Name That Cat: What Breed Should OS 10.7 Be?
OS X Liger?
Now that Snow Leopard is on the prowl, thoughts turn to what Mac OS 10.7 might be called.
When it was announced that Mac OS 10.6 would be christened “Snow Leopard,” there was some speculation that Apple was running out of big cat names for its OS X versions. OS X 10.1 was Puma, 10.2 Jaguar, 10.3 Panther, 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, and 10.6 is Snow Leopard.
More likely is that Apple wanted to emphasize that 10.6 would not be a major new features upgrade (hence the relatively modest price of $29.95), but rather pretty much a code-slimming and streamlining revision of OS 10.5 Leopard, with Power PC support excised. That would make a name somewhat similar to OS 10.5 logical (although the Snow Leopard is actually a completely different species from Leopard).
There’s no danger of Apple running out of cat names anytime soon. According to one wild cat species resource site, there are 36 distinct species of non-domestic cats, although some are concededly so obscure that they wouldn’t be suitable for an operating system moniker (Jaguarundi, anyone?).
One cat name I like is Cougar, although an objection might be that it’s a synonym for Puma, which has already been used for OS 10.1, but then so is Panther in its North American context. The largest wild cat species on this continent is variously known as Cougar, Puma, Mountain Lion, Panther, Painter, and Catamount plus reportedly several dozen other less-widely used names that have been recorded across North and South America.
If Apple wanted a particularly exotic variant, they might consider Eastern Cougar, referencing cats some contend still range in small numbers east of the Mississippi River in the U.S., and Canada — an assertion that remains to be scientifically verified.
Perhaps the most likely not-yet-used for an OS X version would be Cheetah, with the positive association of being the fastest animal on the planet. Running flat out, the fastest horses might hit about 43 miles per hour, while a cheetah can touch 70 MPH in short bursts. Earlier this month a cheetah named Sarah, whose home is the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, broke the world cheetah speed record in the 100-meter dash , covering the distance in 6.16 seconds — .06 seconds off the previous record set in 2001 by a cheetah living in South Africa.
Other Mac OS name candidates would be Ocelot, a primarily South and Central American cat that also ranges into Mexico and as far north as Texas, and the medium-sized North American Lynx and Bobcat. There’s Wildcat too, a name used by Grumman for a World War II vintage naval fighter aircraft, and of course “the king of beasts” — Lion, which for some reason hasn’t been used on an OS X version yet.
Still plenty of cat names to chose from. What’s your preference for OS 10.7?
Photo courtesy of allwest44.
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i like cheetah.
when would you predict 10.7 to be released?
My vote is for OS X Garfield, or OS X Nermal, if they can get the license!
minkx
wot bout other wild animal names?
wolf would b good as a mac os name.
Cheetah has allready been used, the infromation did not include, Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_v10.0
I have a couple of names for Mac OS X 10.7
1. Kuga, (dont think its spelt right)
2. Jaguarundi (probally not)
My guess would be that they’re saving “Lion” for their final version of OS X, maybe right before they switch from OS X to OS 11 (or whatever new snazzy name they’ll cook up for it). I mean, can you imagine anyone being excited upgrading from, say, OS 10.8 Lion to OS 10.9 Bobcat? Or, for that matter, even from Lion to Cheetah? You can’t beat the king. Duh.
Cheetah was 10.0
I was going to say the same thing. Personally, I like Bobcat, Lion and Lynx.
I hope the next generation will be of mythical creatures, like OS Elven (Eleven), or Centaur. I heard microsoft will be forming a series of antagonist mythical OS’s, like the Microsoft Sauron, or MS Ba’al Zebûb.
I was thinking Lynx would be good. Nice and confusing along side Linux.
Lion, I guess. Would be the only choise which makes sense. I don’t think that they are going to release OS 11 and they never will call it like that. what should be wrong with OS X 10.x to refresh all of it like they did after OS 9? Classic was crap. But OS X is not – so why switching? Everbody thought 10.6 would be called Lion or something and NOBODY thought of snow leopard. so why should the name be so abvious? Lioon could be… but I thing we should just wait and see.
