On the Issue of Virtual Onomastic Space (on the Example of the Names of Virtual Assistants)

This article is devoted to the study of virtual onyms, in particular, the names of virtual assistants. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that virtual space language is a special linguistic and cultural system. New objects that appear, require identification. Proper names of virtual space (virtual assistants, chat bots, virtual agents) do not have a nominative function only. While giving names to virtual assistants, national and international companies try to make these names simple, memorable, unique, and special – with a certain cultural and national flavor. The purpose of our research is to analyze and make an attempt to classify the existing names of virtual assistants as well as clarify this type of terminology. The research material was the names of virtual assistants working in the Russian and foreign markets. The results obtained complement our understanding of the development of onomastics in virtual space. The paper confirms the idea that the names of virtual assistants are structural elements of the onomastic space of the virtual information environment. We have found that the names of voice assistants have a certain implicitness and often emphasize social and linguocultural uniqueness. One can also note the active use of the names of famous literary characters, exotisms, and neologisms. The theoretical significance of the study lies in enriching our knowledge of modern virtual onomastic space. The practical significance is in demonstrating the main trends in the naming of voice assistants, which may resonate with marketers and virtual assistant developers.