If the Republican nomination battle between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum seems a little staid, think of it as an epic battle between two mythical warriors: Javelin vs. Petrus. Sounds little sharper, eh?

According to GQ, those are the code names used by the Secret Service to refer to Romney and Santorum, respectively. But unlike prior presidential candidates who have simply been assigned names—John McCain was given “Phoenix”—both Romney and Santorum got to choose theirs:

It’s tempting to associate a candidate’s code word with some aspect of their personality. Sometimes this is true and sometimes it is not. “Petrus” is a biblical allusion—as in St. Peter, the first pope. (The Latin name is derived from the Greek word for “rock.”) Perhaps “Javelin” is a reference to the ’60s muscle car made by American Motors Corporation, the company once run by George Romney.

Fun fact: the first letter of the code name chosen or assigned to a candidates or office holder is used for members of their family. Ronald Reagan was “Rawhide,” and wife Nancy “Rainbow.” (Their family? “Rhyme,” “Riddler,” “Ribbon,” “Reliant.”) John Kerry was “Minuteman,” while wife Theresa took “Mahogany.” Sarah Palin was “Denali,” and husband Todd became “Driller.” And yes, names have been recycled. Doria Reagan, wife of Ron Reagan, Jr., was “Radiant,” while Malia Obama goes by “Radiance.”