Cougar – with a photo of Cameron Diaz on the disc (if there is one)
Yes OS X 10 was code named Cheetah
Lynx!
I’m with Francisco :-)
ceiling cat http://www.flickr.com/photos/cmh/3890998676/
Pussy Cat would be nice…
For a more punk-rock approach, how about Alley Cat? (cues old lounge tune)…
Cheetah, Puma, Jaguar, Panther, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard.
Next version: “Deaf Leopard”. Can’t wait…
Lion seems like the only viable name they’ve got going for them…
Liger or Tigon would have a Lion + Tiger hybrid connotation that doesn’t make a lot of sense…
Ocelot could be the name of a Tablet OS since it’s a smaller cat? I think Lynx and Bobcat sorta have the same idea, smaller cats for a lighter operating system. They original Tablet OS would probably be called Bobcat because nobody’ll care about the name when the tablet is released. “Bobcat” doesn’t exactly strike awe into the hearts of fanboys.
Maybe they’ll make up a cat name… Or just switch to types of apples, red delicious, swiss, grannie smith.
OS X 10.7 – LOL Cat
I’m not really all that concerned about naming conventions for the rest of the 10.x line. I’m wondering what Apple is gonna do for the 11.x line. I’m thinking since there is the Apple -> Pixar -> Disney -> Marvel Comics link, Apple could branch out into Marvel characters. Hulk, Phoenix, Storm, etc.
Awe man. I never actually thought of the connection to Marvel after the Disney merger. Off topic for this post, but maybe this could mean the first step toward offering digital comics, perhaps via iTunes? :)
good point!!! i never thought of it that way.
Given that the next iteration of OS X will be older and more attractive, I’m going to have to go for Cougar too!
Smelly cat ofcourse, with Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) on the cover of the disc.
Tiddles The House Cat
Mcgee!
They should definitely save Cougar for 10.9, when the OS is a bit older…
How about Toonces!
They could do a simultaneous roll out with iTunes 10 (X?) and offer a complete collection of Saturday Night Live in the Store, with special features narrated by everyone’s favorite cat, Toonces!.
Lynx or Clouded Leopard
What was the name of the cat that appears in Shrek??
Puss in boots ^_^
I like cougar best cause they’re death on four paws! Cheetah rocks, too. Lynx is a smaller but very lovely cat worthy of small upgrade to OS.
No more cats. The groundwork has been laid down. It’s time to go up to 11.
(Also, I thought naming 10.5 Leopard to enable them using Snow Leopard for 10.6 was an ingenious bit of planning. I’m sure it was intentional.)
Civet cat?(jk)
There’s Wildcat too, a name used by Grumman for a World War II vintage naval fighter aircraft…
So if fighter aircraft make it OK how about Tiger II?
Lion just sounds lame to me. I bet they will go with repeating one of the older “good” ones but with a prefix like the “snow” in Snow Leopard, or one of the thousands of local variants of cat names like “BobCat” that aren’t really cat names at all, but still sound cool.
I agree with “justelise” in that better yet would be dropping the whole Cat thing altogether and starting fresh. Nothing says tacky like packages with leopard spots or tiger stripes. ;)
My vote for something new would be baryons of something. Like OS-X “Proton” or OS-X “Lepton.”
Though it’s not in the species, how about Polecat. Ferocious little buggers.
How about pussy cat?
well snow leopard was 10.6 and the average os x lasts what? a year and a half? so before it is time for a new os it will be 2011. os x came out in 2001 and apple said it would last ten years, so that makes os 11 due in 2011, so there probably won’t be a 10.7.
My vote goes for the most beautiful of the big cats: Amur Leopard, but I don’t think they want another Leopard. My second choice would be Ocelot.
