I always love discussions about R release names and their origin. I have been working on this list for a while – with the release of “Short Summer” today, I thought it’d be a good time to post!

All of the release names are references to Peanuts strips/films. I think this is just so delightful! A few months ago, I attempted to get permission to embed the strips on our blog, but unfortunately it was denied (unless with a limited audience and password protection 🤷‍♀), so I’ve just linked to the comics – Enjoy!

r-devel (unreleased development version) Unsuffered Consequences Reference: Peanuts August 17, 1967

2.14.0 (2011-10-31) Great Pumpkin Reference: Peanuts October 29, 1973

2.14.1 (2011-12-22) December Snowflakes Reference: A Charlie Brown Christmas This is very close to the Peanuts January 5, 1960, however they mention January snowflakes rather than December. The “December Snowflakes” quote is from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

2.14.2 (2012-02-29) Gift-Getting Season Reference: This is a line Lucy says in the short film It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown! – referring to Easter as the “gift-getting season”.

2.15.1 (2012-06-22) Roasted Marshmallows Reference: Peanuts June 6, 1987

2.15.2 (2012-10-26) Trick or Treat Reference: Peanuts October 31, 1969

2.15.3 (2013-03-01) Security Blanket Reference: Peanuts October 23, 1965

3.0.1 (2013-05-16) Good Sport Reference: You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown This is likely from the film You’re a Good Sport Charlie Brown, however there Peanuts November 22, 1953 does refer to being a “Good Sport” as well!

3.0.2 (2013-09-25) Frisbee Sailing Reference: Peanuts September 3, 1971

3.0.3 (2014-03-06) Warm Puppy ⊕ There is also a book titled Happiness is a Warm Puppy. Reference: Peanuts January 11, 1965

3.1.1 (2014-07-10) Sock it to Me Reference: This seems to be referring to a mini jigsaw puzzle, available on ebay!

Source MoviesAfterMidnight

3.1.3 (2015-03-09) Smooth Sidewalk Reference: This is a page from the Happiness is a Warm Puppy book.

3.2.0 (2015-04-16) Full of Ingredients Reference: Peanuts April 7, 1966

3.2.2 (2015-08-14) Fire Safety Reference: It seems that MetLife created a Peanuts themed Fire Saftey Brochure coloring and activity book.

3.2.3 (2015-12-10) Wooden Christmas-Tree Reference: This is a line from A Charlie Brown Christmas – Linus says “Gee, I didn’t know they still made wooden Christmas trees”.

3.2.4 (2016-03-11) Very Secure Dishes Reference: Peanuts February 20, 1964

3.2.5 (2016-04-11) Very, Very Secure Dishes (a rebadged 3.2.4-revised) I assume this is still a reference to Peanuts February 20, 1964

3.3.0 (2016-05-03) Supposedly Educational Reference: Peanuts May 7, 1971

3.3.1 (2016-06-21) Bug in Your Hair Reference: Peanuts June 15, 1967

3.3.2 (2016-10-31) Sincere Pumpkin Patch Reference: Peanuts Oct 30, 1968

3.3.3 (2017-03-06) Another Canoe Reference: Peanuts June 29, 1966

3.4.0 (2017-04-21) You Stupid Darkness Reference: Peanuts September 9, 1965

3.4.1 (2017-06-30) Single Candle Reference: Peanuts September 9, 1965

3.4.2 (2017-09-28) Short Summer Reference: It was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown

3.4.4 (2018-03-15) Someone to Lean On Reference: Peanuts Figurine (1971). There are a couple of different versions of this, some with Charlie Brown and Snoopy, one with Linus and Snoopy, and one with Woodstock and Snoopy. Many of them were Hallmark cards, but there was also a badge and this figurine. The oldest (dated) one I could find was this one from 1971, so we went with that!

3.5.0 (2018-04-23) Joy in Playing Reference: Peanuts January 27, 1973