Vanya thought that when you run them through the RNA folding software, it would give you these unusual straight rods which reminded him of Cleopatra's Needle (Obelisk, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra%27s_Needles). The name stuck around. Incidentally the name has some cool 2001: Space Odyssey monolith vibes to it, which I think has been fitting.
Doesn't a name like this risk sensationalizing the discovery? I mean it's interesting to me as a layperson, but "obelisks" in pop culture carry a lot of woo factor
