (UTC)

Wotan Citation

I'm a little concerned by the lack of citations in the German Code Names Section, specifically regarding the Wotan story. I can't find many other mentions of it anywhere, and half of them I can find cite wikipedia as a source. This citation is used on the "Battle of the Beams" article: It's the closest I've found, and really only offers a passing mention of Wotan's single eye. From this source, it seems there was more evidence available to British Intelligence and that it would be misleading to attribute the "solving" of the code entirely to the name. () Then again, maybe I'm misunderstanding the text.

In either case, I think it could be a valuable source for the Wotan section. Also, I apologize If I've messed up the format here. First time poster, and I'm not sure I get ref tags. Edit: I've found a much better source that should shed light on this topic. (Jones, R (1978). Most Secret War. London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd. p. 120. ISBN 0-241-89746-7.)

JimothyJonesLads (talk) 15:34, 6 October 2021 (UTC)

References