How cool is it to use a code name for an important project rather than “version 2.5” or “next gen”? Same for a company acquisition or game-changing strategic initiative that will fundamentally change the landscape and trajectory for the company. Even adventure games, video game characters for Fortnite or Minecraft, and team names for any sort of competition can benefit from really cool names.
This article includes a list of more than 500 code names to consider for your use. In fact, one column includes code names grouped by a particular theme and another column just lists a bunch of cool words and phrases to consider for code names. I’ve used many of these over the years and hope you enjoy using them too.
Why Are Code Names Needed?
First, it’s fundamentally fun and cool to use code names, but that’s not necessarily the reason to start using them. The key reason for business settings usually relates to confidential programs and activities that are talked and written about in ways that could possibly be exposed to people that shouldn’t have knowledge, including the general public. Haven’t you ever been in a coffee shop or restaurant and overhead a conversation that was clearly confidential?
The most common business use cases for code names happen to correspond to articles I’ve written and published on this site.
- Product roadmap and innovation programs
- See related article titled “Prioritizing Your Roadmap“
- Strategic partnerships – during the courtship and negotiation phase
- See related article titled “A Secret to Securing a Strategic Partnership“
- Future launch of some big initiative
- See related article titled “A.I. Will Revolutionize the Marketing Function“
- Acquisitions
- See related articles in the M&A Category
Other Hints & Tips
If your company has multiple products or product lines, consider assigning a theme to each and then using code names from those themes. It will help your employees and business partners more easily remember what the code name stands for. For example, one of the companies I worked for in the past used names of philosophers for one product line, types of snakes for another and Greek/Roman gods for another. You’ll see such category groupings below.
For companies that are active acquirers (M&A), consider using a code name that has the same first letter as the target company. But realize that if your general employee population finds out that you use this approach, they might be able to figure out who your acquisition target is.
The Lists
Themes
Members of Feline Family:
Badger
Black Cat
Bobcat
Caracal
Cheetah
Cougar
Jaguar
Leopard
Lion
Lynx
Mountain Lion
Ocelot
Panther
Puma
Siamese
Serval
Tiger
Wolverine
Venomous or Biting Animals (non-snake):
Abispa
Andrena
Black Widow
Cataglyphis
Centipede
Cephalotes
Formica
Hornet
Jellyfish
Scorpion
Tarantula
Yellowjacket
Wasp
Greek & Roman Gods:
Apollo
Ares
Artemis
Athena
Hercules
Hermes
Iris
Medusa
Nemesis
Neptune
Perseus
Poseidon
Triton
Zeus
One-Word Rock Band Names:
Buckcherry
Candlebox
Coldplay
Danzig
Everlast
Foghat
Genesis
Heart
Incubus
Journey
Nazareth
Phish
Primus
Quarterflash
Queen
Styx
Weezer
One Word Muscle Car Models:
Barracuda
Camero
Challenger
Charger
Chavelle
Cobra
Corvette
Cougar
Dart
Firebird
Fury
GTO
GTX
Jaguar
Le Mans
Malibu
Maverick
Mustang
Nova
Roadrunner
Tempest
Thunderbolt
Ventura
Signs of the Zodiac:
Aquarius
Aries
Cancer
Capricorn
Gemini
Libra
Leo
Pisces
Sagittarius
Scorpio
Taurus
Virgo
Star Constellations:
Andromeda
Aquila
Cassiopeia
Cepheus
Cygnus
Delphinus
Drako
Lyra
Orion
Perseus
Serpens
Triangulum
Types of Snakes:
Anaconda
Boa
Cobra
Copperhead
Cottonmouth
Garter
Kingsnake
Mamba
Python
Rattler
Sidewinder
Taipan
Viper
Feared Water Animals:
Alligator
Barracuda
Crocodile
Gator
Great White
Hammerhead
Jaws
Lionfish
Mako
Moray
Orca
Piranha
Shark
Stingray
Bladed Weapons:
Axe
Battle Axe
Bayonet
Blade
Crossbowe
Dagger
Excalibur
Halberd
Hatchet
