Odysseus and Penelope

Most people who own a Roomba give it a name. Unfortunately, most of them call theirs "Rosie".

Our first one we just called Roomba because, really, that already seemed a perfectly nice name. Wasn't until we got a Discovery model, the one with a charging base it can find its way back to, that we decided on a more appropriate name. Those who are familiar with how a Roomba works (and know a little bit of Greek mythology) will understand the joke of the name: Odysseus.

Odysseus sets out from his home, and wanders around the area, apparently aimlessly. For all his apparent randomness, he has an uncanny knack for finding every mess in the entire area and getting into each one. He takes a lot longer than it would take anyone else, but eventually, just when you think he never will, he finds his way back home.

When we got a Scooba and, after a trial, realized we'd have to keep both, we weren't as sure about a name. However, in the end we had to name Odysseus's partner Penelope, even if it made us worry that whatever she cleaned each day, she might sneak out and dirty back up that night.