Why is it called Lemmy?

Sorry if someone has already asked this. This is my first post on Lemmy. I mean, I guess you could ask the same question about Reddit but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be Read-It. But what does Lemmy mean? Is it a cute word for a small lemon?

164 points · 36 comments · view on lemmy.world

36 Comments

insomniac@sh.itjust.works · 99 pts · 3y (8 replies)

I guess it’s a tradition to name fediverse projects after animals and the original creator was a big fan of the Lemmings games and Lemmy from Motorhead had just died.

Here’s a link with info on the origin story:

https://lemmy.eus/post/5460

at_an_angle@lemmy.one · 12 pts · 3y (3 replies)

I choose to believe it's named after God.

Noctis@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Trick answer, Lemmy is god

T156@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 3y
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T156@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y

If Lemmy is God, and we are all Federated through Lemmy, are we all God?

someguy3@lemmy.ca · 11 pts · 3y (2 replies)

You mean we could have had Earthworm Jim and don't?

Fizz@lemmy.nz · 2 pts · 3y (1 reply)

Don't rule it out.

someguy3@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 3y

Groovy!

MuffinParadise@reddthat.com · 1 pts · 3y

That explains why everytime I google lemmy results show up for motorhead

MomSpaghetti@lemmy.world · 50 pts · 3y (5 replies)

IDK but I can't stop thinking of Lemmiwinks from South Park.

Slynk@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 3y

I know. That episode was gross. Lol.

Xylinna@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 3y

My SO always asks if I am “Lemmiwinking”. It does make me chuckle as my mind goes straight to South Park.

papalonian@kbin.social · 2 pts · 3y

The name and the icon made me assume it was a South Park reference

Xylinna@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y

My SO always asks if I am “Lemmiwinking”. It does make me chuckle as my mind goes straight to South Park.

hydro033@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y

lmao its even a rodent too

Emperor@feddit.uk · 25 pts · 3y (9 replies)

Like Spider-Man villains, all Fediverse services have to be named after animals. Probably.

0uterzenith@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 3y (5 replies)

what animal is Mysterio ?

Emperor@feddit.uk · 29 pts · 3y (4 replies)

Rey Mysterio, jr was part of the wrestling stable called the Filthy Animals.

0uterzenith@lemmy.world · 17 pts · 3y

shit, you're good...

pjhenry1216@kbin.social · 0 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Rey Mysterio is more likely named after the Spider-man villain than the reverse. Mysterio the Spider-man villain was created about a decade before the man who became Rey Mysterio was even born.

Emperor@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 3y (1 reply)

Ah, but you are overlooking the presence of Rey Mysterio, snr.

pjhenry1216@kbin.social · 0 pts · 3y

Ignoring the number of villains that aren't animals, you're talking about someone who was six when Mysterio first appeared. They weren't born with the name Mysterio either.

And I also am realizing this is likely a joke because a vast majority of Spider-man villains aren't animals to begin with.

Willie@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y (2 replies)

What kind of animal is a kbin?

TheDeadGuy@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y

Well in French, carabin is a rifled horseman

Emperor@feddit.uk · 1 pts · 3y

That one is a deep dive but it's a nod to Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences. They're all about the animals.

rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee · 17 pts · 3y (2 replies)

This gets asked a lot, but we need a definitive answer from the guy who started the project, damn it. He just won't tell us other than some vague references to "Lemmy" things. I guess there's this;

It was nameless for a long time, but I wanted to keep with the fediverse tradition of naming projects after animals. I was playing that old-school game Lemmings, and Lemmy (from motorhead) had passed away that week, and we held a few polls for names, and I went with that.

Fizz@lemmy.nz · 20 pts · 3y (1 reply)

Is that not a good enough answer?

rm_dash_r_star@lemm.ee · 10 pts · 3y

Yeah it is, no more question.

ashley@lemmy.ca · 16 pts · 3y

Why's it called Lemmy?

Lead singer from Motörhead. The old school video game. The Koopa from Super Mario. The furry rodents.

https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy#whys-it-called-lemmy

Slynk@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 3y

Thanks for all the answers. Do you want blue? Lemmy smash.

caleb_allen@lemm.ee · 4 pts · 3y

I originally thought it was named after one of the authors of ActivityPub (which Lemmy is based on), Christine Lemmer-Webber. But I think that's maybe just coincidence?

Phantom@kbin.social · 3 pts · 3y

Lemmy tell you a story.....

thechickenmoo@readit.buzz · 2 pts · 3y (1 reply)

Lemmings are a type of rodent.

Nemo@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 3y

And they notoriously all run together, much like instances all run together.

CarlsIII@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y (1 reply)

Is it not named after Lemmy from Motörhead?

kbiner689@kbin.social · 1 pts · 3y

Motörhead, you can call me Motörhead, alright!