Naming Schemes
A good naming scheme is scalable, unique, and easy to remember. The purpose of these naming schemes is to name networked servers, wireless access points or client computers, but it can also be used to name projects, products, variables, streets, pets, kids, or any other project where unique names and rememberable names are required.
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- GNU/Linux
- GNU HURD
- Microware OS-9
- Solaris
- SunOS
- HP-UX
- AIX
- OpenVMS
- Mac OS
- MINIX
- FreeBSD
- NetBSD
- OpenBSD
- DragonFly
- Plan 9
- FreeDOS
- Caldera OpenDOS
- Novell DOS
- DR-DOS
- PC-DOS
- BeOS
- QNX
- AROS
- OS/2
- AtheOS
- SkyOS
- Syllable
- Visopsys
- ReactOS
- Menuet
- AmigaOS
- AmigaDOS
- IRIX
- SINIX
- BSD/OS
- Ultrix
- TRS-DOS (TRS-80)
- ProDOS (Apple ][e)
- DOS3.3 (Apple ][)
- CP/M (as used prior to the IBM PC - ie KayPro, Osborne)
- Unix
- Multics
- OS/360
- MVS
- RiscOS
- NeXTStep
- Microsoft DOS
Personal computer versions
In this section, a client version of Windows is a version that end-users or OEMs can install on personal computers, including desktop computers, laptops and workstations.
| Name
|
Version
|
Release date
|
Codename
|
Additional information
|
Editions
|
Latest build
|
Unsupported as of
|
| Windows 1.0x
|
| Windows 1.01
|
1.01
|
November 20, 1985
|
Interface Manager
|
First public release of Windows
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows 1.02
|
1.02
|
May 14, 1986
|
|
| Windows 1.03
|
1.03
|
August 21, 1986
|
|
| Windows 1.04
|
1.04
|
April 10, 1987
|
|
| Windows 2.0x
|
| Windows 2.01
|
2.01
|
December 9, 1987
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows 2.03
|
2.03
|
| Windows 2.1x
|
| Windows 2.1
|
2.1
|
May 27, 1988
|
|
|
|
N/A
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows 2.11
|
2.11
|
March 13, 1989
|
|
|
| Windows 3.0x
|
| Windows 3.00
|
3.00
|
May 22, 1990
|
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows 3.00a MME
|
3.00a
|
October 20, 1991
|
|
Sometimes called Windows Graphical Environment with Multimedia Extensions 1.0
|
| Windows 3.1x
|
| Windows 3.1
|
3.1
|
April 6, 1992
|
|
|
N/A
|
103
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows for Workgroups 3.1
|
3.1
|
October 1992
|
Kato, Sparta
|
|
| Windows 3.11
|
3.11
|
November 8, 1993
|
|
|
300
|
| Windows for Workgroups 3.11
|
3.11
|
August 11, 1993
|
Snowball
|
|
| Windows 3.2
|
3.2
|
November 22, 1993
|
|
Chinese version of Windows 3.1x
|
153
|
| Windows 9x
|
| Windows 95
|
4.0
|
August 24, 1995
|
Chicago
|
|
- Windows 95
- Windows 95 Service Pack 1/OEM Service Release 1 (February 14, 1996)
- Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2 (August 24, 1996)
- Windows 95 USB Supplement to OEM Service Release 2 (August 27, 1997)
- Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2.1 (August 27, 1997)
- Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2.5 (November 26, 1997)
|
950
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Cancelled
|
4.1
|
N/A
|
Cleveland, Nashville
|
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
| Windows 98
|
June 21, 1998
|
Memphis
|
|
N/A
|
1998
|
July 11, 2006
|
| Windows 98 Second Edition
|
April 23, 1999
|
|
|
N/A
|
2222A
|
| Windows Me
|
4.9
|
September 14, 2000
|
Millennium
|
|
N/A
|
3000
|
| Windows NT
|
| Windows NT 3.1
|
NT 3.1
|
July 27, 1993
|
Razzle
|
|
- Windows NT 3.1 Workstation
|
528 (SP3)
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows NT 3.5
|
NT 3.5
|
September 21, 1994
|
Daytona
|
|
- Windows NT 3.5 Workstation
|
807
|
| Windows NT 3.51
|
NT 3.51
|
May 30, 1995
|
|
- Windows NT 3.51 Workstation
|
1057.6 (SP5)
|
| Windows NT 4.0
|
