Every year out team codes and coddles a fresh new robot. Like a small child, we teach it to move, play games, and interact with the world around it. And, like a baby, we are tasked with naming it. Whether you are a soon-to-be parent seeking naming advice from a top team or another frc team looking for some inspiration for your own bot's title, you have come to the right place! Here is a look back at the monikers of RC Dawson’s past creations:
Doug: 2014 Season
Doug, a derivative of Douglas, is an ancient Celtic name meaning “black water”. Our Doug, too, flaunted a darkish tint, but he, being a robot, was very allergic to water. The name was originally popularized by swashbuckling pirate Douglas Fairbanks. This fits our team, which is comprised almost entirely of swarthy rouge-types (we’re like STEM Pirates).
OddJob: 2013 Season
The dictionary.com definition of “odd job” is: a casual or isolated piece of work, especially one of a manual nature. While it may seem an ill fit at first, this name suits our bot quite well. This is because OddJob was built by a whirlwind collection of small, effective tasks. And, though they may have seemed insignificant at first, they all came together to build one of the best robots in RC Dawson history. OddJob was, essentially, the product of many odd (but awesome) jobs. Ok... but less symbolically, the name OddJob is actually a reference to an old Bond villain. A man who threw his stovepipe hats like our robot threw frisbees.
Tim Tebot: 2012 Season
With a name reminiscent of the Denver Broncos’ star quarterback (ok, before Manning), its no surprise that Tebot was such a good sportsman. Just like his namesake, Tebot threw great passes that almost lead his team to victory... if it weren’t for that pesky movement thing.
BeastMode: 2011 Season
BeastMode, as his name would imply, was a total beast of a robot. Drawing his name from the “beast mode activated” meme of the 2010, *shudders at thought of old memes* this robot was a tank, weighing in at over 100 lbs. Ironically, BeastMode’s “beast mode”, his autonomous, was not exactly what you’d expect from a bot specifically named to be activated to achieve success. Don’t worry, though, we have since improved and scored 3rd place in states for our “beast mode” performance last season. Sharing his moniker are Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch and rapper Juvenile’s ninth album (also released in 2010).
Señor Chang Mark 1: 2010 Season
Señor Chang Mark 2: 2009 Season
Señor Chang Mark 3: 2008 Season
Admittedly not the most creative names, the Señor Changs hold a special place in RC Dawson’s heart. As our first 3 robots, the Changs were the very beginnings of Dawson robotics. Drawing inspiration from Señor Chang of the television show Community, our robot was bound for success (in sitcoms and Spanish, at least). To quote Amy Poehler (Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec), this name's "ambiguous ethnic blend perfectly represents the dream of the American melting pot." More excitingly, however, is the second half of their names: Mark 1, Mark 2, and Mark 3 respectively. These phrases indicate multiple iterations, or models, of our robot (in this case, three of them). Because no one has told us otherwise, we can safely assume that we, the students of RC Dawson, coined this term. Meaning that in Iron Man 3, when Tony references his suits as Mark 1 - Mark 42, he is using our very own term (are we entitled to a cut of the profits?). Step over JARVIS, the original bots are here.
Having learned all about RC Dawson’s vivid naming history, I’m sure that you’re asking yourself “Well what is the 2015 robot named?” As much as I would love to just give away that valuable information, it has yet to be determined. Some names that have been considered are TARS, WallE, and Mr. Nickerson’s twenty-second bowtie. Unfortunately, we have no consensus or conclusion on this pressing matter as of today, so I will have to update you later. Thanks for Reading (and feel free to use these names for any STEM-minded children you may posses)!
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