Different AI LLM Models and Their Differences — and How They Got Their Names

Large Language Models (LLMs) have become the core of modern AI — powering everything from chatbots to code generation to deep research assistants. While most people know what the models can do, far fewer know why they are called what they are.

Here’s a breakdown of the most popular LLMs today, their strengths, weaknesses, and the stories behind their names.

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1. GPT Series (OpenAI)

• Name origin: GPT stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer — “Generative” because it creates text, “Pre-trained” because it’s trained on massive datasets before fine-tuning, and “Transformer” because it’s built on the transformer neural network architecture.
• Examples: GPT-3, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, GPT-5 (next-gen)
• Strengths: Highly versatile, excellent at reasoning and creativity.
• Limitations: Can hallucinate facts, closed-source.
• Best for: Conversational AI, creative content, reasoning-heavy workflows.

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2. Claude (Anthropic)

• Name origin: Named after Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, to honor his contributions to understanding and quantifying information.
• Examples: Claude 1, Claude 2, Claude 3 (Opus, Sonnet, Haiku)
• Strengths: Strong safety focus, handles extremely long documents.
• Limitations: Sometimes overly cautious.
• Best for: Summarization, compliance-heavy work, large document Q&A.

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3. Gemini (Google DeepMind)

• Name origin: Symbolizes “twins” — representing the merging of DeepMind’s AI expertise and Google’s vast infrastructure, as well as multimodal capabilities (handling text, image, video, audio together).
• Examples: Gemini 1.5 Pro, Gemini 1.5 Flash
• Strengths: Multimodal, deeply integrated with Google ecosystem.
• Limitations: Mostly accessible via Google cloud services.
• Best for: Search, enterprise AI, multimodal applications.

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4. LLaMA (Meta)

• Name origin: Stands for Large Language Model Meta AI. The playful llama animal association makes it memorable.
• Examples: LLaMA 2, LLaMA 3
• Strengths: Open-source, adaptable, good performance on modest compute.
• Limitations: Needs fine-tuning for best use.
• Best for: Self-hosted AI, research, customized models.

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5. Mistral

• Name origin: Named after the Mistral wind in southern France, symbolizing speed, lightness, and efficiency.
• Examples: Mistral 7B, Mixtral (Mixture of Experts)
• Strengths: Compact yet powerful, open-weight.
• Limitations: Shorter context compared to large proprietary models.
• Best for: Lightweight AI apps, cost-sensitive deployments.

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6. Command R (Cohere)

• Name origin: “Command” reflects its role as an AI you can instruct directly, while “R” stands for Retrieval, emphasizing its RAG-first (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) approach.
• Examples: Command R+, Command R Ultra
• Strengths: Excels at combining retrieval with generative AI.
• Limitations: Narrower creative ability.
• Best for: Enterprise search, knowledge management.

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7. Falcon (TII)

• Name origin: Named after the Peregrine Falcon, one of the fastest animals — symbolizing speed and performance.
• Examples: Falcon 7B, Falcon 40B
• Strengths: Open-source, efficient training.
• Limitations: Smaller surrounding ecosystem.
• Best for: Open-weight deployments, high-performance tasks.

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Key Differences Summary Table

Model Family	Name Origin	Open Source?	Strength	Best Use Case
GPT	Generative Pre-trained Transformer	❌	Versatility & reasoning	Broad AI apps
Claude	Claude Shannon (information theory pioneer)	❌	Safety & long context	Compliance, summarization
Gemini	“Twins” – DeepMind + Google + multimodal	❌	Multimodal & integration	Search, enterprise
LLaMA	Large Language Model Meta AI	✅	Customization	Private AI, research
Mistral	French wind (speed & efficiency)	✅	Efficiency	Cost-effective AI
Command R	Command + Retrieval	❌	Retrieval	Enterprise search
Falcon	Peregrine Falcon (speed & agility)	✅	Performance	Open deployments

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💡 Bottom line:
The names are more than just branding — they reflect origin stories, technical focus, or symbolic attributes. When picking an LLM, understanding both capabilities and philosophy helps match the right tool to your needs.