Publié : 16 January 2026
Actualisé : 2 weeks ago
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Siri: A name from the cold (and mythology)
Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, owes its name to a very particular language: Norwegian. In Norwegian, Siri means “beautiful victory.” A soft sound and a positive meaning, perfect for embodying an AI meant to make our lives easier. And guess what? It’s not entirely a coincidence. Dag Kittlaus, one of Siri’s creators, had originally chosen this first name for his daughter… before having a boy. Ironically, he was able to reuse this name a few years later for his invention. The story doesn’t end there. Kittlaus says that “Siri” was also the name of a colleague he worked with, someone he admired. A discreet tribute, in short. More than just a first name, Siri embodies a mix of Nordic references, aborted personal projects, and friendly tributes. An amazing cocktail for an AI present on millions of iPhones around the world. We are far from the cold and calculating image that some associate with artificial intelligence.
Claude: A discreet literary tribute
Claude, the AI developed by Anthropic, stands out for its desire to embody a “benevolent” AI. But why this first name, which immediately evokes French sounds? In reality, the name Claude is a subtle tribute to Claude Shannon, an American mathematician and engineer considered the father of information theory. Shannon laid the foundations for digital communication, making the very existence of modern AIs possible. Smart, isn’t it? By choosing “Claude,” Anthropic pays tribute to a pioneer while giving an accessible image to its AI. Behind this choice, a desire to stand out from names with purely technological overtones. Claude is a first name, a person (virtual, of course), and not a simple algorithm. An assumed marketing position. Clearly, Anthropic wants to humanize its AI.
Grok: The AI that “groks” complexity
Radical change of atmosphere with Grok, the AI developed by xAI, Elon Musk’s company. Here, we are not looking for softness or accessibility, but rather originality and provocation. But what does “grok” mean? The term “grok” comes from the science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein. In this novel, “grok” means to understand something intuitively and deeply, beyond simple intellectual knowledge. A kind of empathetic, almost visceral understanding. By choosing this name, Elon Musk clearly displays his ambitions: Grok must not only process information, but must understand it in depth. A huge challenge, when we know the current difficulties of AIs in grasping the true meaning of requests. It’s a bit like promising that your flying car will also know how to make coffee. Ambitious, but we’ll have to see. And then, there’s the nod to geek culture. Choosing an obscure term from science fiction is a way of speaking directly to a knowledgeable audience, capable of decoding the reference. Grok is the AI that speaks to initiates.
Other AIs, other stories
While Siri, Claude, and Grok have very distinct origins, other AIs draw their names from more varied sources. Take the example of Cortana, Microsoft’s voice assistant. Its name is directly inspired by the AI character in the Halo video game series. A choice that will delight fans, but may leave others indifferent. And then, there are the more pragmatic, even utilitarian names. ChatGPT, for example, is a contraction of “Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer.” A name that has the merit of being clear, but which cruelly lacks poetry. We are closer to the technical reference than artistic inspiration. At the same time, should we have expected anything else?
Beyond the name, the identity
In the end, the name of an AI is much more than a simple label. It conveys an image, values, ambitions. It’s the first impression that the AI gives to the world. And in a universe increasingly populated by artificial intelligences, standing out becomes crucial. So, the next time you interact with an AI, take a moment to wonder about its name. Who knows, you might discover a surprising story. These name choices, often thoughtful and sometimes anecdotal, say a lot about how creators perceive and project these artificial intelligences. An invitation not to reduce AI to a simple technology, but to consider it as an actor in its own right in our society.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seriously, where did the name Siri come from? What’s the story?
About the author: Fascinated by the technologies of tomorrow, I'm Mickaël Rigaud, your guide to the world of Artificial Intelligence. On my website, iactualite.info, I decipher the innovations shaping our future. Join me to explore the latest AI trends!
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