A long list of advantages, including having a customized Secret Service code name, comes with becoming president or a First Family member. The secrets are out, and the code names of the presidents, candidates, and first family members of the past and present have been exposed. We have the interesting stories behind each of these strange titles, from the fitting to the utterly bizarre.
Secret Service Code Names Of Presidents And Candidates That You Probably Don’t Know Until Now
Richard Nixon: Searchlight
Selecting presidential code names has many different options. The White House Communications Agency often chooses them for each president, and sometimes, based on a list of choices, the presidents can pick them themselves. In President Richard Nixon’s case, no one is sure how he received the code name Searchlight. Much attention was given to this seemingly ironic code name during the Watergate Scandal and the search for answers afterward. A searchlight was certainly out there for him as the scandal played out. On the other hand, his wife, Pat, was given the name Starlight.
Richard Nixon: Searchlight
Bill Clinton: Eagle
While it may sound like a cliché line from some action film, it was really for the Secret Service agents to protect former President Bill Clinton. While many would believe Clinton was given the code name Eagle for patriotic purposes, some other factors may have been at play. Beyond being a popular American icon, some speculate Clinton was given this particular moniker due to his background. Former Boys Scout, Clinton worked his way in his youth to become an Eagle Scout, an experience he also promoted on the campaign trail.
Bill Clinton: Eagle
Jimmy Carter: Deacon
The longest-lived president, the longest-retired president, and the first-ever to hit 95 as a former president is President Jimmy Carter. But he’s also one, if not the only, president to regularly teach Sunday school lessons as early as his adolescence. In fact, Carter managed to keep teaching classes at the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, even after his presidency. So it’s no wonder the Secret Service gave him the code name Deacon, based on his Baptist origins. His wife, Rosalynn, was named Dancer, while his oldest daughter, Amy, got one of our favorite code names: Dynamo.
Jimmy Carter: Deacon
Ronald Reagan: Rawhide
Former President Ronald Reagan didn’t grow up in the Wild West, but it became synonymous with his early days’ image. After growing up in Illinois, Reagan soon moved to California, and Reagan began his career as an actor. This midwest man quickly called himself a Western star after appearing in some movie roles. And we mean literally, according to the news, “made a name for himself” Rawhide’s code name for Reagan’s Secret Service is supposedly derived from his Western film origins and Western image, to which he referred many times. He campaigned for the presidency in the U.S.
Ronald Reagan: Rawhide
Hillary Clinton: Evergreen
If a president is given a Secret Service code name, it is a tradition that other members of his (or, possibly, her) family get their own code names starting with the same letter. In Hillary Clinton’s case, her husband’s Eagle code name meant that her name also needed to begin with an E and her daughter’s nickname, Chelsea. Clinton got code name Evergreen. Indeed, the name was so evergreen that when Clinton ran her own presidential campaign in 2016, she retained the same code name as First Lady during her tenure. Her daughter received the nickname Energy.
Hillary Clinton: Evergreen
John F. Kennedy: Lancer
One of the most horrific incidents in modern American history is former President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. And after that devastating moment, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis gave Life Magazine a heartbreaking, now-famous interview, quoting her fallen husband’s favorite line from the Camelot musical. The media and soon the entire nation began to compare the Kennedy Administration with Camelot’s mystical romantic legend and the Round Table Knights from that moment on, with Kennedy as King Lancelot. The Secret Service code name of Kennedy was already Lancer.
John F. Kennedy: Lancer
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Lace
Over half a century after serving as former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the White House, she remains one of the most prominent figures in all fashion. Fashion statements like pillbox hats, tailor-made suit jackets, and strapless gowns helped popularize her style. So it’s no wonder why the code name was taken from an expensive, trendy “Jackie O” fashion stable. The Secret Service also gave an L-themed code name to John F. Kennedy Jr.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis: Lace
Harry Truman: General
Secret Service agents didn’t always support presidents. It wasn’t until Harry Truman, the 33rd U.S. President, took office that the Secret Service practice began. And he was assigned the “General” moniker, becoming the first president ever to earn a Secret Service code name. Nobody is entirely sure how and why Truman was given the name. He was only a captain in World War I when he was in the military and was never a general. Historian Michael Beschloss told NPR, “Maybe this is his Walter Mitty fantasy that he might’ve been a general.”
