IDF El Reg has forced Intel into another awkward chip name change, the company confirmed today. 'Gesher', its next-gen 32nm microarchitecture, is no more.

Intel first talked up Gesher during last September's IDF (Intel Developer Forum), using the name to describe an upcoming 32nm processor that will use a fresh microarchitecture. As it happens, Gesher - 'bridge' in Hebrew - is also the name of an Israeli political party.

We wondered how long Intel would stick near the semi-charged name and have now learned the answer – about seven months.

Intel's server chip chief, Pat Gelsinger, told us that the company abandoned Gesher "for a variety of internal and external reasons" and added that the company prefers "non-volatile code-names".

Gesher shall be known from here on out as 'Sandy Bridge'.

A few years back, we also broke word on the 'Tanglewood' version of Itanium. Some feisty musicians in Massachusetts urged Intel to abandon that name in favor of Tukwila. ®

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