The official codename of Ubuntu 24.10 has been confirmed as ‘Oracular Oriole’.
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS was released in April but with the Ubuntu 24.10 release date set for October there’s only six months to get the next short-term release into shape — the pace of development marches ever on.
Every version of Ubuntu is given its own alliterative codename, compromised of an adjective and an animal (be it a flesh and blood, extinct, or purely mythological).
For Ubuntu 24.10 developers have settled on “Oracular Oriole” as the codename.
Cute, but what does it mean?
- Oracular – Adjective relating of/to an oracle 🔮
- Oriole – A bird 🐦⬛
In contexts I’ve seen it used, oracular serves as an arcane-sounding synonym for words like prophetic, divinatory, sibylline, augural, etc., as well as a way to infer that a statement has been left intentionally ambiguous to try and evoke mystery.
As for birbs, orioles are known for their colourful plumage that adds a dose of vivid flare to the earthy, muted tones found in the trees tops they live in. Orioles are also famed for melodious song (if this were 2020 I’d 100% shove a ‘tweet’ joke in this post).
In popular culture it’s generally the ‘new world’ orioles that people generally think when talking about orioles. Birds from this genus, related to blackbirds, are the inspiration for famous sports team names like Baltimore Orioles baseball team.
But why have developers chosen “Oracular Oriole” for Ubuntu 24.10?
Perhaps ‘oracular’ foreshadows the arrival of innovative features and insightful solutions that will, like the ‘oriole’, captivate and impress all those who see it. Just my interpretation; for now the real reasoning behind the codename is a mystery.
What’s your observation on the new codename: overt, original, obscure? Is there a specific adjective and animal combo you’d have opted for? Offer your opinion down in the comments.