Machete
Saber
Samurai
Scimitar
Scythe
Stiletto
Spear
Sword
Weather & Atmosphere:
Aurora
Avalanche
Blizzard
Cyclone
Dewdrop
Downpour
Duststorm
Fogbank
Freeze
Frost
Gully Washer
Gust
Hurricane
Ice Storm
Jet Stream
Lightning
Mist
Monsoon
Rainbow
Raindrop
Sand Storm
Seabreeze
Snowflake
Stratosphere
Storm
Sunrise
Sunset
Tornado
Thunder
Thunderbolt
Thunderstorm
Tropical Storm
Twister
Typhoon
Updraft
Vortex
Waterspout
Whirlwind
Wind Chill
Famous Philosophers & Scientists:
Archimedes
Aristotle
Confucius
Copernicus
Curie
da Vinci
Darwin
Descartes
Edison
Einstein
Epicurus
Freud
Galileo
Hawking
Machiavelli
Marx
Newton
Pascal
Pasteur
Plato
Sagan
Socrates
Tesla
Voltaire
Games:
Baccarat
Backgammon
Blackjack
Chess
Jenga
Jeopardy
Keno
Monopoly
Pictionary
Poker
Scrabble
Trivial Pursuit
Twister
Roulette
Stratego
Yahtzee
Superheros:
Aquaman
Batman
Black Panther
Black Widow
Captain America
Catwoman
Daredevil
Dr. Strange
Flash
Green Arrow
Green Lantern
Hulk
Iron Man
Phantom
Thor
Silver Surfer
Spider Man
Supergirl
Superman
Wonder Woman
Wolverine
Speed & Velocity:
Hypersonic
Lightspeed
Mach 1,2,3,4,etc
Supersonic
Warp Speed
Members of the Horse Family:
Amiatina
Andalusian
Appaloosa
Clydesdale
Colt
Falabella
Knabstrupper
Lipizzan
Lucitano
Maverick
Mustang
Palomino
Pony
Quarter Horse
Stallion
Thoroughbred
Zebra
Tropical Islands:
Antigua
Aruba
Azores
Baja
Bali
Barbados
Bermuda
Bora Bora
Borneo
Capri
Cayman
Corfu
Cozumel
Curacao
Fiji
Galapagos
Hawaii
Ibiza
Jamaica
Kauai
Lanai
Majorca
Maldives
Maui
Mykonos
Nantucket
Oahu
Tahiti
Tortuga
Roatan
Santorini
Seychelles
St. Johns
St. Lucia
Types of Birds:
Albatross
Bald Eagle
Blackhawk
Blue Jay
Chukar
Condor
Crane
Dove
Eagle
Falcon
Goose (Golden Goose)
Grouse
Hawk
Heron
Hornbill
Hummingbird
Lark
Mallard
Oriole
Osprey
Owl
Parrot
Penguin
Peregrine
Pelican
Pheasant
Quail
Raptor
Raven
Robin
Sandpiper
Seagull
Sparrow
Stork
Thunderbird
Toucan
Vulture
Waterfowl
Woodpecker
Wren
Star Wars:
C-3PO
Chewbacca
Dagobah
Darth Vader
Death Star
Devaron
Droid
Endor
Ewok
Hoth
Jakku
Jedi (… Knight, Master, Mind Trick)
Leia
Lightsaber
Lothal
Naboo
Padawan
R2-D2
Scarif
Sith
Skywalker
Stormtrooper
Tatooine
Wookie
Yoda
Zanbar
Types of Boats:
Canoe
Catamaran
Cruiser
Cutter
Ferry
Galleon
Gondola
Hovercraft
Hydrofoil
Jetski
Kayak
Longboat
Motorboat
Outrigger
Pirate Ship
Riverboat
Sailboat
Skipjack
Schooner
Skiff
Sloop
Steamboat
Tanker
Trimaran
Trawler
Tugboat
U-boat
Yacht
Yawl
(Can You Guess the Theme?):
Lancer
Volunteer
Searchlight
Passkey
Deacon
Rawhide
Timberwolf
Eagle
Tumbler
Renegade
Mogul
Celtic
007
Advantage
Alert
Amethyst
Backhander
Badass
Blade
Blaze
Blockade
Blockbuster
Boxer
Brimstone
Broadway
Buccaneer
Champion
Cliffhanger
Coachman
Comet
Commander
Courier
Cowboy
Crawler
Crossroads
Deep Space
Desperado
Double-Decker
Echelon
Edge
Encore
En Route
Escape
Eureka
Evangelist
Excursion
Explorer
Fantastic
Firefight
Foray
Forge
Freeway
Frontier
Fun Machine
Galaxy
Game Over
Genesis
Hacker
Hawkeye
Haybailer
Haystack
Hexagon
Hitman
Hustler
Iceberg
Impossible
Impulse
Invader
Inventor
Iridium
Iron Wolf
Jackrabbit
Juniper
Keyhole
Kryptonite
Lancelot
Liftoff
Mad Hatter
Magnum
Malachite
Majestic
Merlin
Moonstone
Multiplier
Netiquette
Nomad
Octagon
Offense
Olive Branch
Olympic Torch
Omega
Onyx
Orbit
Outer Space
Outlaw
Palladium
Patron
Patriot
Pegasus
Pentagon
Pilgrim
Pinball
Pinnacle
Pipeline
Pirate
Portal
Predator
Prism
Raging Bull
Ragtime
Reunion
Ricochet
Roadrunner
Rockstar
Robin Hood
Rover
Ruby
Runabout
Sapphire
Scrappy
Seige
Shadow
Shakedown
Shockwave
Shooter
Showdown
Six Pack
Slam Dunk
Slasher
Sledgehammer
Spirit
Spotlight
Starlight
Steamroller
Stride
Sunrise
Superhuman
Supernova
Super Bowl
Sunset
Sweetheart
Tanzanite
Top Hand
Topaz
Touchdown
Tour
Tourmaline
Trailblazer
Transit
Trecker (Trekker)
Trio
Triple Play
Triple Threat
Universe
Unstoppable
Utopia
Vicinity
Vector
Vigilance
Vigilante
Vista
Visage
Vis-à-vis
VIP
Volcano
Volley
Whizzler
Wingman