My idea if its based on 10.6 then black leopard.
It think if apple entered the cheap netbook market they could make lighter os’s for them and name after house cats. like mac house cat series
How about Bengal? Or more common house cat names like siamese or tabby? Or Mau?
Article fails to reference the current common usage for cougar, which wouldn’t be flattering. Lion is the next best candidate but I agree it should be the swan song. Lynx and bobcat are the best mainstream choices before lion.
SaberTooth. You once thought it was a goner, but they brought it back with a vengeance!
Mac OS X Morris
Catsup.
Felix the Cat?
Cat in a Hat?
Felix
Def Leopard!
Hilarious that while talking of big cats, the author should concentrate on American fauna.
According to Walt Mosspuppet, OS 10.7 will be known as “Hairless Siamese.”
I don’t know about 10.7 but 10.8 should be Octopussy.
Octopussy is great, it could mark a transition to another habitat. Actually I think Apple will change to marine-borne life with the next Gen OS.
OS11 Lobster should be the first one.
Let’s just get rid of code names, especially if people continue to use them after release. Use the damn numbers!
-grouchy software architect
If they want to go with more kinds of leopard there is always amur leopard http://korta.nu/ad69.. then we have my favourite the Serval wich is an african wild cat http://korta.nu/439d
Lioness. After all, the male lion takes after Microsoft, living on everyone else’s initial labors. The Lioness does the hunting and brings home the dinner. The Lion then enjoys the fruits of her ingenuity, skill and originality – - having done nothing himself except to usurp her labor.
No idea what OS X should be named in the next version, but I personally would like to call Windows 7 “Lolcat”.
;)
Ben
Sabretooth for the last iteration of OS X
Carl
I like Lynx.
Lions aren´t felines, so lions don´t like Mr. Jobs.
The problem with using “Lion” is that it sounds like “lyin’” –I don’t think Apple’s PR people would want something like that floating around. “Cheetah” sounds like “Cheater” as well, but maybe that would be pretty positive for some folks.
Remember when Apple had multi fruit-colored iMacs? They didn’t bother with a yellow “banana” color because people would call it a “lemon.”
Cheshire Cat – with a big grin!
I’m thinking that they should go with “Sabertooth” something ferocious and mysterious, but also rooted in the strength of the past…
Then again, maybe picking an extinct animal might not have positive connotations… ;-)
The Apple Blog deleted my entry. It was a perfectly legitimate entry…
Please see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_Galore
Cougar!! Yes, same as puma, panther, mt. lion, but I think more commonly understood by those who don’t understand the reason for the various names. This is our American Lion and that makes it extra special to me. My two cougars have American Indian names for that reason.
Don’t limit yourself to current species. I like Sabertooth.
Me too! Let’s show some fangs to Win7 !
I think 10.0 was Puma while 10.1 was Cheetah (because it was faster). I know Wikipedia says that it was the other way around but I think it might be wrong. Either way more amateur blogging hour from the guys at The Apple Blog don’t even try to get their facts straight or do any real work anymore. Next up a comparison piece that is really only a list of features for a few similar products, like this one.
While there are so many cat species out there, quite a few of them are small or medium sized cats. I wonder if Apple would want to chose the name of a smaller sized cat which could bring in the impression of the new version being something inferior.
Btw, I believe Cheetah was the codename for OSX 10.0.
Cougar would be the name for the last update for the intel machines as we know them. Always wanting to hooked up with the latest and greatest, but forever on the wrong side of history.
OS X 10.7: Hippopotamus
OS XI: Steve Jobs
As Snow Leopard is already smaller and more optimized (streamlined) I think I would go for smaller cat names if I were Apple. Lynx, for example.
Jaguar Tiger and Leopard and Uncia (Snow Leopard) are in the Genus Pathera (as is Lion, but that has obviously been skipped). If the next veriosn of OS X is also a “minor” upgrade, it could be called Cloud Leopard, also being funny because more and more of our data will be in de clouds in the near future.
