I wouldn&#x27;t say this is exclusive to robots or new. Many machines, like cars, are referred to with a feminine persona: she&#x27;s really humming (in reference to an engine), come on old girl. See also the many boats throughout history with female names.<p>That doesn&#x27;t get me any closer to why, but I would say for robots, it would seem rooted in this tradition. They&#x27;re just another kind of machine.