# Significance of names in Matrix series (spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2003, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901 "2003-05-22T21:23:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/21 "2003-05-23T06:20:08Z")
I wonder if the fact that “neo” is one of \*\*six \*\*anagrams for “one” means anything… ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/22 "2003-05-23T06:30:03Z")
Are you counting “one” as one of the six acronyms? Because that’d be pretty silly. “Do you think One is really the One?” ---
**Author:** ![Tarrsk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@Tarrsk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarrsk)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/23 "2003-05-23T08:06:02Z")
Well, I was thinking that the “first” One would have taken that slot. The term “the One” had to come from somewhere, after all. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 10:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/24 "2003-05-23T10:25:05Z")
I can’t believe I didn’t notice that Neo was an anagram of One. I am so hopelessly and amazingly dense. ---
**Author:** ![brainfizz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/da6949/32.png) [@brainfizz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainfizz)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/25 "2003-05-23T11:32:06Z")
According to “The Making of Matrix Reloaded” on Channel 4 a couple of nights ago, the name Neo was chosen because it was short for “Neophyte”. He was, in the first film, the rookie, the greenhorn, only taking the first step of the path. ---
**Author:** ![dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorkusmalorkusmafia/32/7266_2.png) [@dorkusmalorkusmafia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorkusmalorkusmafia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/26 "2003-05-23T15:20:58Z")
I actually think Link was a reference to Jar Jar Binks seeing as JarJar was the character who most likely was the model for Link. So, Jarjar Link, aka captain obvious, would sit around and say everything that just happened on the screen and try to do it while looking cute. However, this completely backfired and he simply looked annoying and had no other purpose than to restate the obvious. In the end I wish they would have escaped the machines by Morpheus throwing him in front of them and sidetracking them (the machines) just enough so the group can escape. ---
**Author:** ![dil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f04885/32.png) [@dil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dil)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/27 "2003-05-23T15:29:42Z")
**Trinity** raised Neo, who is a Christ-figure in the first movie (I haven’t seen the 2nd one yet) from the dead. Just as the Father raised the Son from the dead according to the gospels. Also, Morpheus seems to represent mankind in the first movie. He thinks he knows all the answers. He thinks Neo (the Messiah) is going to save them with his power over the Matrix. Instead, Neo must die and be resurrected in order to save Morpheus. This should all sound familar. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/28 "2003-05-23T17:48:12Z")
> **[Names - Matrix Fans](https://www.matrixfans.net/symbolism-philosophy-and-allegory/names/)** > > Names – Characters Abel Appearences: Reloaded Revolutions Enter the Matrix Genesis 4: Cain said to Abel his brother, “Let us go out to the field.” And when they were in the field, Cain rose up \[...\] That’s the best site I’ve seen for explaining the names. Their take on the meaning of Apoc and Cypher is pretty interesting. Here are a few of my thoughts on other names: Commander Lock- he is a lock to keep Zion safe from enemies Mifune (the Asian captain who greets Morpheus when they land in Zion)- probably a nod to famous actor Toshiro Mifune Knosis (an old woman asks Neo to watch over her son Jacob on the Knosis)- means “the greater part of the mind” as part of the word hypnosis Looking at the [IMDB cast list](http://us.imdb.com/Credits?0234215), there were characters named Colt and Mauser (2 makes of guns); Cain, Abel, and Malachi (of Bible fame); Wurm, Corrupt, Vector, and Binary (all terms used with computers). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/29 "2003-05-23T18:01:02Z")
> [@](#): > > Knosis (an old woman asks Neo to watch over her son Jacob on the Knosis)- means “the greater part of the mind” I bet it’s a funky spelling of Gnosis. The Gnostics were a cult… I couldn’t really explain them. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/30 "2003-05-23T18:14:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TJdude825 \* > [Cypher (the name of the one who makes a deal with the agents in the first movie) means a code. Maybe because he helps them get the codes to Zion’s mainframe. Again, I doubt this. > \*\* “Cypher” also means “an insignificant individual or nonentity.” Wonder if that’s relevant. I imagine there are 5 anagrams of ONE, and that Neo’s is the fifth. Not sure what kind of name “Oen” is… could be short for “Oenone,” the woman who was dumped by Paris in favor of Helen… OK, too much random speculation. But maybe there was a female One. Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/48db29/32.png) [@Francis\_E\_Dec\_Esq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_E_Dec_Esq)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/31 "2003-05-23T22:12:20Z")
**Anderson** Doesn’t this literally mean “Son of Man”? - Jesus’ favorite title for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/32 "2003-05-24T03:44:57Z")
I mentioned it in the other thread, but I guess I’ll mention it here, too. “Thomas” is Aramaic for “Twin”, and of particular importance to the Gnostics, especially the apostle Thomas Judas Didymos. (Didymos is greek for twin.) [The Gospel of Thomas](http://www.goodnewsinc.net/othbooks/thomas.html) is one of the most puzzling books of the Apocrypha. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901/33 "2003-05-24T10:18:58Z")
I wonder what secret meanings there are behind the name “Mouse”… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significance-of-names-in-matrix-series-spoilers/176901.md?page=1)