# Do "cool" names for military weapons really make a difference? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887 "2023-05-11T12:24:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/21 "2023-05-11T14:31:26Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > vaguely stellar Or mythological, since much astronomical (or astrological) naming has mythological basis. Electra, Hercules, etc ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/22 "2023-05-11T14:31:43Z")
Not content to just naming their own weapons, the Pentagon renames weapons from other nations. The Japanese named their planes by the Imperial year they were introduced. But numbers are hard to remember so some Army Air Force captain was tasked with naming them starting with buxom women he knew (Val, Betty, etc) and hillbilly boys he grew up with in Tennessee (Zeke, Rufe, etc). The one that never quite stuck was the IJN carrier version of Zeke. Most USN personnel stuck with the Japanese name for the navy fighter introduced in Imperial year 2600. The Navy Type “Zero” Carrier Fighter. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/23 "2023-05-11T14:32:59Z")
Let’s not forget that when the British government gave the public the chance to name a naval vessel, the collective wisdom of the Empire came up with “Boaty McBoatface.”" ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/24 "2023-05-11T14:34:22Z")
**EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle** [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d0/f2/8d/d0f28dcbcb37df978f52141f3f4b7dd1.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d0/f2/8d/d0f28dcbcb37df978f52141f3f4b7dd1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/25 "2023-05-11T14:36:37Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Grumman (later Northrop-Grumman) had a famous series of US Navy fighters with feline naming: Wildcat, Hellcat, Tigercat, Bearcat, Panther, Cougar, Jaguar, Tiger, Super Tiger, and Tomcat. Clearly inspired by cats, those well-known masters of flight. > [@gnoitall](#): > > Not to threadshit, but I’m curious why this seems to be a concern to OP. To flip the question, what’s the harm in giving a handy label to a weapon? It was more a response to some personal eye-rolling over “Storm Shadow” than anything else and curiosity if the names had any measurable effect. Morale and memorization seem to be the top reasons mentioned here, and that does make sense. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/26 "2023-05-11T14:45:54Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > > naming your missiles “Storm Shadow” > > This is what happens when you consult with Michael Moorcock for branding ideas. Michael Moorcock likes GI Joe? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/27 "2023-05-11T14:46:29Z")
As I mentioned upthread, the Brits have a rather more poetic & Classical Literature tone to their naming. Storm Shadow is one of theirs, not a US name. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/28 "2023-05-11T14:51:38Z")
They still have the best name for a weapon ever: HMS Warspite. Hijack: It did take me awhile to realize the “cool” implied pronunciation of the ATACMS missile. In my head, I’d always pronounced it “Ata-cams”, sounding vaguely like the Atacama Desert, but only almost a year ago did I realize it could also be pronounced as “Attack-ems.” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/29 "2023-05-11T14:58:35Z")
Attack-ems is how it’s “officially” pronounced. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/30 "2023-05-11T15:02:07Z")
Sure, but that’s a research ship, not a weapons system. I think it’s just an inexpensive way to add a bit of badassery to a weapons system via the naming. And troops are going to name them their own names anyway- witness the A-10 Warthog, or the F-16 Viper, or the Bazooka (named after a goofy musical instrument wielded by a comedian of the time). ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/31 "2023-05-11T15:03:09Z")
Or maybe you should; cf Chef Guy’s post above. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/32 "2023-05-11T15:03:16Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Clearly inspired by cats, those well-known masters of flight. I don’t know; an airplane that always lands on its feet sounds like a good idea to me! ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/33 "2023-05-11T15:05:08Z")
Cats are famous for walking away from landings. That’s a hopeful omen for a class of aviation where recovery is usually a barely-controlled crash at maximum throttle on a tossing rolling postage stamp in the middle of the sea. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/34 "2023-05-11T15:06:13Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > They still have the best name for a weapon ever: HMS Warspite. Come on, how is that better than Dreadnaught? It literally means “[afraid of nothing](https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/dreadnought#:~:text=It%20was%20named%20after%20the,who%20dreaded%20naught%20%E2%80%94%20nothing)”. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/35 "2023-05-11T15:06:55Z")
He’s thinking “Stormbringer” I’d wager, not “Storm Shadow”. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/36 "2023-05-11T15:08:58Z")
Sure, but it’s Moorcock-esque. I didn’t know anything about GI Joe, as a media property.\* I rather suspect the UK Ministry of Defense doesn’t either. \*GI Joe is a line of 12-inch poseable action figures with warlike accessories, and that’s all it ever will be. If necessary, I can reject your reality and substitute my own. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/37 "2023-05-11T15:09:02Z")
Brits had a series of climatological names (Hurricane, Typhoon, Tornado) And who can ignore those fearsome names like Gnat, Moth, and Mosquito (that turned out to be deceptive…) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/38 "2023-05-11T15:19:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > the name “Falcon” had been used already for a then-obsolete air-to-air missile. The F-16 came out when I was a kid. I always heard it as ‘Falcon’. I never heard ‘Fighting Falcon’ until the '80s at the earliest. [[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/KTS9FQO.jpeg?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/YcXOkIt) > [@DPRK](#): > > and you have the guy who called his plane “Enola Gay”. He named the plane after his mother. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/39 "2023-05-11T15:20:08Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@Ludovic](#): > > > > MS Warspite. > > Come on, how is that better than Dreadnaught? Then again they named a battlecruiser “Invincible” that proceeded to get very thoroughly and totally vinced… ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2023, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887/40 "2023-05-11T15:27:05Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I didn’t know anything about GI Joe, as a media property.\* I rather suspect the UK Ministry of Defense doesn’t either. Curious about [SDMB mentions](https://boards.straightdope.com/search?context=topic&context_id=983870&q=%22storm%20shadow%22&skip_context=true), Storm Shadow is brought up as a GI Joe character 21 times and as a missle 8 times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-cool-names-for-military-weapons-really-make-a-difference/983887.md?page=3)