In This Article
Introduction
Before Clawdbot, there was Clawd — an earlier assistant that was a phonetic tribute to Anthropic's Claude model. Clawd evolved; the name became Molty. Clawdbot was derived from Clawd. The project's lobster mascot traces to this lineage. Understanding Clawd and Molty helps explain the OpenClaw naming story and why you might see these names in configuration files, documentation, and community discussions.
OpenClaw's naming history is unusually rich. The project went through multiple rebrands (Clawdbot → Moltbot → OpenClaw) and the assistant itself has had different default names. This article traces the assistant names specifically — Clawd and Molty — and how they fit into the broader name history.
Clawd: The Original
Clawd = Claude, phonetically. Peter Steinberger's initial AI assistant was built around Anthropic's Claude model. He wanted a name that evoked the AI without directly copying the trademark. "Clawd" sounded like "Claude" when spoken — a subtle, playful homage. The spelling with "claw" also suggested the lobster imagery that would become iconic.
The lobster connection: lobsters have claws. "Clawd" → "claw" → lobster. The visual pun stuck. When Steinberger added a mascot, the lobster was the natural choice. Clawd was the prototype — the assistant you'd talk to in the early WhatsApp Relay days. It was the foundation that became the public-facing Clawdbot.
In some older configs and community posts, you'll still see references to "Clawd" as the default assistant name. It's the same agent; the name evolved.
Molty: The Evolution
After Anthropic raised trademark concerns about "Clawdbot" (too close to "Claude"), the project went through a rebrand. The framework became Moltbot. The assistant needed a new name too. "Molty" emerged — related to "molting," the process by which lobsters shed their exoskeleton to grow. Molting symbolizes renewal, growth, and transformation. Fitting for a project in transition.
Molty is the current default assistant name in many OpenClaw configurations. When you run openclaw setup and it asks for an assistant name, "Molty" is often the suggestion. The name persists in SOUL.md, in logs, and in the Clawd directory structure (the ~/clawd/ path itself is a nod to the original "Clawd" — the "d" is lowercase, part of the legacy).
Some users customize the assistant name — "Jarvis," "Friday," or something personal. But "Molty" remains the canonical default, the successor to Clawd.
Naming Lineage
The full lineage: Clawd (assistant) → Clawdbot (project name) → Moltbot (rebrand) → OpenClaw (final framework name). Molty (assistant) persists through the later stages. The lobster mascot stays through all of it.
Timeline: November 2025 — Clawd, WhatsApp Relay. December 2025 — Clawdbot public launch. January 2026 — Moltbot rebrand, Molty as assistant. February 2026 — OpenClaw final name, Foundation established. The assistant has been Molty since the Moltbot era; the framework is now OpenClaw.
Why the Names Matter
For users: when you see "Molty" in logs or config, you're seeing the default assistant. When you see "Clawd" in older docs or the ~/clawd/ path, it's the historical reference. No functional difference — it's the same agent runtime.
For the community: the names are part of OpenClaw's identity. The lobster, the molting metaphor, the phonetic play on Claude — they're all part of the story. Understanding them helps you navigate documentation and community discussions.
Clawd and Molty in Your Config
In SOUL.md, you might see a header like "Molty" or "Agent Soul." In AGENTS.md, agent profiles can be named. The default profile is often "Molty" or "default." You can rename these — they're just labels. The ~/clawd/ directory name is configurable in some setups; the default is "clawd" (lowercase), a remnant of the Clawd era.
If you're building a Skill or integrating with OpenClaw, don't assume the assistant is always named "Molty." Check the user's config. The runtime doesn't care about the name; it's for human readability.
Wrapping Up
Clawd and Molty are the assistant names; OpenClaw is the framework. Clawd was the original; Molty is the current default. The lobster stays through all of it. See name history and Peter Steinberger for the full story.