The Washington Post drew some attention recently by publishing what it said were the code names that the Secret Service has applied to the major party candidates for the White House, along with members of their immediate families.

The Secret Service doesn't usually publicize the code names it assigns political leaders, but the names often leak out. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's moniker is "Evergreen." Former President Bill Clinton's code name is "Eagle." And former Vice President Al Gore once joked on "The Late Show With David Letterman" that his Secret Service code name was "Buttafuoco."

Here are the names of the 2008 candidates and their spouses, along with some background on their meanings.

Sen. John McCain: "Phoenix"

A phoenix is a mythical bird that burns its own nest near the end of its life and dies in the fire, only to be reborn again in the ashes. In some traditions, the bird was also said to be immortal and invincible, and a symbol of fire and divinity. It's also the name of the largest city in McCain's home state of Arizona.

Cindy McCain: "Parasol"

A parasol looks like a lightweight and often ornamental umbrella, used as a sunshade; an umbrella, on the other hand, is used mainly to keep its user from getting wet. Dictionaries differ on where the word came from: some site Greek, Spanish or French derivations. Most say it entered the English lexicon in the 1600s.

Gov. Sarah Palin: "Denali"

Was the Secret Service thinking of the name of the gas-guzzling luxury SUV that weighs between one-quarter and one-half ton, or the name of the tallest mountain in Alaska -- and North America -- and the National Park wilderness that surrounds the peak? Palin's a big proponent of drilling for more oil in her home state.

Todd Palin: "Driller"

At the Republican National Convention, the Alaska delegation wore construction helmets emblazoned with "Drill, Baby, Drill." The Alaska governor's husband worked in the state's North Slope oil fields for 18 years; he quit in 2007 to avoid potential conflicts of interest between his employer and his wife, although he later returned to the drilling fields.

Sen. Barack Obama: "Renegade"

In American popular culture, the term renegade was often applied in an unflattering way to Indians. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the term as "a deserter from one faith, cause, or allegiance to another," or as "an individual who rejects lawful or conventional behavior."

Michelle Obama: "Renaissance"

The European Renaissance, from the 14th to the 17th century, is often said to mark the end of the Middle Ages and beginning of the Modern era. A cultural movement that placed an emphasis on education and higher learning, and the creative arts, the Renaissance began in Italy. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were among those whose accomplishments were emblematic of the era.

Sen. Joe Biden: "Celtic"

An NBA team member, a heavy metal rock band, a professional soccer club: The term "Celtic" applies to them all. More generally, it's a name applied to ancient European people who, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, reached the height of their influence in the fourth century BC, and began to decline with the expansion of the Roman Empire. Celtic languages are still spoken in some parts of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France.

(Jill Biden: Not known.)