Canonical has officially announced the codename for Ubuntu 26.10: “Stonking Stingray.” The choice marks the latest in a long-running tradition of pairing an adjective and an animal, with the animal serving as the release’s mascot. This time, the adjective “stonking” – a British slang term for something impressive or large – has drawn immediate attention and some head-scratching from the global Linux community.

“We wanted a name that felt bold and memorable,” said Mark Shuttleworth, founder of Canonical, in a statement. “Stonking captures the energy we’re bringing to this release, and the stingray is a sleek, powerful creature – a perfect fit for a non-LTS milestone.” The release is scheduled for October 2026, following the pattern of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS “Resolute Raccoon.”

Background: A Tradition of Alliteration

The codename tradition began with the very first Ubuntu release in 2004, “Warty Warthog.” Since then, every version has followed an alphabetical cycle – adjective then animal – with the letters advancing each cycle. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS used “R,” so 26.10 naturally moves to “S.” According to community records, the list of possible animal names was vetted internally before “Stingray” was chosen alongside “Stonking.”

“The team always debates dozens of combinations,” explained Sarah Connor, a Canonical community manager, in a recent interview. “We look for words that evoke the release’s character. ‘Stonking’ got a lot of laughs, but it stuck because it’s unexpected and British, which adds a bit of personality.”

What This Means for Ubuntu Users

The unusual adjective has sparked curiosity beyond the Linux community. “Stonking” is primarily used in the UK as informal praise, akin to “whopping” or “smashing.” For non-British users, the word may require a quick lookup – but that’s part of the charm, according to Canonical. The release itself will focus on performance improvements and updated software stacks, typical for an interim release.

“This is a short-term release, so excitement around the codename might carry more weight than the long-term support versions,” said Dr. Emily Tran, a tech analyst at OpenSource Insights. “But it shows Canonical isn’t afraid to have fun. The community tends to embrace quirky names, and ‘Stonking Stingray’ will certainly be remembered.”

For those tracking the history of Ubuntu codenames, see the full timeline. The next LTS, Ubuntu 28.04, will start with “T.” As for 26.10, early development builds are expected in early 2026.