I too like cute names at high levels of abstraction, because descriptions or explanations shouldn’t clash with the named bits—particularly in documentation.
But when a named thing doesn’t escape the code files, then it has to be descriptive. My projects take too long, and coming back to a too cute name is a PITA.
The exception is I use
verb+cute name for command line script names.
Curiously, this week I was doing some project in Python where a visual plot was necessary. Now here’s a sphere where naming actually sux. I say this because there is a rich history of terms around visuals. When your project includes these other ontologies, it’s not so fun.
My thoughts exactly. Cute names are identities: you apply them to things that are unique and where the purpose is malleable. Functional names are descriptions: they capture the thing's purpose, not its identity.
I too like cute names at high levels of abstraction, because descriptions or explanations shouldn’t clash with the named bits—particularly in documentation.
But when a named thing doesn’t escape the code files, then it has to be descriptive. My projects take too long, and coming back to a too cute name is a PITA.
The exception is I use verb+cute name for command line script names.
Naming is hard, but also fun.