Function-First Naming
Kronos names its machines by what they do — breeder and burner — before their product names, so no one mistakes a brand for a capability.
Say the function first
Kronos uses a function-first naming standard: breeder (Hyperion) and burner (Aegis / MetroVolt). The function comes first, the product name in parentheses. We do not write 'Hyperion, a breeder' as if the name were primary. The point is that a reader always knows what a machine does before they know what it is called.
Why order matters
- A product name can imply capabilities it has not earned; a function word cannot
- 'Breeder' says the machine's job is to make isotopes and neutrons
- 'Burner' says the machine's job is to convert D-3He energy
- Aegis names fixed defense installations; MetroVolt names data-center generators — two housings of one burner
Avoiding withdrawn names
We also retire names cleanly. Where an earlier name was withdrawn — for instance because it collided with an existing project — we do not keep it in circulation. Using a stale or withdrawn name would create a false impression of a separate product, so naming discipline is part of honesty, not just branding.
Function-first naming is a small habit with a large payoff: it makes it structurally harder to sell a name as if it were a proven machine.