Intel Core Names

How does Intel choose their core names?

I noticed some, like Nehalem and Willamette, are location/features in Oregon, where Intel has a major fab plant. However, they also have names such as Prescott, which I believe is in Arizona. Is there any rhyme or reason to the naming of cores?

I think the names are based on countries/states landmarks where a team developing specific core was located

EDIT:
dothan, banias, merom, gesher - all connected to Israel
Nehalem, penryn - US west coast

Ah, I see. Thanks.

Gesher codename was replace by Sandy Bridge. Gesher is Hebrew for 'bridge,' but also had a connection to a political party. Yonah is a Hebrew transliteration of the name "Jonah." Merom is a former lake in Israel. Dothan and Banias are former (biblical) cities where the modern state of Israel is.

As far as the processors and chipsets designed in the US, they are names of cities or features near the design team. Penryn is a city near Folsom, Nehalem in Oregon, Bonnell and Tejas for Austin. Numbers used to be given for codenames, like P6, 486, P55C, etc. But these aren't copyrighted easily, so someone could also use the name, creating confusion in the marketplace.

Disclaimer: I work for Intel, and obviously the above does not necessarily reflect my employer.