Meta Ends Fruit Names for AI Models

Meta has stopped naming its AI models after fruit, a decision the company described as largely a branding choice.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Isometric editorial illustration of a watermelon half beside a stack of slate blocks, linked by a thin oxblood line, suggesting a shift in naming. — Meta has retired its fruit-based codenames for AI models, after its latest frontier model, codenamed Watermelon, launched publicly as Wonder Full. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Meta's latest AI model, internally codenamed Watermelon, launched publicly as Wonder Full, which Meta described as its first cutting-edge frontier model. The company had previously used fruit and food names such as Avocado and Mango, and its launch was teased with photos of a watermelon.

Why it matters

Fruit-based codenames do not chime well with Meta's AI ambitions, prompting the shift in naming approach. The change comes as competitors have also used playful internal names, including OpenAI's Garlic in 2025.

Meta's prior language and image models were named Avocado and Mango, while Meta declined to comment on the naming shift. The extraction does not include performance figures for Wonder Full, and the company has not disclosed the reasoning behind the change beyond branding.

The players

The details

Meta's latest AI model was internally codenamed Watermelon and publicly launched as Wonder Full, teased by posting photos of a watermelon. Zuckerberg and Wang joked on the Cheeky Pint podcast last month that Meta had run out of fruit names.

- 2025: OpenAI internally dubbed a model Garlic and Google released its Nano Banana image generator.
- Last month: Zuckerberg and Wang joked on the Cheeky Pint podcast that Meta had run out of fruit names.
- November 4, 2026: Meta's decision to stop fruit-based AI naming was reported.

Roadmap

Meta's shift away from fruit names follows a broader industry pattern of food-themed internal codenames, such as OpenAI's Garlic model in 2025. The change reflects how AI companies are moving toward more formal naming as their products reach public launch.

For users of Meta's apps, the change is primarily visible in the branding of its AI models rather than in how they work day to day. The Wonder Full launch is described as a frontier model, but the extraction contains no details on new features, pricing, or availability for consumers.

The takeaway

Naming choices for AI products can signal a shift from playful internal codenames to more deliberate public branding as models reach launch. Readers following AI developments may find that product names increasingly reflect marketing strategy rather than internal project culture.