[e12e]

Agreed, just meta probably isn't a very good name (neither is standard meta-language for that matter, but at least the abbreviation sml isn't entirely hopeless). Just "meta" would be rather close to OMeta[1] as well.

I tried to see if there might be a more generic animal name to use for inspiration, and so learned that: "The even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla) are ungulates (hoofed animals) whose weight is borne approximately equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls), such as horses.". Which while somewhat interesting doesn't really reveal an immediately usable name. But at least Artiodac should be unique...

[1] http://tinlizzie.org/ometa/

[xhevahir]

The hyrax. A very cute animal that can scale sheer rock faces.

[e12e]

Does seem to be rather distantly related to camels, though?

[xhevahir]

I didn't realize something camel-like was wanted.

[e12e]

I thought it was rather obvious in context that camels are even toed ungulates, and so the group to which camels belong (but a more generic term); and the language was a a kind of meta-(o)-caml, so looking for something that was related to camels, but more generic might be fruitful in order to find a name that was both unique, and also had a flavour of being "meta-caml" (or meta camel). Using myself as a the universal yardstick, I can say with certainty that not all people familiar with (o)caml and camels are aware camels are ungulates, let alone even toed ungulates... hence that particular avenue was a bit of a dead end...

Anyway, the Hyrax looks almost as interesting as the honey badger -- certainly a worthy code name -- but perhaps not for meta(o)caml IMNHO.

[edit: re-reading the language authors comment that: "It will be for OCaml what Elixir is for Erlang." -- I suppose something that is to a Camels as Elixir is ... to an abstract concept? Options might include: Water, Bedouin, Desert?

I also note that: "The earliest known camel, called Protylopus, lived in North America 40 to 50 million years ago (during the Eocene). It was about the size of a rabbit and lived in the open woodlands of what is now South Dakota."

I don't think protylopus is a very good name either, but probably better than ungulate. Perhaps "Dakota Caml" or Dakota Meta Language (dml) might work :-) ]