Who first chose the names Alice and Bob for the players (or observers) A and B?
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5$\begingroup$ hsm.stackexchange.com/q/6536 $\endgroup$– Francois ZieglerCommented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:09
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9$\begingroup$ I'm voting to close this question because it belongs on HSM and seems to have an answer there $\endgroup$– Yemon ChoiCommented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:17
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2$\begingroup$ @YemonChoi The question is very much unanswered there. $\endgroup$– Michael GreineckerCommented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:49
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1$\begingroup$ @MichaelGreinecker Thank you, I should have said "there is a plausible answer left in the comments, via Wikipedia" $\endgroup$– Yemon ChoiCommented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:55
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8$\begingroup$ Can't resist: Alice chose first. $\endgroup$– M.G.Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 19:39
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2 Answers
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Quoted from Wikipedia:
The Alice and Bob characters were invented by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman in their 1978 paper "A method for obtaining digital signatures and public-key cryptosystems".
Rivest, R. L.; Shamir, A.; Adleman, L., A method for obtaining digital signatures and public-key cryptosystems, Commun. ACM 21, 120-126 (1978). ZBL0368.94005.
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7$\begingroup$ It might have been inspired by the 1969 film [Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice](Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), which led to these names being utilized in [earlier work. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 15:22
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$\begingroup$ @MichaelGreinecker (+1) Interesting observation, Michael! The date proximity between paper and film supports your claim! :-) $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 15:26
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2$\begingroup$ Thank you Morteza Azad for the convincing answer and the reference to your recent related question. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 15:43
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1$\begingroup$ And also thank you Michael Greinecker for the so interesting observation ! $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 15:44
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2$\begingroup$ So I guess it's not in honor of Alice Silverberg and Bob Silverman. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 21:27
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Allow me to mention that since the players in effect adopt the roles of the quantifiers $\forall$ and $\exists$, as Bob has a winning strategy just in case for every move for Alice, there is a reply by Bob, and so on, some logicians have preferred to use alternative names that would better highlight this connection.
When I was a graduate student attending lectures of Adrian Mathias in Berkeley, he used the names Abelard and Éloïse, after the famous couple and their love letters at court (made more interesting by the fact that Abelard was a logician). The advantage, you see, is that the names begin with A and E, aligning with $\forall$ and $\exists$.
Another example, of course, would be Adam and Eve, although Mathias preferred Abelard and Éloïse. In truth, however, I recall that Mathias was not fully satisfied with either of these examples, and sought additional famous couples, whose names begin with A and E. Does anyone know any?
Let me collect here the examples of A/E names of famous pairs contributed in the comments and elsewhere.
- Abelard and Éloïse, the famous lovers. Abelard was a logician
- Adam and Eve, from the creation myth
- Anna and Elsa, from the Disney film, Frozen
- Arwen and Elessar (otherwise known as Aragorn), from the Tolkien saga. Connected with infinity and eternal life.
- Albert and Elizabeth, British royals
- Ares and Enyo, Greek gods of war
Please add more in the comments!
answered Jul 16, 2018 at 17:20
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10$\begingroup$ Not a couple in the romantic sense, but Anna and Elsa from the Disney film Frozen might help sell logic to a younger crowd. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:39
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2$\begingroup$ (+1) Enjoyed reading your answer, Joel! And yes, I also have heard of the Abelard and Éloïse couple (and loved it). By the way, I believe the $\forall$-$\exists$ view of the games and the corresponding interpretation of the Axiom of Determinacy as an infinitary De Morgan's law applied to formulas with alternating $\forall$ and $\exists$ quantifiers, is a terrific way of talking about games and determinacy specific to logicians. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 17:47
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3$\begingroup$ As Joel says, cryptography has additional characters, such as "Eve" the "eavesdropper." A propos of which, people might enjoy the Alice and Bob XKCD cartoon: xkcd.com/177 $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 18:05
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2$\begingroup$ I would like to mention my all-time favorite couple, Arwen & Elessar (aka Aragorn). One particular aspect of this love story that (as a set theorist) I like the most is the role of infinity and choice! Arwen is an immortal elf who is warned by his father, Lord Elrond, about the consequences of marrying a mortal man who eventually will die after finitely-many years and will leave his lover in eternal grief! This inevitable fate makes her choose to give up her elfish immortality to be with him! $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 18:24
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3$\begingroup$ Also, in Norse mythology Ask and Embla were the first humans. Due to the fact that in English the meaning of ask is related to questioning, I find it worth mentioning. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 22:41