Small cats:
Lynx Genus:
Lynx
Caracal
Bobcat
But what will happen after OS X 10.9 ??
Dog species? Firsty version being Beagle of course (intelligent, speedy and loyal)
Let’s wait and see.
CountPollen
Lynx, Definitively!
Lots of luvly suggestions above but I hope that Apple save Lion for the final version of os X (10). After all lions are famed as kings of the beastie world, why not save it for what will by then without doubt the King of the OSes.
What comes after that, who knows? Planets, constellations are other manifestation of power and the universe, Roman or Greek gods, maybe, but a a name that conjures up a vision of the place where Apple will be by then.
I like the idea of Planets, or Roman/Greek gods, I think it would suit apple the most because it offers reliability and something most of us are familiar with like OS X has done for most of us. It would be wise, and imagine, they have already used a hint of the universe in the aesthetics when it comes to wallpaper.
Diggin the ideas. def.
Ocelot’s been the running joke for the next version of OSX for years. Lynx works, they look awesome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lynx_lynx2.jpg
Wow – that lynx even has dual Wi-Fi antennae. It’s a deal.
(Play him out) Keyboard Cat???
Or I CAN HAZ CHEEZBURGERS?
Miao for Now.
PeterSW
How about ‘Top Cat”.
Remember him?
Nittany Lion
Cougar – the Apple OS for “older” women. ;-)
OS X Garfield would be nice. :)
Is it certainly Mac Os X 10.7 Hello Kitty. that thing is taking over the world :O
For OS X 10.7 I say either lynx or lion.
or OS X 10.7 Tabby
that works too.
Cheetah was OS 10.0 I think 10.7 will be either lion or lynx………or Sabertooth!!! ha ha
My vote’s for Ocelot
I still vote for Liger. It’s like a cross between a Lion and a Tiger. It’s pretty much my favorite animal.
lol, that’s Napoleon Dynamite! XD
My gestalt: Going for Lynx. It’s sexy.
Then bigger cats can follow, like Sabertooth.
And when OSX is more mainstream than Windows:
Tabby (facetiously) will get the votes of the vast middle.
Of course there’s place for Lion,
and like Snow Leopard, that could be supplanted by:
Winter Lion.
(Peter and Katherine, where are you?)
They haven’t used Lion yet. Maybe Apple will eventually start using another naming convention. The cat names were only supposed to be internal names in the first place. Macintosh was also an internal code name. Fortunately, the name stuck, or else we might be using computers called Allegro, or Bicycle… or some other dumb name. When Jeff Raskin left Apple, Steve Jobs tried to get rid of the name ‘Macintosh’, but the engineers on the Mac team wouldn’t use the new code names.
Check out folklore.org for an interesting story about this. Lookup the story called ‘Bicycle’.
How about LOLZCat
There’s always Sabertooth (or Sylvester if you are more domestically oriented).
How about Mexican Hairless
I would call it either Cheetah or Liger
Lion Or Sabertooth :)
I’m sorta digging Mac OS 10.7 Sabre Tooth! I know it’s an extinct species it just sounds so badass… If not, Lynx sounds cool too!
How About Snow Kitten?
Mac OS X 10.0 was already named as Cheetah in 1991 itself. Refer Wikipedia, Article: History of Mac OS. I think the next version Mac OS X 10.7 will be named as Lion!!!!! and this will be the last version of Mac OS X 10.xx. So the next will be of another group of animals with Mac OS XI 11.0. Am I Right “Apple CEO” Steve Jobs?
i think it should be lynx or bobcat.
OS X Hello Kitty
It has to be Def Leopard
Apple OS/X Tabby
OS X 10.7 Heathcliff
Mac OS X 10.7 Doraemon
i think maybe like OS X 10.7 Caracal….
or put it somewhere in the lineup
but someone makes a good point, are they gonna stop at 10.7 or 10.6?
