Secret Service code name
The United States Secret Service uses code names for U.S. presidents, first ladies, and other prominent persons and locations. The use of such names was originally for security purposes and dates to a time when sensitive electronic communications were not routinely encrypted; today, the names simply serve for purposes of brevity, clarity, and tradition. The Secret Service does not choose these names, however. The White House Communications Agency assigns them.
According to established protocol, good codewords are unambiguous words that can be easily pronounced and readily understood by those who transmit and receive voice messages by radio or telephone regardless of their native language. Traditionally, all family members' code names start with the same letter.
The codenames change over time for security purposes, but are often publicly known. For security, codenames are generally picked from a list of such 'good' words, but avoiding the use of common words which could likely be intended to mean their normal definitions.
Presidents of the United States and their families
- Woodrow Wilson
- * Edith Wilson – Grandma
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- *Eleanor Roosevelt – Rover
- Harry S. Truman – General or Supervise
- * Bess Truman – Sunnyside
- Dwight Eisenhower – Scorecard or Providence
- * Mamie Eisenhower – Springtime
- * David Eisenhower – Sahara
- John F. Kennedy – Lancer
- * Jacqueline Kennedy – Lace
- * Caroline Kennedy – Lyric
- * John F. Kennedy, Jr. – Lark
- * Rose Kennedy – Coppertone
- * Ethel Kennedy – Sundance
- Lyndon Johnson – Volunteer
- * Lady Bird Johnson – Victoria
- * Lynda Bird Johnson – Velvet
- * Luci Baines Johnson – Venus
- Richard Nixon – Searchlight
- * Pat Nixon – Starlight
- * Patricia Nixon Cox – Sugarfoot
- * Edward F. Cox – Seminole
- * Julie Nixon Eisenhower – Sunbonnet
- Gerald Ford – Passkey or Pass Key
- * Betty Ford – Pinafore
- * Susan Ford – Panda
- * Michael Ford – Professor
- * Jack Ford – Packman
- Jimmy Carter – Lock Master or Deacon
- * Rosalynn Carter – Lotus Petal or Dancer
- * Amy Carter – Dynamo
- * Chip Carter – Diamond
- * Jack Carter – Derby
- * Jeff Carter – Deckhand
- Ronald Reagan – Rawhide
- * Nancy Reagan – Rainbow
- * Maureen Reagan – Rhyme, Rosebud
- * Michael Reagan – Riddler
- * Patti Davis – Ribbon
- * Ron Reagan – Reliant
- * Doria Reagan – Radiant
- George H. W. Bush – Timberwolf
- * Barbara Bush – Snowbank or Tranquility
- * Marvin Bush – Tuner
- * Neil Bush – Trapline
- * Jeb Bush – Tripper
- * Dorothy Bush – Tiller
- Bill Clinton – Eagle
- * Hillary Clinton – Evergreen
- * Chelsea Clinton – Energy
- George W. Bush – Tumbler, later Trailblazer
- * Laura Bush – Tempo
- * Barbara Bush – Turquoise
- * Jenna Bush – Twinkle
- Barack Obama – Renegade
- * Michelle Obama – Renaissance
- * Malia Obama – Radiance
- * Sasha Obama – Rosebud
- * Marian Shields Robinson – Raindance
- Donald Trump – Mogul
- * Melania Trump – Muse
- * Donald Trump Jr. – Mountaineer
- * Ivanka Trump – Marvel
- * Eric Trump – Marksman
- * Jared Kushner - Mechanic
Vice presidents of the United States and their families
- Spiro Agnew – Pathfinder
- * Judy Agnew – Photograph
- Nelson Rockefeller – Sandstorm
- * Happy Rockefeller – Shooting Star or Stardust
- Walter Mondale – Cavalier or Dragon
- * Joan Mondale – Cameo
- * Ted Mondale – Centurion
- * Eleanor Mondale – Calico
- * William Mondale – Chessman
- Dan Quayle – Scorecard or Supervisor
- * Marilyn Quayle – Sunshine
- Al Gore – Sundance or Sawhorse
- * Tipper Gore – Skylark
- * Karenna Gore – Smurfette
- * Kristin Gore – Silhouette
- * Sarah Gore – Screwdriver
- * Albert Gore III – Shortstop
- Dick Cheney – Angler
- * Lynne Cheney – Author
- * Elizabeth Cheney – Apollo
- * Mary Cheney – Alpine
