Eclipse 2014 release name chosen

Next year's Eclipse Release Train will be named "Luna". The name has passed trademark checking, the final hurdle of the selection process, according to a post by Eclipse Executive Director Mike Milinkovich. The selection of the name for the release train is designed to give the event, when a majority of Eclipse projects simultaneously release new versions to create a huge update of the Eclipse technology, a "recognizable, pronounceable, relatively distinct" name for people to refer to.

The selection process began in January with the opening of a bug, 398191, to name "Kepler+1". Kepler is the name of the Eclipse 2013 release train. The release train name usually begins with the next letter in the alphabet; previous releases going back in time have been Juno in 2012, Indigo, Helios, Galileo, Ganymede, Europa and Callisto in 2006. The name is also preferred to be referential to moons, heavenly body gods, or scientists. The bug was resolved first by gathering a list of suggested names, which was then reduced down by the Eclipse Planning Council to a votable short list. The result of that vote, with 274 votes cast, was:

• Laila: 8%
• Ladon: 2%
• Laplace: 13%
• Lok: 2%
• Lorentz: 4%
• Luna: 71%

As can be seen, the Luna name led the pack, with "Laplace" in a far-off second place. Before Eclipse Luna takes the stage though, we will see the Eclipse Kepler release train depart in June 2013.

(djwm)