Codenames

I've been in a bit of a funk lately since my girl and I broke it off, so I apologize to my zero-comment-leaving Internet friends for not posting anything.

We're working on something pretty big right now, and today we got a codename for it. I'm not allowed to tell you what it is, at least until it's over, of course, but let me assure you that it's not Operation Wolf, and it's not Operation Grand Slam.

Every time I am put on a project, I try to get it named Operation Wolf. I used to love that game, strafing across an open field while dude after dude jumped out and shot things at you, gunning them down with that plastic Uzi. And I figured, why not have some fun with the codenames, right? There's only one real rule when it comes to codenames... they can't have anything to do with what they stand for. Like a mission to Antarctica would never be called "Operation Deep Freeze", because the codename could potentially give something away. So, to me, Operation Wolf is a great name... unless the project has something to do with wolves, which it never does.

Nonetheless, I am always shot down. So today, we are discussing codenames, and before I was can even get it out, Jennings cuts me off and says, "We're not calling it Operation Wolf." So I snap right back, "Actually, I was going to suggest Operation Grand Slam."

Now we've been on a sports kick lately with our codenames, mostly football, but with some variety. There was Crunchtime, Endzone, Hattrick, Zone Blitz, Empty Net, and a bunch of others. Grand Slam fits right in. And Jennings likes it. "Operation Grand Slam. Sounds good. Anyone have any objection to it?" And no one says anything for, like, ten seconds, and Jennings is about to move on, but then Nancy chimes in, "Wait, isn't that the name they use in Goldfinger?" Dammit, Nancy, shut up! Jennings thinks about it for a second, then looks at me and realizes that's exactly where I got it from, nixes it, and we spend another five minutes coming up with a decent name, during which time I am not allowed to speak.

Is a codename really that important? Should we run a check to make sure that no book, TV show, or movie ever uses a codename that we want to use? I'm just trying to have a little fun, and someone always ends up ruining it.