NT 4.0
|
August 24, 1996
|
Shell Update Release
|
|
- Windows NT 4.0 Workstation
|
1381.7097 (SP6a)
|
December 3, 2004
|
| Windows 2000
|
NT 5.0
|
February 17, 2000
|
|
|
- Windows 2000 Professional
|
2195.6717 (SP4)
|
July 13, 2010
|
| Windows XP
|
NT 5.1
|
October 25, 2001
|
Whistler
|
|
- Windows XP Starter Edition
- Windows XP Home Edition
- Windows XP Professional
- Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (July 8, 2006)
|
2600.5512 (SP3)
|
April 8, 2014
|
| Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
|
NT 5.2
|
April 25, 2005
|
|
|
N/A
|
3790.3959 (SP2)
|
April 8, 2014
|
| Windows Vista
|
NT 6.0
|
January 30, 2007
|
Longhorn
|
|
- Windows Vista Starter
- Windows Vista Home Basic
- Windows Vista Home Premium
- Windows Vista Business
- Windows Vista Enterprise
- Windows Vista Ultimate
|
6002 (SP2)
|
April 11, 2017
|
| Windows 7
|
NT 6.1
|
October 22, 2009
|
Windows 7
|
|
- Windows 7 Starter
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Windows 7 Professional
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- Windows 7 Ultimate
- Windows Thin PC
|
7601 (SP1)
|
January 14, 2020
|
| Windows 8
|
NT 6.2
|
October 26, 2012
|
Windows 8
|
|
- Windows 8
- Windows 8 Pro
- Windows 8 Enterprise
|
9200
|
January 10, 2023
|
| Windows 8.1
|
NT 6.3
|
October 17, 2013
|
Blue
|
|
- Windows 8.1
- Windows 8.1 Pro
- Windows 8.1 Enterprise
- Windows 8.1 with Bing
|
9600
|
| Windows 10
|
NT 10.0
|
July 29, 2015 (1507)
November 10, 2015 (1511)
August 2, 2016 (1607)
April 5, 2017 (1703)
October 17, 2017 (1709)
April 30, 2018 (1803)
November 13, 2018 (1809)
May 21, 2019 (1903)
November 12, 2019 (1909)
May 27, 2020 (2004)
|
Threshold (1507)
Threshold 2 (1511)
Redstone (1607)
Redstone 2 (1709)
Redstone 3 (1709)
Redstone 4 (1803)
Redstone 5 (1809)
19H1 (1903)
19H2 (1909)
20H1 (2004)
20H2 (20H2)
21H1 (21H1)
|
|
- Windows 10 Home
- Windows 10 Pro
- Windows 10 Pro Education
- Windows 10 Pro for Workstations
- Windows 10 Enterprise
- Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC (formerly LTSB)
- Windows 10 Education
- Windows 10 IoT Core
- Windows 10 IoT Enterprise
- Windows 10 S (now an operational mode within Enterprise and Education)
|
10240 (1507)
10586 (1511)
14393 (1607)
15063 (1703)
16299 (1709)
17134 (1803)
17763 (1809)
18362.116 (1903)
18363.418 (1909)
19041.208 (2004)
|
October 14, 2025
|
Server versions
| Name
|
Version
|
Release date
|
Codename
|
Additional information
|
Editions
|
Latest build
|
Unsupported as of
|
| Windows NT 3.1
|
NT 3.1
|
July 27, 1993
|
Razzle
|
|
- Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server
|
528 (SP3)
|
December 31, 2001
|
| Windows NT 3.5
|
NT 3.5
|
September 20, 1994
|
Daytona
|
|
|
807
|
| Windows NT 3.51
|
NT 3.51
|
May 29, 1995
|
|
|
1057.6 (SP5)
|
| Windows NT 4.0
|
NT 4.0
|
July 29, 1996
|
Shell Update Release
|
|
- Windows NT 4.0 Server
- Windows NT 4.0 Enterprise Server
- Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server
|
1381.7097 (SP6a)
|
December 3, 2004
|
| Windows 2000 Server
|
NT 5.0
|
February 17, 2000
|
|
|
- Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
|
2195.6717 (SP4)
|
July 13, 2010
|
| Windows Server 2003
|
NT 5.2
|
April 24, 2003
|
Whistler Server
|
|
- Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
- Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
- Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
- Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
- Windows Storage Server 2003
- Windows Small Business Server 2003
|
3790.3959 (SP2)
|
July 14, 2015
|
| Windows Server 2003 R2
|
NT 5.2
|
December 6, 2005
|
|
An updated version of Windows Server 2003.
