What’s in a code name? A lot of history, that’s what!
For over 75 years, U.S. presidents and first families have taken part in a long-honored tradition of going by nicknames symbolic of their personalities or legacies. Dating back to the early decades of the 1900s, the Secret Service originally began using code names for security purposes during times when electronic communications weren’t encrypted.
While still used today for purposes of brevity and clarity, the practice has become more symbolic with Presidents and members of their immediate families choosing code names that all start with the same letter but hold individual personal meanings to each person (though they rarely publicly explain their choices).
Former President Barack Obama‘s code name was Renegade while First Lady Michelle Obama went by Renaissance. Their daughters Sasha Obama and Malia Obama were Rosebud and Radiance respectively.
Former President Donald Trump went by mogul, a nod to his businessman background, while First Lady Melania Trump, a former model, chose Muse.