I was asked the other day...

[SofaMan]

I did actually enjoy in the new movies how they took the name and turned it into a visual theme for the robot. Having his battle mask look like a bee's face, and the car doors positioned like wings (and even the occasional flutter!).

I always assumed he was Bumblebee originally since he was small, yellow and black.

[Adzma]

Punchbuggy would be a better name.

This is his name as far as I'm concerned from now on.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've always been disappointed that among all the G1/G2 names reused in Beast Wars, they never used "Bumblebee" or "Hound" (would've been tonnes better than K-9 :/).

[Kyle]

I used to think it's because he's a yellow Volkswagen BEE-tle...

[Robzy]

I used to think it's because he's a yellow Volkswagen BEE-tle...

+1

He's black and yellow... and he turns in to a "bug"! Plus, his G1 toy had an insect-like face (sort of).

[SofaMan]

I've always been disappointed that among all the G1/G2 names reused in Beast Wars, they never used "Bumblebee" or "Hound" (would've been tonnes better than K-9 :/).

One of several lost opportunities in BW.

[Sky Shadow]

I've always been disappointed that among all the G1/G2 names reused in Beast Wars, they never used "Bumblebee" or "Hound" (would've been tonnes better than K-9 :/).

Now I think of it, the Beast Wars were relatively conservative compared to today's name reuses. Lots of obvious G1 animal names never made it to the Beast Wars (Krok, Ground Hog, Goldbug, Slugfest, Weirdwolf, Snapdragon, Apeface, Catilla, Beastbox, Horri-bull, Finback, Bugly, Longtooth, Octopunch, Ratbat, Sharkticon, Birdbrain, Wildfly, Lionizer, Tyrannitron, Wingthing, Catgut, Scorpulator, Gatoraider, Tracks, Swoop, Pounce and many, many more.)

[GoktimusPrime]

...I can't believe they mispelt Laserbeak as "Lazorbeak." Intentional or accidental, it still massively sucks either way. Wth does "lazor" stand for?? Perhaps 'Loser Acronym with Zero Opportunity for Redemption.' :/

[yukitora]

i thought only maximals would be named after their scanned animals

[GoktimusPrime]

...that would make more sense, but alas no. Optimus Primal was definitely still called that on Cybertron as those who knew him on Cybertron (and other off-world Maximal colonies) knew him by that name when they later encountered him on prehistoric Earth (e.g.: Depthcharge, Ravage) and when he temporarily was transported to the planet Gaea (e.g.: Lio Convoy etc.).

There are exceptions to this... Airazor and Tigatron only adopted their names after coming to Earth and scanning alt modes - on Cybertron they had other names which they'd since forgotten after nearly being killed fighting Buzzsaw and Laserbeak. BW Megatron was originally known by a different name until the theft of the Golden Disk, after which he intentionally renamed himself after the reknowned Decepticon leader (as Ravage once said to him, "You have his name, but not his army.").

A lot of other BW TFs who were 'born' on Earth obviously only adapted names there. Protoform X never officially had a name other than that until he joined the Beast Wars and was assigned the name "Rampage" by Megatron.