Several Transformers characters are named whatever they do. Such as:

• Jazz: He likes music.
• Ratchet: Named after a medic.
• Mirage: Can disappear.
• Laserbeak: Literally a bird.
• Hook: Self-explanatory.

Some Transformers universe say the characters names are codenames. Notably Jazz in the movie and IDW continuities. As it would be possible for the Transformers to pick up these names after coming to earth. Like it's possible Bumblebee chose his name cause it sounded friendly or marketable. Or in case with the Bumblebee movie, he was given it as a nickname.
Also some characters are given unfortunate names like "Windbreaker." Who doesn't even fart! False advertising! Or they sound like the character had an over inflated ego, like Ultra Magnus or Fortress Maximus.
Some universes are more questionable. Again with Bumblebee. In the Aligned continuity, even on Cybertron he had the name. Which doesn't make sense cause it's a species native to earth.
How do they get their names?

 

In Fortress Maximus's defense, he does turn into a really big city/building with lots of weapons, which is basically what a fortress is. Maximus is Latin for "the biggest". Considering that G1 Fort Max held the title for "largest Transformer toy ever" for something like 26 years, and a more modern toy of his is still the current record-holder (albeit only until that Unicron toy comes out), this seems fair. His name basically means "really big fortress", and he is, in fact, a really big fortress. So his name is less over-inflated ego and more a statement of fact.

 

I kind of like the Bumblebee approach were the character starts with a short sequence of letters and numbers for their name probably similar to serial number like a barcode and later take on a name either by themselves or given by their peers that represents their personality or fighting style like naming a knife fighting specialist Backstabber or Cutthroat maybe.

 

Why not all three.. They are named according to whomever is in power to name them in Hasbro, probably either on the engineering crew, or the developer?

No reason to overthink it as it's probably a question of a few guys sitting around and deciding "hey, what name would work for this toy?". And they go from there.

 

I've always delighted in the humorousness of that name. But of course a windbreaker is (typically brightly colored) light sports jacket, and he's a brightly colored sports car. I remember someone pointing out that the fart joke could also be a reference to he noise made by his alt-mode's supercharger.

The Transformers mythos has petro-rabbits, turbo-foxes, shrike bats, and Sharkticons, so I try to just roll with it.  

 

I would say yes, no and sometimes lol

look at your own examples

• Jazz: He likes music...But never seen actually listening to jazz

• Ratchet: Named after a medic....But also is a tool for repairing mechanical things
• 
  
• Mirage: Can disappear..... Which really isn’t the same thing as a Mirage

Windbreaker meant moving so fast you break the wind

How do you know the species of native to earth? Have you been to many other planets LOL

anyway if your going to question how he had the name on Cybertron why not question how they were all speaking perfect English?

or you could just consider that what we heard was the English translation of his Cybertron name

 

It literally depends on the character. Even in-series names come from multiple sources. I’m not sure what the actual question here is. Transformers, like people, or anything for that matter, can be named after anything they want, there’s no singular rule that must be abided by.

 

The name made more sense in his original bio, where his schtick was less invisibility per se and more "making illusions in general". Interestingly, this illusion-making ability actually made it into the cartoon in the episode "Masquerade", with Mirage using it to make a false face for the Autobots' phony Menasor.

 

Like I said it didn’t make sense with invisibility, I don’t recall that part of Masquerade being credited to Mirage

Do you have a quote or something

 

And now, for a Latin lesson no one asked for!
Ultra, in Latin, means "more". Magnus means "great". Thus, Ultra Magnus's name means, essentially, "More Great". Unlike Fortress Maximus, whose name is basically a statement of his existence and purpose, Ultra Magnus's name does suggest that he has a surplus of self-confidence, assuming he named himself.
On a similar note, Optimus is the Latin word for "best". Prime, among other things, means "of first importance, main" or "of the best quality, excellent". As other people have noted, his name basically means "Best First" or "Best One". Amusingly, and appropriately, Elita One, his female counterpart and love interest, has a name that basically means the same thing.

 

Sometimes they are.

 

Mirage can project a hologram of Menasor's face. This runs contrary to his usual schtick, which is invisibility. His original bio described him as being able to create "the illusion of a different appearance" for up to six minutes, but this is the only time it pops up in the cartoon (presumably because holograms were Hound's gimmick... though per the bio, Hound's great power is to create maps, and simple images on rare occasions.)
Masquerade - Transformers Wiki

 

Thanks
I just attributed that to windcharger holding up a prop head

 

I can see why. He was responsible for keeping them stuck together, and Mirage never displayed his illusion powers before or after that, so it's easy to miss.
Here's the relevant bit from Mirage's bio:
Mirage carries a rearmounted electro-disruptor which is able to interfere with the circuitry of an opponent by casting discrete packets of electrical charges at him. Hence, he never is situated where he seems to be when it is in use, and can even use the disrupter to give himself the illusion of a different physical appearance, which he can sustain for up to six minutes.

 

Ratchet is a mechanic.

What does Erector like to do?  

Does Skids have skid marks?  

 

Also similarly, "Rodimus" means "we eat", so Rodimus Prime is "We eat first"  

 

It does?

 

Guess Rodimus is a firm believer of eating three meals a day. One before every battle.

 

First person plural present active indicative of "rodo", one meaning of which is "to eat"