Harry Truman: General
Bernie Sanders: Intrepid
To get their own Secret Service code name, it turns out that no one has to be elected president. Once the primary election season rolls around, agents are assigned if a presidential candidate gets far enough in the election cycle or crowds get big enough to protect the Secret Service. That’s what happened to Bernie Sanders. Sanders reportedly denied protection during his presidential run in 2020. But a leak during the 2016 election revealed Sanders’ Secret Service code name was Intrepid. Jokingly, Donald Trump said when asked what his own nickname would be, he picked ‘Humble.’
Bernie Sanders: Intrepid
George H.W. Bush: Timberwolf
Details of the Secret Service don’t end until a term ends. Instead, the same agents are usually assigned to protect a president once they leave the office. Also, presidents and their staff are forming a lovely bond. For example, former President George H.W. Bush developed a deep bond with his agents. So much so that the former president, whose code name was Timberwolf, shaved his head at 89 for a leukemia-diagnosed agent’s 2-year-old son. He was so beloved that the Secret Service tweeted out the specifics of Timberwolf and calling their time serving him an “honor.”
George H.W. Bush: Timberwolf
Barbara Bush: Tranquility
Members of the Secret Service are not meant to be heard or seen. They work hard to protect those assigned as fixtures of First Family lives while attempting to remain as invisible as possible. But she was one of the few who would treat them as relatives, according to the Secret Service agents who spoke up after First Lady Barbara Bush passed away. “The United States Secret Service code name for Barbara Bush was ‘Tranquility,’” agent Jonathan Wackrow wrote in a CNN op-ed.
Barbara Bush: Tranquility
Joe Biden: Celtic
Former vice presidents of the United States do not receive secret service for the rest of their lives, unlike former presidents. The benefit ends right after a VP leaves office. But former Vice President Joe Biden, the Secret Service detail, returned when he wanted to run for the presidency in 2020. And as his details returned, so did his Secret Service code name. In 2020, CNN announced that Biden chose the code name “Celtic” for this presidential campaign, the same name as vice president. The name is an apparent nod to his Irish-American roots.
Joe Biden: Celtic
Dwight Eisenhower: Providence and Scorecard
If they have a code name for Secret Service, they should consider themselves lucky and successful. But former President Dwight Eisenhower has two different monikers throughout his lifetime. Eisenhower was called “Providence” when he held the highest office in the country. No one is quite sure why, given that he does not seem to be related to the city of Rhode Island. And Eisenhower wasn’t sure of the nickname either, it seemed. When he left office, he changed his official name to “Scorecard,” supposedly based on his passion for golf during his retirement years.
Dwight Eisenhower: Providence and Scorecard
Barack Obama: Renegade
Secret Service names are chosen rather than assigned to many of America’s most recent presidents. But that doesn’t indicate a president can choose any word in the dictionary. Secret Service code names generally start with a pre-selected letter, should have at least two syllables, and should be easy to pinch clearly. He was given a list of pre-approved names to choose from as former President Barack Obama prepared for his Secret Service detail, all of which started with the letter R. Ultimately, Obama preferred to go by the name “Renegade.”
Barack Obama: Renegade
Michelle Obama: Renaissance
As presidential tradition continues for decades, if a president picks their own Secret Service code name, the rest of the family must fall into line. And by that, we mean they must select a nickname starting from a pre-determined list with the same letter. Usually, these lists vary from what the president presents to accommodate children. Former First Lady Michelle Obama chose the name “Renaissance,” a name that channels her vision and creativity. In that same vein, Malia was given the name “Radiance” while Sasha was called “Rosebud.”
Michelle Obama: Renaissance
George W. Bush: Tumbler and Trailblazer
President George W. Bush had multiple white-house stints. He was elected to two terms, but as President George H.W. Bush’s son, he was a regular White House. Therefore, Bush had two different names of Secret Service code. According to Ronald Kessler, author of In the President’s Secret Service, “Tumbler” was Bush’s original moniker as the sitting president’s son, partly to his cheerleading history and partly to his drinking. He had earned his reputation, through his presidency, a mighty upgrade: Trailblazer.
George W. Bush: Tumbler and Trailblazer
Mike Pence: Hoosier
He was Indiana’s governor before Mike Pence became U.S. Vice President and thus the nation’s second most powerful man. And Pence continuously claimed his Midwest roots throughout the 2016 campaign and promised to bring some Indiana into the White House. And Pence’s Secret Service code name shows he did that. During the campaign, news leaked before his vice presidency that the Secret Service gave him the nickname ‘Hoosier’ based on Indiana residents’ names. The name “Hummingbird” was given to Karen Pence.
