Every year heading into WWDC, one thought on many Mac fans’ minds is what Apple will choose as the name for the next version of macOS. The tradition dates all the way back to the beginning of Mac OS X with its big cat names like Leopard, and Apple shifted to California-themed names with the unveiling of OS X Mavericks in 2013.
Back in 2014, we discovered more than 20 California-themed trademark applications filed by various limited-liability companies, which were all but certain to be shell companies created by Apple to hide its identity. Over time, some of the trademarks like Yosemite, Sierra, Mojave, Monterey, Mojave, Ventura, Sonoma, and Sequoia were indeed used as macOS names, while trademark applications for other names were abandoned.
Källa: macOS Tiburon to macOS Pacific: Which Name Will Apple Use This Year?