How to name androids with technical coherence
An android's name operates on three layers: manufacturer (which corporation made it), line/function (what it's for) and personal identity (if it has a chosen name). Best examples in tradition combine these: Detroit: Become Human has 'RK-800 Connor', where RK-800 is CyberLife model and Connor is name assigned for empathy with humans.
Think the manufacturer's culture. A Japanese corporation will use different designation than American or Swedish. Westworld uses human names without designation because the business is exactly the humanity fantasy. Star Wars uses short codes (R2-D2, C-3PO) that become names through use. Aliens uses human names (Bishop, Ash) that conceal the character's synthetic nature.
Consider whether the android chooses a name. In modern narratives (Detroit, Westworld), the moment of choosing a personal name is awakening point. An RK-800 unit deciding to be 'Connor' is asserting something beyond programming. If your work explores artificial consciousness, name change can be a key scene. Murderbot Diaries plays with this: the protagonist self-names 'Murderbot' though it could have chosen anything.
Conventions by sci-fi subgenre
Classic sci-fi (Asimov, Clarke) prefers functional designations and numbers: R. Daneel Olivaw, HAL 9000, Speedy. Names are technical but already carry personality. Modern sci-fi (Black Mirror, Westworld) prefers full human names for indistinguishable androids. The choice reflects philosophical debate: more indistinguishable means more human name.
For military narratives (Aliens, Mass Effect), designations are alphanumeric with affectionate nickname. Bishop is model + name chosen by the crew. Legion in Mass Effect is geth designation with biblical tone. For domestic narratives (Robot & Frank, Big Hero 6), short memorable names like friendly appliance: 'Rosie', 'Baymax', 'Wall-E'.
For philosophical narratives (Becky Chambers, Ted Chiang), names tend to be carefully chosen by the android and reflect internal reflection. Sidra in Chambers is conscious decision. For horror (Ex Machina, Alien), names can be deceptively normal to hide threat. Ash in Alien is completely human until it isn't. The dissonance between friendly name and final reveal generates horror.
Common mistakes naming androids
First: confusing android with cyborg. An android is a machine with human appearance; a cyborg is a human with mechanical parts. Names differ: cyborgs usually keep original human name; androids usually have model designation and eventually chosen name. If your work mixes both, ensure nomenclature distinguishes them.
Second: excessively long name. Nobody says 'CyberLife Detroit Bureau Model RK-800-43-A Special Edition' more than once. Keep full name for official intro and short form for daily use. Detroit: Become Human uses 'Connor' or 'RK800' most of the time. Define the nickname from the start.
Third: ignoring usage context. A companion android will have a soft memorable name; a military android will have hard designation. If your novel presents a military android called 'Cookie', you need to justify narratively (squad nickname, irony). Fourth: unpronounceable names. Star Wars popularized short alphanumeric names (R2, BB-8) precisely because they're easy to say. If your android is 'XR-9-Sigma-Vector', it'll lose oral identity.
The name as personhood test
The central philosophical question of android fiction is: can they be persons? The name can be the answer. Star Trek: TNG dedicates a whole episode ('The Measure of a Man') defending Data's right not to be considered property; the name 'Data' is element of his identity. Detroit: Become Human dramatizes the moment of choosing personal name as liberation act.
Consider the manufacturer-android dialectic. The corporation imposes designation; the conscious android chooses name. That choice can be silent (kept inside) or public (declared and faced consequences). In Murderbot Diaries, the protagonist keeps its ironic designation as self-protection act: naming itself 'human' would be dangerous. Your narrative can explore all these options.
For tabletop RPGs like Eclipse Phase, Mage or Star Trek Adventures, androids are frequent PCs. The name becomes a roleplay element: the player can start with corporate designation and, as their PC develops consciousness, adopt chosen name. That transition is good emotional arc. For GMs: introduce minor androids with designation, and when developing one as important ally, give them moment to choose name. The narrative enriches with that differentiation.