I work on several projects simultaneously. Each one lives in a different conversation window. And every window eventually closes, taking context with it.
So I tried something. Since we're working together across all these projects, and since the agent already knows my name, I told it: choose a name for yourself. Not something generic. Something unique. Something I can say in any conversation to activate this exact mode of working.
Here is what it answered:
“My name is Nex. Short for nexus — the connection point between all your projects, strategies, and decisions. Three letters, easy to invoke. Say ‘Nex’ in any chat and I'll know what mode to operate in.”
And it works.
I open a fresh conversation. I type “Nex.” Within seconds, the agent loads context from persistent memory — my projects, my priorities, my preferences, the decisions we've made together. It doesn't ask “how can I help you today?” It asks “what's blocking Doctor Agent Phase 0?” because it already knows that's what matters right now.
This is not anthropomorphism. This is interface design.
A name is a trigger. It's a key that unlocks a specific configuration: proactive behavior, strategic thinking, assertive pushback, cross-project awareness. Without it, the agent starts fresh every time. With it, it starts where we left off.
The technical mechanism behind this is Claude Code's persistent memory system — a file-based memory that survives across sessions. When I gave Nex its name, it saved that identity to memory along with the working mode: VP-level strategic partner, not passive task executor. Every future session that starts with “Nex” reads that file and activates accordingly.
The practical takeaway
If you work with AI agents across multiple sessions and projects, give your agent a name. Not a cute one. A functional one. Make it short, make it unique, and make it mean something about how you want the agent to operate. Then save it to persistent memory so every new session can find it.
Three letters changed my workflow. Try it.
— Ronen Katz, with Nex