- Joe Biden – Celtic
- * Jill Biden – Capri
- Mike Pence – Hoosier
- * Karen Pence – Hummingbird
Political candidates and their spouses
1968
- Eugene McCarthy – Instructor
1972
- George McGovern – Redwood
1976
- Jimmy Carter – Dasher or Deacon
- Bob Dole – Ramrod
- * Elizabeth Dole – Rainbow
- Morris Udall – Dashboard
1980
- John B. Anderson – Miracle, Starburst or Stardust
- * Keke Anderson – Scarlet
- George H. W. Bush – Sheepskin
- Phil Crane – Swordfish
- Ted Kennedy – Sunburn
1984
- Geraldine Ferraro – Duster
- * John Zaccaro – N/A
- John Glenn – Iron
- Jesse Jackson – Thunder
- Walter Mondale – Dragon
1988
- Lloyd Bentsen – Parthenon
- Michael Dukakis – Peso
- * Kitty Dukakis – Panda
- Jesse Jackson – Pontiac
- Gary Hart – Redwood
- Paul Simon – Scarlett
1996
- Bob Dole – Patriot
- * Elizabeth Dole – Pioneer
- Jack Kemp – Champion
- * Joanne Kemp – Cornerstone
2000
- Joe Lieberman – Laser
- * Hadassah Lieberman – Liberty
2004
- John Kerry – Minuteman
- * Teresa Heinz Kerry – Mahogany
- John Edwards – Speedway
2008
- Hillary Clinton – Evergreen
- * Bill Clinton – Eagle
- John McCain – Phoenix
- * Cindy McCain – Parasol
- * Meghan McCain – Peter Sellers
- * John Sidney McCain IV – Popeye
- * Bridget McCain – Pebbles
- Sarah Palin – Denali
- * Todd Palin – Driller
2012
- Mitt Romney – Javelin
- * Ann Romney – Jockey
- Rick Santorum – Petrus
- Newt Gingrich – T-Rex
- Paul Ryan – Bowhunter
- * Janna Ryan – Buttercup
2016
- Donald Trump – Mogul
- Ben Carson – Eli
- Hillary Clinton – Evergreen
- * Bill Clinton – Eagle
- Tim Kaine – Daredevil
- Bernie Sanders – Intrepid
Government officials
- Kennedy Administration
- * Cabinet
- ** Dean Rusk – Freedom
- * Staff
- ** Rear Adm. George Burkley – Market
- ** General Chester Clifton – Watchman
- ** Andrew Hatcher – Winner
- ** Malcolm Kilduff – Warrior
- ** Evelyn Lincoln – Willow
- ** Godfrey McHugh – Wing
- ** Kenneth O'Donnell – Wand
- ** Captain Tazewell Shepard – Witness
- Lyndon Johnson Administration
- * Staff
- ** Walter Jenkins – Vigilant
- ** Pierre Salinger – Wayside
- Nixon Administration
- * Cabinet
- ** Henry Kissinger – Woodcutter
- *** Nancy Kissinger – Woodlark
- * Staff
- ** Ollie Atkins – Hawkeye
- ** James Baker – Fencing Master or Foxtail
- ** Dwight Chapin – Watchdog
- ** Kenneth Reese Cole Jr. – Spectator
- ** John Ehrlichman – Wisdom
- ** Tim Elbourne – Snapshot
- ** Alexander Haig – Claw Hammer
- ** H. R. Haldeman – Welcome
- ** Lawrence Higby – Semaphore
- ** James D. Hughes – Red Barron
- ** Herbert G. Klein – Witness
- ** William Lukash – Sawhorse
- ** Clark MacGregor – Whipcrack
- ** William Timmons – Windowpane
- ** Walter Tkach – Signature
- ** Ronald H. Walker – Roadrunner
- ** Rose Mary Woods – Strawberry
- ** Ron Ziegler – Whale Boat
- ** Ken W. Clawson – Thunderstorm
- Ford Administration
- *Staff
- ** Ron Nessen – Clam Chowder
- ** Dick Cheney – Backseat
- Carter Administration
- * Cabinet
- ** Cyrus Vance – Fade Away
- ** Harold Brown – Finley
- * Staff
- ** Zbigniew Brzeziński – Hawkeye
- ** Bert Lance – Dumbo
- Reagan Administration
- * William French Smith – Flivver
- * Terrel Bell – Foxcraft
- George W. Bush Administration
- *Scott McClellan – Matrix
- * Andy Card – Potomac, later Patriot
- * Josh Bolten – Fatboy
- * Elaine Chao – Firebird
- Obama Administration
- * Rahm Emanuel – Black Hawk
- * Tim Geithner – Fencing Master
- Trump Administration
- * Kellyanne Conway – Blueberry
- * H.R. McMaster - Braveheart
Congressional officials
- Strom Thurmond – Footprint
- Howard Baker – Snapshot
- Thomas P. O'Neill – Flag Day
Other individuals
- Israel
- * Menachem Begin – Cedar
- ** Hasia Begin Milo – Crystal
- Commonwealth Realms
- * Queen Elizabeth II – Kittyhawk, Redfern
- ** Prince Charles – Principal or Unicorn
- United States
- * Bebe Rebozo – Christopher
- * Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd – Mrs. Johnson
- * Frank Sinatra – Napoleon
- Vatican
- * Pope John Paul II – Halo
Locations, objects, and places
- Joint Base Andrews – Acrobat or Andy
- The Presidential Motorcade – Bamboo
- The Harry S Truman Building – Birds-eye
- Camp David – Cactus or Buckeye
- The Vice President's office – Cobweb
- The Vice President's staff – Pacemaker
- The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City – Roadhouse
- Air Force One – Angel or Cowpuncher
- The U.S. Presidential State Car – Stagecoach
- * Follow-up car – Halfback
- The White House – Castle
- The Capitol – Punch bowl
- The White House Situation Room – Cement Mixer
- Eisenhower Executive Office Building – Central
- Reagan National Airport – Curbside
- The temporary residence of the President – Charcoal or Base
- The Pentagon – Calico
- White House garage – Carpet
- J. Edgar Hoover Building – Cork
- Lyndon Baines Johnson's ranch – Volcano
In fiction
- 1600 Penn
- * First Son Standrich "Skip" Gilchrist Jr. — Meatball
- 24
- * President Wayne Palmer – Citadel
- * President Allison Taylor – Liberty
- The American President
- * Andrew Shepherd – Liberty
- Chasing Liberty
- * First Daughter Anna Foster – Liberty
- First Daughter
- * Samantha Mackenzie – Lucky Charm
- First Kid
- * President Paul Davenport – Eagle
- * Luke Davenport – Prince
- Homeland
- * President Elizabeth Keane – Big Apple
- In the Line of Fire
- * The President – Traveler
- Jericho
- * President Jon Tomarchio – Condor
- Olympus Has Fallen
- * The White House – Olympus
- * President Benjamin Asher – Southpaw
- * President's Son Connor – Sparkplug
- * Special agent in charge – Big Top
- The Sentinel
- * President John Ballentine – Classic
- * First Lady Sara Ballentine – Cincinnati
- Tom Clancy's novels
- * President Roger Durling in Debt of Honor – Jumper
- * Unnamed President in Clear and Present Danger – Wrangler
- * Unnamed President in Endwar – American Eagle
- * President Jack Ryan in Debt of Honor and Executive Orders – Swordsman
- ** Dr. Caroline "Cathy" Ryan in Executive Orders – Surgeon
- ** Olivia "Sally" Ryan in Executive Orders – Shadow
- ** Jack Ryan, Jr in Executive Orders – Shortstop
- ** Katie Ryan in Executive Orders – Sandbox
- ** Kyle Daniel Ryan in The Bear and the Dragon – Sprite
- * George Winston in Executive Orders – Trader
- * Arnold Van Damm in Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon – Carpenter
- * Callie Weston in Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon – Calliope
- * Scott Adler in Executive Orders and The Bear and the Dragon – Eagle
- * Benjamin Goodley in Executive Orders – Cardsharp
- * Elizabeth Eliot in The Sum of All Fears – Harpy
- The West Wing
- * President Jed Bartlet – Eagle or Liberty
- * Zoey Bartlet – Bookbag
- * C. J. Cregg – Flamingo
- * Sam Seaborn – Princeton
- * Gus Westin – Tonka
- * Arnold Vinick – Big Sur
- The Prodigal Daughter
- * President Florentyna Kane – Baroness
- Vantage Point
- * Henry Ashton – Eagle
- The Last Jihad
- * President James MacPherson – Gambit
- * Vice President Lewis Rhodes – Topeka
- * Vice President Bill Oaks – Checkmate
- Shooter
- * President – Flashlight
- Triggers
- *President Seth Jerrison – Prospector
- *Vice President Paddy Flaherty – Rockhound
- Air Force One
- * President James Marshall – Boy Scout
- House of Cards
- * Frank Underwood – Little John, Big John
- * President Claire Underwood —Lone Star
- Scandal
- * President Fitzgerald Grant – Falcon
- * First Lady Mellie Grant – Foxtail
- * Abby Whelan – Fireband
- Veep
- * President/Vice President Selina Meyer – Duchess
- Madam Secretary
- * President Conrad Dalton – Falcon
- * Secretary Elizabeth McCord – Bluebird
- Designated Survivor
- * Thomas "Tom" Kirkman – Glasses, Phoenix