# Help me name my laptop! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641 "2005-09-14T18:24:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/1 "2005-09-14T18:24:58Z")
I’m about to replace my 4-year-old desktop at work with a brand-spankin’-new laptop. I’ve talked with the IT rep about my requirements, I’ve convinced HR that I need the laptop for business reasons (as opposed to just getting another desktop), I’ve worked out how to pay for the extra RAM I’ll need, and the order has been placed. It could arrive any time between now and the end of next month. Me so happy. 😃 But, I can’t figure out a network name for it! Currently, I have both a desktop and a “loaner” laptop: the desktop’s name is **Moya** and the laptop is **Talyn**. These are names from the old sci-fi show _Farscape_, with Moya being the name of a momma spaceship and Talyn being the name of her son. I get a private little kick out of using these names, but 1) the idea won’t make any sense when I only have one computer and 2) I’ll need for all three machines to be connected to the network simultaneously at least once, while I’m setting up the new laptop, so I can’t use either of the existing names. And, frankly, I’m thinking it’s time for a change anyway. At home, my desktop is called **Smokey** (after my dead cat). Naming that computer when I set up my wireless network pretty much exhausted my creative naming ability. 😉 The only idea I’ve been able to come up with is naming it after my _nom de net_ ( **Misnomer** ), but … meh. _I’m_ Misnomer, darnit! \ So, any suggestions? I like the idea of naming it something clever, even if I’m the only one who thinks it’s clever. And it doesn’t have to be related to sci-fi at all. (Hmm, do you think the _Reader_ would mind if I name it **Cecil**? ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/2 "2005-09-14T18:40:05Z")
How about: Thunder Rockinthebox Marianas ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/3 "2005-09-14T18:55:44Z")
Little Ed ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/4 "2005-09-14T19:14:42Z")
Joyeuse. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/5 "2005-09-14T20:07:40Z")
Sparky. ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/6 "2005-09-14T20:36:21Z")
I called my laptop Trixie. She was a cute little thing that sat on my lap and took dictation. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/7 "2005-09-14T21:55:13Z")
I name my computers’ hard drives after my mother… I am typing on HomeMama, my laptop is TiMama (Titanium PowerBook), at work I have OfficeMama… in the absence of that scheme, why not “Ginger”? ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/8 "2005-09-14T22:14:54Z")
[ROC.](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083530/quotes) ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/9 "2005-09-15T01:15:51Z")
Pot Pal (lap top reversed) ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/10 "2005-09-15T01:27:55Z")
My laptop’s name is **Dog**. It’s a long story. ---
**Author:** ![Treviathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@Treviathan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treviathan)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/11 "2005-09-15T01:42:04Z")
I called mine Compu-TOR! It gets funnier the more often you say it. Open my spreadsheet, Compu-TOR! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/12 "2005-09-15T02:01:30Z")
Sami. The computer’s a **lap** top. \*\* Lapps\*\* are nomadic people of northern Europe. Their name for themselves is [Sami.](http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=25786) Ergo… ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/13 "2005-09-15T02:13:34Z")
Now help me name my lap sides, shin backs and knee pits. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/14 "2005-09-15T02:37:39Z")
I call my laptop Stupid, but I’m thinking you probably don’t want to go that route. Compu-TOR! Hee hee hee! ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/15 "2005-09-15T02:40:51Z")
Some interesting suggestions here … thanks! 🙂 > [@Shagnasty](#): > > Marianas As in the trench? > [@Glory](#): > > Sparky. I kind of like that, but there’s already a “Sparky” on our network. Lots of good names are already taken. ☹ Also, “sparky” tends to be my catch-all nickname for people who are being kinda dumb – especially when they’re being dumb and condescending about it (as in, “I know it’s a _car_, sparky, what I asked was its _make_”). I don’t want my laptop to be dumb _or_ condescending. 😉 > [@Kizarvexius](#): > > I called my laptop Trixie. She was a cute little thing that sat on my lap and took dictation. That might work if I were a guy (or a lesbian)… 😃 Oddly enough, for some reason “Trixie” made me think of “Toto” which made me think of the _Wizard of Oz_, which made me think of calling the laptop **Scarecrow** – in reference to both its “brains” and the great '80s show with Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson. Hmm, and my officemate’s last name is “King,” too. There’s no “Scarecrow” showing up on the network right now, so I might just have to check again tomorrow when everyone’s online… > [@Casey1505](#): > > ROC. I said _clever_. 😛 > [@as\_u\_wish](#): > > Pot Pal (lap top reversed) That name calls to mind an activity I could lose my job for. 😃 (It’s also a little too close to “Pol Pot” for my comfort. :eek: ) > [@Treviathan](#): > > I called mine Compu-TOR! It gets funnier the more often you say it. Ha! But computer names on the network appear in all caps, and COMPU-TOR isn’t nearly as amusing (to me, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/16 "2005-09-15T03:14:03Z")
How about Merry or Pippin? ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/17 "2005-09-15T09:54:25Z")
Fatima. Fatima is a good name for machinery. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/18 "2005-09-15T10:12:29Z")
Colossus Guardian Maria (Or Hel. Or Futura. Or False Maria.) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/19 "2005-09-15T10:35:08Z")
General Error. Or maybe Major Malfunction :] ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2005, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641/20 "2005-09-15T11:06:54Z")
Mine is (picunurse’s) toy box [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-name-my-laptop/321641.md?page=2)