The coolest secret service codenames for US presidents and first ladies

LIST: Secret service codenames

As part of tradition, the secret service gives each president a codename.

Click through to see the secret service codenames for U.S. presidents and the first ladies. LIST: Secret service codenames

As part of tradition, the secret service gives each president a codename.

Click through to see the secret service codenames for U.S. presidents and the first ladies. Image 1 of / 41 Caption Close The coolest secret service codenames for US presidents and first ladies 1 / 41 Back to Gallery

One aspect of the secret service that isn't so secret are the codenames they give to the president, the first lady, and their family.

Originally, secret service codenames were for security purposes, but now, they're just for fun and tradition.

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Vice presidents get them as well, like Joe Biden as "Celtic," or Mike Pence as "Hoosier."

According to NPR, "Usually, a president or anyone else who's protected gets a list of possible codenames, and they get to choose. And if it's something too awful they can choose something else."

Even presidential candidates get nicknames. This election, Ben Carson was referred to as "Eli," and Bernie Sanders as "Intrepid."

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In addition, while not always the case, presidential families all get a nick name starting with the same letter. For example, Sasha Obama is "Rosebud" while Malia Obama is "Radiance."

Click through above to see the nicknames of presidents and first ladies.