What's in a name?

Lots.

Four months after Israel launched its devastating military offensive in Gaza, one of Israel's most prominent spokesman says the operation deserved a better name.

"I didn't like the name," said Mark Regev, who serves as a leading spokesman for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and also held the same post for Bibi's predecessor, Ehud Olmert. "From a public relations point of view, it was a mistake."

The name in question: Operation Cast Lead.

The name came from a Hanukkah poem by a pioneering Jewish poet about a dreidel cast in lead.

"The truth is that the Hebrew name Oferet Yetzuka [referring to Hanukkah dreidels] sounds lovely," Regev said during a talk this week. "It's the translation into English which sounds inappropriate."

Regev told listeners that he never used the term when talking about the Gaza offensive.

"The English translation wasn't the most effective way to get our message out and it's an important point because if you can control the terminology of the debate, you can win the debate," he said.

In response, the IDF said: "Mark Regev's opinion is legitimate."

Regev can take some solace in knowing that Operation Cast Lead has not been dubbed one of the 25 least inspiring military operation names.

In a rundown by cracked.com of the top 25, the humor site came up with some real doozies :

Operation Elfin Cove. Operation Viking Snatch. Operation Block Party. Operation Beaver Cage...

And there are more.

The Italians named one peacekeeping mission in Mozambique "Operation Albatross."

Belgian police named one anti-terrorism operation "Asparagus."

With names like these, Cast Lead probably wouldn't break the top 50...