|
- Windows Server 2003 R2, Standard Edition
- Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition
- Windows Server 2003 R2, Datacenter Edition
- Windows Storage Server 2003 R2
- Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2
- Windows Compute Cluster Server 2003
|
3790.2075
|
| Windows Server 2008
|
NT 6.0
|
February 27, 2008
|
Longhorn Server
|
A server counterpart of Windows Vista.
|
- Windows Server 2008 Standard
- Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
- Windows Server 2008 Datacenter
- Windows Server 2008 Foundation
- Windows Essential Business Server 2008
- Windows HPC Server 2008
- Windows Small Business Server 2008
- Windows Storage Server 2008
- Windows Server 2008 Web
|
6003 (SP2)
|
January 14, 2020
|
| Windows Server 2008 R2
|
NT 6.1
|
October 22, 2009
|
Server 7
|
|
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Web
- Windows Storage Server 2008 R2
- Windows HPC Server 2008 R2
- Windows Small Business Server 2011
- Windows Home Server 2011
- Windows MultiPoint Server 2010
- Windows MultiPoint Server 2011
|
7601 (SP1)
|
| Windows Server 2012
|
NT 6.2
|
September 4, 2012
|
Server 8
|
|
- Windows Server 2012 Foundation
- Windows Server 2012 Essentials
- Windows Server 2012 Standard
- Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
- Windows MultiPoint Server 2012
|
9200
|
October 10, 2023
|
| Windows Server 2012 R2
|
NT 6.3
|
October 17, 2013
|
Server Blue
|
|
- Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation
- Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
- Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
- Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
|
9600
|
| Windows Server 2016
|
NT 10.0
|
October 12, 2016
|
Threshold
|
|
- Windows Server 2016 Essentials
- Windows Server 2016 Standard
- Windows Server 2016 Datacenter
|
14393
|
January 12, 2027
|
| Windows Server 2019
|
November 13, 2018
|
Redstone 5
|
|
- Windows Server 2019 Essentials
- Windows Server 2019 Standard
- Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
|
17763
|
January 9, 2029
|
Device versions
Appliances
| Name
|
Version
|
Release date
|
Codename
|
An edition of
|
Additional information
|
Sold with
|
| Windows XP Media Center Edition
|
NT 5.1
|
2002, 2004, 2005
|
Freestyle (2002)
Harmony (2004)
Symphony (2005)
|
Windows XP
|
|
Home theater PCs, network attached storage (NAS) and set-top boxes
|
| Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
|
November 2002, August 2004
|
Mira (2002)
Lonestar (2005)
|
|
Microsoft Tablet PC
|
| Windows RT
|
NT 6.2
|
October 26, 2012
|
Windows on ARM
|
Windows 8
|
|
ARM-based tablet computers
|
| Windows RT 8.1
|
NT 6.3
|
October 18, 2013
|
RT Blue
|
Windows 8.1
|
|
Mobile devices
Mobile devices include smartphones, handheld tablet computers, and personal digital assistants
- Windows 10
- Windows 10 Mobile
- Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise
- Windows 10 IoT Mobile
- Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise
- Windows Phone
- Windows Phone 8.1
- Windows Phone 8
- Windows Phone 7.8
- Windows Phone 7.5
- Windows Phone 7
- Windows Mobile
- Windows Mobile 6.5
- Windows Mobile 6.1
- Windows Mobile 6.0
- Windows Mobile 5.0
- Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition
- Windows Mobile 2003
- Pocket PC 2002
- Pocket PC 2000
Embedded devices
- Windows Embedded
- Windows Embedded 8.1
- Windows Embedded 8
- Windows Embedded 7
- Windows Embedded Automotive
- Windows Embedded Industry
- Windows Embedded 2009
- Windows XP Embedded
- Windows NT 4.0 Embedded – Abbreviated NTe, it is an edition of Windows NT 4.0 that was aimed at computer-powered major appliances, vending machines, ATMs and other devices that cannot be considered computers per se. It is the same system as the standard Windows NT 4.0, but it comes packaged in a database of components and dependencies, from which a developer can choose individual components to build customized setup CDs and hard disk boot images. Windows NT 4.0 Embedded includes Service Pack 5.