Mike Pence: Hoosier
Melania Trump: Muse
Melania Trump isn’t like any of the First Ladies who have come before her. She is the first naturalized citizen to be the First Lady and is the first not to have English as a first language in her role. The Slovenian-born First Lady, first in Milan and Paris and later in New York City, had a long career as a model. So when a list of code names to choose from was given to the Trump family that began with the letter M, it’s no wonder that she chose to be referred to as Muse.
Melania Trump: Muse
Donald Trump: Mogul
President Donald Trump chose the Secret Service code name “Humble” when he ran for president. But while he may have come from these “humble” beginnings, the name changed rapidly as he entered office. He chose the new name “Mogul” in an unsurprising mood, considering his business history. The rest of the family also chose similar M names, all in line with their hobbies.
Donald Trump: Mogul
Sarah Palin: Denali
Former Vice President and Governor Sarah Palin once joked that she could see Russia from her home in Alaska. But while that might not be exactly true, the Secret Service was inspired by something that was essentially in the backyard of the politician when it came to picking a name for Palin. After Alaska’s National Park, Palin was given a name that suited her home state and was called “Denali.” Palin later fought with the Obama Administration in an ironic moment about renaming Mount McKinley back to its original Denali name.
Sarah Palin: Denali
Mitt Romney: Javelin
They aren’t entirely random when Secret Service provides a list of presidential candidates code names. The list is usually tailored to refer to specific things about the candidate’s background, or political brand, beyond meeting requirements. And this definitely holds for former candidate Mitt Romney, who went by the code name Javelin. Romney’s connection to the javelin is two-fold. First, the Javelin was built in the 1960s and 1970s by American Motors Corp.; Romney’s father ran a business.
Mitt Romney: Javelin
Paul Ryan: Bowhunter
Some Secret Service code names take some level of explanation to understand. Former Vice-Presidential Candidate Paul Ryan’s Secret Service code name certainly isn’t one. Anyone who even knows about the former House Speaker knows exactly why he chose the code name Bowhunter. Ryan’s favorite hobby is bowhunting, so the name is fitting. According to GQ Magazine, which first broke the news of Ryan’s code name, “The man is a skilled archer, a hunter of deer, and an aficionado of the sport.” In October 2015, he was even a cover model for Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine.
Paul Ryan: Bowhunter
Eleanor Roosevelt: Rover
Former President Harry Truman was the first to receive the Secret Service code name. But it turns out she wasn’t the First Family Secret Moniker’s first member. Instead, this honors First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Roosevelt was given her code name, “Rover.” during the 1942 World War II trip to England. According to the National Park Service, she was in official state business, visiting American service members and talking to women involved in the war effort.
Eleanor Roosevelt: Rover
Dick Cheney: Angler
As Secret Service code names have evolved, some have reportedly become more tongue-in-cheek. “They have a wry sense of humor about the way they give code names,” explained Barton Gellman, the author of the Dick Cheney biography titled Angler after the former VP’s code name. “Obviously, Cheney is an avid fisherman,” said Geller. “I thought it was a metaphor for the way he works. He tends to approach the levers of power obliquely. He doesn’t like to…have an overt public role.” Instead, Geller notes: “He finds his way to the place where decisions are made and often doesn’t leave many signs of his presence.”
Dick Cheney: Angler
Roger Clinton: Headache
We know Roger Clinton was never a president, vice president, or first lady, but we couldn’t miss an opportunity to share the Secret Service code name. It turns out that the former president’s younger half-brother, Roger Clinton, was given the code name “Headache.” during the Clinton administration. The New York Times reported receiving the less-than-flattering code name because of his antics that would cause the administration’s political headaches. That includes his federal jail background and the headache his presidential pardon caused in the aftermath.
Roger Clinton: Headache
Kamala Harris: Pioneer
Senator Harris was declared the Democratic ticket vice-presidential nominee in August 2020. And with that great power comes great responsibility, the great code name of Secret Service. Soon after she debuted with presidential hopeful Joe Biden, her “Pioneer.” nickname was announced, and the name seems to fit well with her historic nomination. Harris is the first Black woman to join the president’s big party ticket and the first Indian American woman ever to participate. And if she and Biden win the election, she would be the first woman ever to hold vice president’s office.
