Bitcoin is the protocol. The client protocol identifier needs a unique name. It is not a public name that anybody ever sees except protocol developers.
For instance with libbitcoin, there might be several clients using it, but they'd all have the same protocol identifier.
I think calling it Satoshi is apt homage to the person who made the original client reference protocol.
Satoshi
BitcoinCommunity
Original...
Take your pick.
From: Luke-Jr <luke@dashjr.org>
To: "bitcoin-development@lists.sourceforge.net" <bitcoin-development@lists.sourceforge.net>
Cc: Amir Taaki <zgenjix@yahoo.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 2, 2011 10:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Bitcoin-development] Lock protocol version numbers
On Wednesday, November 02, 2011 6:33:12 PM Amir Taaki wrote:
> "Satoshi 0.5"
What is "Satoshi 0.5" anyway? 0.5's server is bitcoind and GUI is Bitcoin-Qt;
the wx GUI client is gone, which is more or less what "Satoshi" referred to in
the past...