‘OS X Wolverine’ of course.
Or drop the whole ‘cat’ thing and move on to galaxies or stars:
‘OS X Andromeda’ or ‘OS X Sirius’
Fits in with the whole space theme they’ve been using since Leopard.
Cougar, and Goose. ala Top Gun, I feel the need, for speed!! Cougar the next OSX revision, Goose the new iPhone iTablet variation of the OS – or the server edition.
Or Black Leopard, Leopard became white, with Apple finishing it the Cupertino crowd puts on the black formal attire. It’s that formal evening thing ya know. That’s right it 10.7, Black Leopard.
Of course I haven’t heard any serious rumors as to what is actually going to be new in the next OS. All I can think of is a formal finalization of Leo, Snow Leo and Black Leopard. Of all the leopard cats, ya gotta admit, The Black Leopard is the baddest cat.
I can envision the politically correct symmetry of it; We got a black man in the white house, and black leopard in our macs.
Yea baby!! ;-)
I am putting in a vote for Clouded Leopard. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouded_Leopard
It would follow the Leopard theme along with the more recent additions of MobileMe.com and iWork.com and give the opportunity for Apple to compete with Chrome OS.
Tom (from Tom and Jerry)
Tom Cat. It isn’t exotic, and maybe that would be the point. Just, Tom Cat. A no holds barred scrappy little kitty with a really big head (ever seen a Tom Cat?). OK, Tom Cat is a fighter plane as well.
Or maybe if it has a lot of attitude, Black Panther. The POWER of OSX 10.7, yea.
Of course there is always “King of The Jungle”. Or “Apple the lion hearted”. But Apple Lion .. not quite right somehow. Maybe they can get the rights from Disney to use Lion King? Yes, that would be pretty cool.
Of course, we all assume that Apple will stay with the cat theme. Thinking more about the Tom Cat fighter plane and names of other fighter planes, I associate to thinking, what if they went to birds of prey next?
10.7 Falcon
10.8 Eagle
10.9 Birdie (just kidding, Hawk)
Garfield!
I think it would be either lion or cougar
Except Snow leopard, all of the names have also been names of German tanks.
Mac Os X Cougar
Well, Liger, of course. Why?
“It’s pretty much my favorite animal. It’s like a lion and a tiger mixed… bred for its skills in magic. …”
Napoleon Dynamite
10.7 Scratchy (with xcode renamed as Itchy)
I’m with Jamius, “LOL Cat” seems like a perfectly good name.
It would be both funny and controversial and show a creative side of Apple that they haven’t seen since their pirate days…
…But alas, we know TEH STEVE as smart as he is, is not a genius. Music, Drama & Art yes, but he has yet to grasp COMEDY as an art form. Unlike the Dali Lama and Einstein: Steve simply is not a man with a strong sense of humor. Sad, but true.
how about Mac os Sphinx?
Mac OS 10.7 Tabby Cat?
It should be called House Cat.
Forget the felines, lets go to birds. How about Raptor, or Falcon, Osprey,
I reckon it would be awesome if its called Mac OS X Lynx. My suggestions are : Clouded Leoparad ( Now its Snow Leopard and next is Clouded Leopard kinda relates) , Oncilia , Catopuma, Margay, Colocolo ,Pampas, Kodkod. REPLY ON WHAT YOU THINK
i say it should be called sabertooth
Cheetah was 10.0
Apparantely they’ve registered “Cougar” and “Lynx” as trademarks… 0.o
Here’s what I predict
10.7 Lynx
10.8 – Not sure
10.9 Cougar
10.10 Lion
And hey, who says they’ll go to 11? They’ve gone past ten before… I have Mac OS 10.4.11. So maybe they’ll go to Mac OS 10.11, 10.12, 10.13… although sometime they will have to move on. I think that before marine animals they should go to dogs. Wolf, coyote… endless possibilities.
Name it OS X Pussy or OS X House Cat