What's in a Name? The Importance of Naming Conventions as More Than Just a Label

Ever noticed how calling someone “hey you” instead of their actual name feels wrong? Or how calling someone using a name that is not theirs is embarrassing for everyone?

Names aren’t just labels, they’re stories. Whether they are Tswana, Zulu or Venda names in South Africa, Māori names in New Zealand, Chinese names, and Slavic names in Europe, names aren’t just labels. When someone is named Ji-Hoon (wisdom and favour), Thandeka (beloved), or Miroslav (peace/world and glory), you’re not just saying a word. You’re acknowledging their parents’ hopes, their family’s journey, and their cultural heritage.

Now here’s where it gets interesting for us techies.

The Same Principle Applies to Our Code!

Just like calling someone outside their name is problematic, writing code with poor naming is equally disrespectful to your future self and your teammates.

Consider this C# example:

Why This Matters:

1. Names Carry Intention: Just as “Nkosazana” (princess) carries family aspirations, calculateQuarterlyRevenue() tells you exactly what to expect.
2. Names Build Relationships: When you properly name your Azure resources like prod-southafrica-customerdb instead of db1, you’re respecting your ops team’s 3am debugging sessions.
3. Names Preserve History: A well-named method like MigrateFromLegacySharePointStructure() is like a family name that tells a story – it documents where you’ve been and where you’re going.

GitHub Copilot: Your Co-Programming Assistant 🤖

Here’s where it gets even better. Just like how elders help choose meaningful names in many South African cultures, GitHub Copilot can guide you toward better naming:

GitHub Copilot helps you:

• Suggests contextually meaningful names based on your code’s purpose
• Generates documentation that explains the “why” behind your names
• Offers naming patterns consistent with your team’s conventions

Example with GitHub Copilot:

The Parallel is has Meaning:

• Calling someone by their proper name = Acknowledging their identity
• Using meaningful variable names = Respecting your code’s purpose
• Both require intentionality and care
• Having Copilot assist = Like having an elder guide you to choose wisely

Next time you’re tempted to name that variable temp or data, remember: every name is an opportunity to show respect, whether it’s to a person’s heritage or to the developers who’ll maintain your code. And with tools like GitHub Copilot, you have a knowledgeable companion to help you choose names that honour both functionality and clarity.

After all, whether it’s a someone is named Tsholofelo (hope) or a function named RestoreCustomerTrust(), names should tell a story worth remembering.