[dns-operations] Why are cnames called "canonical" names?

[Randy Bush]

> The question isn't "which side of a cname is the canonical name", the
> question is "why did they decide to call it 'canonical'" (as opposed
> to calling it some other word than 'canonical' that meant exactly the
> same thing as what 'canonical' means.

god and adam were sitting on a rock naming the animals (eve was probably
doing something saner).  a large grey beast with a tail on both ends
came by.  
adam asked, "what do we call it?"
god replied, "an elephant."
adam asked, "why an 'elephant'?"
god replied, "because it looks like one."

randy