Boeing Co. officials said today they’re changing the name of their newest jet to the 787.

“It is a continuation of our proud tradition of 7-series airplanes,” said Mike Bair, the vice president in charge of the program.

Boeing officials have hinted that they intended to replace the “E” in 7E7 with a number, continuing a tradition that stretches back to the 707 at the dawn of the jet age. However, it wasn’t a clear-cut decision, given all the recognition the 7E7 name had generated.

But on Friday, Bair said that Boeing had “always intended to change the 7E7 to a numerical designation.”

With China making a major order — and 8 being a lucky number in China — “this looked like a wonderful opportunity to make that switch.”