- Windows Embedded Compact
- Windows Embedded Compact 2013
- Windows Embedded Compact 7
- Windows Embedded CE 6.0 (2006)
- Windows CE 5.0 (2005), with a version for smartphones and PDAs sold as Windows Mobile 5.0
- Windows CE 4.2 (2004), with a version for smartphones and PDAs sold as Windows Mobile 2003 SE
- Windows CE 4.1 (2003), with a version for smartphones and PDAs sold as Windows Mobile 2003
- Windows CE 4.0 (2002), with a version for smartphones and PDAs sold as Pocket PC 2002
- Windows CE 3.0 (June 2000), with a version for smartphones and PDAs sold as Pocket PC 2000
- Windows CE 2.12 (August 1999)
- Windows CE 2.11 (October 1998)
- Windows CE 2.1 (July 1998)
- Windows CE 2.0 (September 1997)
- Windows CE 1.0 (November 1996)
Dual screen devices
Cancelled versions
- Windows Mobile 7 or Photon - originally a successor of Windows Mobile, it had been scrapped for Windows Phone 7 with Metro UI.
- Microsoft Neptune (December 27, 1999) – the first planned version of Microsoft Windows NT to have a consumer edition variant, based on the Windows 2000 codebase. A version was sent out to testers but was never released.
- Microsoft Cairo (February 29, 1996) – a "true object-oriented OS", planned after Windows NT 4.0.
- Microsoft Midori (2003) – codename for a managed code operating system.
Windows 3.1x/9x
| Codename
|
Preliminary name
|
Final name
|
Notes
|
| Kato (Winball), Sparta (Jastro)
|
|
Windows for Workgroups 3.1
|
|
| Snowball (LB)
|
|
Windows for Workgroups 3.11
|
|
| Chicago
|
|
Windows 95
|
|
| O'Hare
|
|
Internet Explorer, first shipped in Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95
|
O'Hare is the main airport for the city of Chicago.
|
| Frosting
|
|
Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95
|
|
| Detroit
|
|
Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2
|
|
| Nashville
|
|
Internet Explorer 4
|
Cancelled Windows version
|
| Memphis
|
|
Windows 98
|
The codename was the key to activating an easter egg in Windows 98:
- open the "Date and Time" control panel;
- go to the "Timezone" page;
- hold the Control key and drag a line with the mouse cursor from Memphis, Egypt (or maybe Cairo - the map is too small to tell) to Memphis, Tennessee. Still holding the Control key, drag another line from Memphis to Redmond, Washington;
- a window opens with the credits for Windows 98.
|
| Millennium
|
|
Windows Me
|
Me stands for Millennium Edition
|
Windows NT family
| Codename
|
Preliminary name
|
Final name
|
Notes
|
| NT OS/2, OS/2 3.0, Portable OS/2, NTOS, Razzle
|
|
Windows NT 3.1
|
|
| Daytona
|
|
Windows NT 3.5
|
|
| Cairo
|
|
N/A
|
Never released.
|
| SUR (Shell Update Release)
|
|
Windows NT 4.0
|
Microsoft originally planned for NT 4.0 to be just a simple "Shell Update Release" to integrate the Windows 95 GUI with Windows 3.51's kernel.
|
| Wolfpack
|
|
Microsoft Cluster Server
|
|
| Hydra
|
Terminal Services, Terminal Server
|
Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server
|
Terminal Server adds "multithreading" support to Windows (the ability to run multiple instances of the graphics subsystem), and the Lernaean Hydra is a mythological monster with multiple heads.
|
| Impala
|
|
Windows NT 4.0 Embedded
|
|
| Memphis NT
|
Windows NT 5.0
|
Windows 2000
|
|
| Asteroid
|
|
Windows 2000 Service Pack 1
|
|
| Janus
|
|
N/A
|
Planned 64-bit variant of Windows 2000.
|
| Neptune
|
|
N/A
|
Ideas project, merged to Whistler.
|
| Whistler
|
|
Windows XP
|
Merge of Neptune and Odyssey. Named after Whistler, British Columbia, where design retreats were held.
|
| Odyssey
|
|
N/A
|
Ideas project, merged to Whistler.
|
| Anvil
|
|
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
|
|
| Mira
|
|
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
|
|
| Lonestar
|
|
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
|
|
| Triton
|
|
N/A
|
|
| Mantis
|
|
Windows XP Embedded
|
|
| Creekside
|
|
Windows XP Starter
|
|
| Trident
|
|
Windows XP Media Center Edition
|
|
| eHome
|
|
Windows Media Center
|
|
| Freestyle
|
|
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
|
Name of a terrain rating system in the Whistler-Blackcomb resort.
