Naming schemes for computers

Let your little inner nerd leak out

All devices come with some default name from the factory or take user input to make one. If I scan for bluetooth devices in a public place, I see default names such as Dave's iPhone. My bluetooth speaker appears as EMBERTON, because the product name is the Marshall Emberton. My Windows install named itself something like DESKTOP_string_of_chars.

But the default names are boring. Why not rename your device to make it more memorable? Here’s a few themes I use. I like science, so a lot of my devices are named after things in this category.

Stellar class

These are stars with memorable names, instead of a string like PSR J1903+0321. The good thing with stars is that there’s enought that you will never run out of names to use. Even if you have to eventually use PSR J1903+032.

Spacecraft and telescope class

A list of some things launched into space.

Special class

Things in space that have a cool name.

Quantum class

Now a list of things that are incredibly small, and some aren’t real.

  1. About PSR J1903+032 ↩︎