Google wants your help naming Android N

Remember the rumor suggesting Google may use an online poll to name Android N? Well, it turns the rumor was half-correct: It’s more of a suggestion box than a poll. Google wants to hear your what you’ve got at android.com/n.

On stage at I/O 2016, Dave Burke, vice president of engineering for Android, said Google reserves the right to choose the final name. And he begged the crowd not to name it “Namey McNameface.”

So the name for Android N won’t be chosen based on your vote, per se, but your submissions will be taken into consideration. Yeah, Google loves the Web and all, but it’s not about to let crowdsourcing handle its marketing.

Since Android 1.5, Google has named each version of its mobile operating system after a sweet food — moving sequentially through the letters of the alphabet. The tradition started more than six years ago. Here are all the releases so far:

• Android 1.5 Cupcake (April 2009)
• Android 1.6 Donut (September 2009)
• Android 2.0/2.1 Éclair (October 2009, January 2010)
• Android 2.2 Froyo (May 2010)
• Android 2.3 Gingerbread (December 2010)
• Android 3.0/3.1/3.2 Honeycomb (February 2011, May 2011, July 2011)
• Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (October 2011)
• Android 4.1/4.2/4.3 Jelly Bean (July 2012, November 2012, July 2013)
• Android 4.4 KitKat (October 2013)
• Android 5.0/5.1 Lollipop (November 2014, March 2015)
• Android 6.0 Marshmallow (October 2015)

Android N’s codename is apparently New York Cheesecake, so that’s unlikely to be the choice. A Google Opinion Rewards survey from March included these options: Napoleon, Nut brittle, Nachos, Nori, Noodles, Nougat, and Neapolitan ice cream.

I’m stubbornly holding out for Android Nutella, despite the trademarking work it would require. Failing that, Android Nut and Android Nuts are both amusing options.