|
| Harmony
|
|
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
|
Name of a ski lift and alpine bowl in Whistler, British Columbia.
|
| Symphony
|
|
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
|
Name of an alpine bowl in Whistler, British Columbia.
|
| Emerald
|
|
Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 Update Rollup
|
Name of a ski lift in Whistler, British Columbia.
|
| Trainyard
|
|
Windows XP Service Pack 1
|
Trainyard was an engineering package of driver updates to ship simultaneously with Windows XP Service Pack 1, the most major of which was support for USB 2.0 which was also ported backwards to Windows 2000.
|
| Springboard
|
|
Windows XP Service Pack 2
|
Name of a ski run on Blackcomb in Whistler, British Columbia.
|
| Whistler Server, Windows 2002 Server, Windows .NET Server, Windows .NET Server 2003
|
|
Windows Server 2003
|
| Bobcat
|
|
Windows Small Business Server 2003
|
Bobcat is a ski-run on Whistler Mountain.
|
| Eiger
|
|
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
|
A low-end version of Windows XP that is intended to be a thin-client that works with older hardware. Available through the Microsoft Software Assurance program. The Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. The Eiger is part of a trio of mountains, The Eiger, The Mönch and The Jungfrau.
|
| Crossbow
|
|
Windows Mobile 6.0
|
|
| Longhorn
|
|
Windows Vista
|
Named after the Longhorn Bar in the Whistler-Blackcomb resort; initially planned as an "interim release" between "Whistler" and "Blackcomb" (which is now "Vienna"). Reset in 2004 due to development issues.
|
| Cougar
|
|
Windows Small Business Server 2008
|
Cougar is a ski-run on Whistler Mountain.
|
| Q, Quattro
|
|
Windows Home Server
|
Announced at CES 2007. Original project codename was "Quattro" because it was the leader of the project's 4th attempt at building a home server at Microsoft. Renamed to Q once the project moved out of incubation stage.
|
| Windows 7
|
|
Windows 7
|
"Windows 7" was the original project codename. It was decided that this must be kept.
|
| Windows Server 7
|
|
Windows Server 2008 R2
|
In development. Planned "mid-size" (25-500 PC) edition of Longhorn Server.[1].
|
| Vail
|
|
Windows Home Server 2011
|
|
| Windows 8
|
|
Windows 8
|
|
| Server 8
|
|
Windows Server 2012
|
|
| Metro
|
|
Windows 8 Style UI
|
Renamed from Metro because of legal issues involving the German Metro company.
|
| Jupiter
|
|
Windows RT
|
Windows 8 application framework.
|
| Blue
|
|
Windows 8.1
|
|
| Server Blue
|
|
Windows Server 2012 R2
|
|
| Threshold
|
|
Windows 10
|
|
| Threshold 2
|
|
Windows 10 November Update
|
|
| Threshold Server
|
|
Windows Server 2016
|
|
| Redstone
|
|
Windows 10 Anniversary Update
|
Redstone is a mineral and item in Minecraft, a game product by Mojang and Microsoft bought it in 2015
|
| Redstone 2
|
|
Windows 10 Creators Update
|
|
| Redstone 3
|
|
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update
|
|
| Redstone 3 Server
|
|
Windows Server version 1709
|
|
| Redstone 4
|
Windows 10 Spring Creators Update
|
Windows 10 April 2018 Update
|
|
| Redstone 4 Server
|
|
Windows Server version 1803
|
|
| Redstone 5
|
|
Windows 10 October 2018 Update
|
|
| Redstone 5 Server
|
|
Windows Server 2019, Windows Server version 1809
|
|
| 19H1
|
Windows 10 19H1
|
Windows 10 May 2019 Update
|
|
| Server 19H1
|
|
Windows Server version 1903
|
|
| 19H2, Vanadium
|
Windows 10 19H2
|
Windows 10 version 1909
|
|
| Server 19H2, Server Vanadium
|
Windows Server 19H2
|
Windows Server version 1909
|
|
| 20H1, Vibranium
|
Windows 10 20H1
|
Windows 10 version 2004
|
|
| Server 20H1, Server Vibranium
|
Windows Server 20H1
|
Windows Server version 2004
|
|
| 20H2, Magnanese (insider preview only)
|
|
Windows 10 20H2
|
|
| Server 20H2 (insider preview only)
|
|
Windows Server 20H2
|
|
| Iron
|
|
Windows 10 Iron
|
|
| Server Iron
|
|
Windows Server Iron
|
|
|