Most iconic character names in Transformers history

[Deonasis]

Optimus Prime
Megatron
Soundwave
Hound
Bumblebee
Laserbeak
Hot Rod
Starscream
Ironhide
Devastator

Tough question. Thinking about my mates and what Transformers they may know without asking me..

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Optimus Prime
Bumblebee
Dinobot - not so much because of the character, but the name is well known due to the subgroups.
Starscream
Megatron
Soundwave
Devastator
Grimlock
Laserbeak
Ironhide

[Stug]

Wondering which names would be iconic and recognisable to non-fans… so I asked my wife to name 10 Transformers characters; she came up with in order:

• Optimus Prime
• Bumblebee
• Starscream
• Ratchet
• Gears (interesting… probably only because he’s my favourite character and I obviously mention him a lot)
• Slag (triceratops is her favourite dinosaur so she committed him to memory first time she saw him)
• Grimlock
• Spike (this one caught me off guard – bit outside the box but I like it!)
• Jazz (who she refers to as “The black Transformer”… I was hesitant to even type that but it is a direct quote from the “Black Americans for Romney” bit from 30 Rock –my wife is obsessed – I think is accurate to say – with Tina Fey)
• Ironhide (or “Tankarse” as she calls him… synonym she came up with once when she couldn’t recall his name and is now her preferred name for him).

So they're the ones that stick for one non-fan. I’d only change Gears and Slag with Megatron and Soundwave. I would have included Devastator but I like her suggestion of Spike and would stick with that.

[Starscream77]

In no particular order -

Optimus Prime
Megatron
Soundwave
Grimlock
Bumblebee
Prowl
Jazz
Starscream
Ironhide
Devastator

+1

[octopunchshotfisrt]

Obligatory Erector.

[griffin]

I just came across our 2011 Ozformers calendar yesterday, and it reminded me of this topic... because the 12 characters we used on the calendar was based on similar vote we did four years ago.
The winning characters back then in random order... before TFPrime, TF3 and TF4 had any influence (damn, a lot has happened in just four years)...
- Optimus Prime
- Prowl
- Starscream
- Bumblebee
- Ironhide
- Soundwave
- Grimlock
- Hot/Rodimus
- Shockwave
- Jazz
- Jetfire
- Megatron

Later I want to do a cursory count of the toys released by Hasbro and TakaraTomy as these and other major characters, to see which ones really are the most iconic to have the most amount of toys.
Optimus is likely to have the most, and due to the recent movies and the last two cartoons (Prime and Animated) Bumblebee is likely to be second.
Then maybe Megatron and Starscream... but fifth onwards will be fascinating to find out.

[Sinnertwin]

Clearly Sinnertwin is the most awesomest name ever
But, in the spirit of finding out how much impact these names have really made to non TF folk, i asked the other half...

Smokescreen
Hot Rod
Optimus Prime
Megatron
Bumblebee
Grimlock
Soundwave &
Starsrceam, who she referred to as the bitch, whiney jet.

[Raider]

In no particular order -

Optimus Prime
Megatron
Soundwave
Grimlock
Bumblebee
Prowl
Jazz
Starscream
Ironhide
Devastator

^ This

[BigTransformerTrev]

My top 10 (going by a combination of popularity, how many toys they have had, how much their name is attached to the brand and how much they have cropped up in the TF multiverse):

Optimus Prime
Megatron
Bumblebee
Starscream
Soundwave
Galvatron
Rodimus
Unicron
Grimlock
Devestator
...and an honorable mention to Prowl

Of course my personal ones would be :
Grimlock
Shockwave
Swindle
Optimus
Rodimus
Starscream
Megatron
Bruticus
Omega Supreme
Soundwave
...and an honourable mention to Metroplex

[Tober]

Optimus Prime
Megatron
Soundwave
Starscream
Bumblebee
Hot Rod/imus/ Prime
Arcee
Galvatron
Devastator
Grimlock