Kamala Harris: Pioneer
Jill Biden: Capri
It is customary for the potential first or second lady to choose their own name with the same first letter when presidential or vice-presidential candidates choose their code name. So Jill picked “Capri” when Joe Biden chose “Celtic.” but why did the former Second Lady pick that name exactly? While we’re not pretty sure, we’ll guess it has less to do with her capri pants love and more to do with the Isles of Capri. It was known to the entire Biden family that they spent their holidays at the vacation spot.
Jill Biden: Capri
Ben Carson: Eli
Remember when, at a short time, Ben Carson was considered a front runner for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination? During that time, Carson was the only other GOP candidate to receive Secret Service protection besides Donald Trump. And a code name came with that protection, of course. Carson chose the code name Eli, and a name said to take two meanings. First, it was a nod to his college days, as Eli is sometimes referred to as Yale University graduate after founder Elihu Yale. Second, Eli’s biblical figure.
Ben Carson: Eli
Ted Kennedy: Sunburn
Candidates sometimes select secret Service nicknames. Other times, a series of unintentional events end up landing someone with a Secret Service code name less than flattering. His pale skin, bare in the sun all day, gave Senator Ted Kennedy a pretty horrible red complexion and a hilarious code name. Yes, it was rumored that after a few unfortunate burns, the Secret Service started calling Kennedy “Sunburn.” His mother, Rose Kennedy, got a nickname to make matters even funnier. She was called “Coppertone,” which was another sly pun the Secret Service was made.
Ted Kennedy: Sunburn
Karen Pence: Hummingbird
There was no question what she would choose for herself when Second Lady Karen Pence was told she would have to pick a Secret Service code name that started with the letter H. A huge nature lover, after her all-time favorite bird, Pence reportedly picked the name ‘Hummingbird.’ And not just in her Secret Service code name, her love of the smaller creatures in nature is reflected. She has installed a huge beehive on the grounds ever since she started living at the Vice Presidential Residence in Washington, D.C.
Karen Pence: Hummingbird
Al Gore: Sawhorse and Sundance
Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore made jokes at his own expense on the 2000 campaign trail. He would say to a laughing crowd, “Al Gore is so boring; his Secret Service code name is Al Gore.” But obviously, that wasn’t true……we think. Al Gore’s Secret Service’s nickname was actually ‘Sawhorse’ when he was vice president and ‘Sundance’ when he ran for the presidential seat, reported at the time. His daughter Karenna Gore wasn’t as lucky. As a child, she chose her name and chose ‘Smurfette,’ which followed her even years later.
Al Gore: Sawhorse and Sundance
John McCain: Phoenix
He was known as an inspiring army hero, and a lover and fierce representative of his home state when John McCain ran for president. Thus, when his Secret Service code name was announced as Phoenix, it made sense. First, the name was a nod to Arizona’s home state. But second, it was a recognition of McCain’s past as a prisoner of war and how he could rise from the ashes to become a presidential nominee. When McCain died, the Secret Service honored him on Twitter, writing, “Phoenix- May You Rest in Peace.”
John McCain: Phoenix
Lyndon Johnson: Volunteer
For many American history buffs, Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, is known as “LBJ.” But Johnson was known by his code name, “Volunteer,” for those serving on his staff of Secret Service agents. There’s not much information out there about why Johnson was given the Secret Service code name. Johnson became president after President John F. Kennedy was tragically assassinated. Some commented on how the name seems oddly appropriate for a person who unintentionally landed a spot in the country’s highest office.
Lyndon Johnson: Volunteer
Tim Kaine: Daredevil
One of Congress’s favorite dads is Senator Tim Kaine. And anyone who’s ever met a former vice presidential hopeful knows that Kaine isn’t the wildest person of all. So when the Secret Service nickname of Kaine was announced, a few giggles from the Washington crowd met it. Actually, this gentle-manner Senator was named “Daredevil.” After hearing the news, the Daily Caller wrote that the code name of Kaine was “so ill-fitting that it comes across as a deliberate self-parody.” Instead, they dubbed Kaine “a nice guy’s nice guy” and “generic.”
Tim Kaine: Daredevil
Gerald Ford: Passkey
While little is known about how former president Gerald Ford ended up with the nickname “Passkey,” there are a few other secrets about the 38th president spilled by the Secret Service. Apparently, Ford was a terrible tipper. Ford knew he didn’t carry much money on him, leading to a bad reputation. Agents said Ford would often have only $1 in an exclusive golf course, where normal tips would go up to $50. Occasionally, the president turned to his Secret Service details and asked if they had any spare change to cover the tip.
Gerald Ford: Passkey