# Who comes up with military and LE operation names? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 7, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-comes-up-with-military-and-le-operation-names/549508 "2010-08-07T12:29:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-comes-up-with-military-and-le-operation-names/549508/21 "2010-09-05T12:34:22Z")
The whole point of a codename is supposed to be that it gives no clue to the intended operation’s nature. Something like DESERT STORM rather gives the game away. More intended for PR purposes than anything else. ---
**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 5, 2010, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-comes-up-with-military-and-le-operation-names/549508/22 "2010-09-05T18:06:08Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > Nobody wants to hear that their son died on Operation FLUFFY BUNNY or something (Churchill supposedly said something of this sort). **Paul in Qatar** ’s second link, above, quotes the memo: > [@Winstonchurchill](#): > > After all, the world is wide, and intelligent thought will readily supply an unlimited number of well-sounding names which do not suggest the character of the operation or disparage it in any way and do not enable some widow or mother to say that her son was killed in an operation called “Bunnyhug” or “Ballyhoo.” I also admit that I used “Operation Bunnyhug” in a short story, awhile back. I couldn’t resist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-comes-up-with-military-and-le-operation-names/549508.md?page=1)