diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index 062bb33..d611694 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ Consequently, by utilizing the schema generator:
 - you can comfortably modify any generated schema to support edge cases or differences in opinion not already supported by the library, as you fully manage the sql that was generated
 
 ### Inspiration
-- [Domain Driven Design](https://dddcommunity.org/learning-ddd/what_is_ddd/): domain driven design provides tools to define the Domain Model in a ubiquitous language (Entities, Value Objects, etc), which increase increases the maintainability and utility of the infrastructure you spend time building.
+- [Domain Driven Design](https://dddcommunity.org/learning-ddd/what_is_ddd/): domain driven design provides tools to define the Domain Model in a ubiquitous language (Entities, Literals, etc), which increase increases the maintainability and utility of the infrastructure you spend time building.
 - [Temporal Database Design](https://dba.stackexchange.com/a/114738/75296): temporal database design provides a way to optimally implement the "insert only" data lifecycle pattern, retaining the changes an entity goes through over time while also maintaining foreign keys, uniqueness constraints, and normalization.
 
 # Usage
@@ -72,9 +72,9 @@ Consequently, by utilizing the schema generator:
   ```ts
   // for example: in <root>/schema/entities.ts
 
-  import { Entity, prop, ValueObject } from '../module';
+  import { Entity, prop, Literal } from '../module';
 
-  const photo = new ValueObject({
+  const photo = new Literal({
     name: 'photo',
     properties: {
       url: prop.VARCHAR(),
diff --git a/src/contract/__test_assets__/domain.ts b/src/contract/__test_assets__/domain.ts
index 5cce9b2..57533dd 100644
--- a/src/contract/__test_assets__/domain.ts
+++ b/src/contract/__test_assets__/domain.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Event } from '../../domain';
-import { Entity, prop, ValueObject } from '../module';
+import { Entity, prop, Literal } from '../module';
 
-const photo = new ValueObject({
+const photo = new Literal({
   name: 'photo',
   properties: {
     url: prop.VARCHAR(255),
diff --git a/src/contract/module.ts b/src/contract/module.ts
index 992a184..fd14dbe 100644
--- a/src/contract/module.ts
+++ b/src/contract/module.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,6 @@ export {
   Entity,
   Event,
   Property,
-  ValueObject,
+  Literal,
 } from '../domain';
 export { prop } from '../logic/define';
diff --git a/src/domain/objects/Event.ts b/src/domain/objects/Event.ts
index 5dd4ca9..c7c7eca 100644
--- a/src/domain/objects/Event.ts
+++ b/src/domain/objects/Event.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { Property } from './Property';
 interface EventConstructorProps {
   name: string;
   properties: {
-    [index: string]: Omit<Property, 'updatable'>; // by definition, value objects are not updatable
+    [index: string]: Omit<Property, 'updatable'>; // by definition, literals are not updatable
   };
   unique: string[];
 }
diff --git a/src/domain/objects/ValueObject.test.ts b/src/domain/objects/Literal.test.ts
similarity index 77%
rename from src/domain/objects/ValueObject.test.ts
rename to src/domain/objects/Literal.test.ts
index 179d151..a19e073 100644
--- a/src/domain/objects/ValueObject.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/objects/Literal.test.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 import { DataTypeName } from '../constants';
 import { DataType } from './DataType';
+import { Literal } from './Literal';
 import { Property } from './Property';
-import { ValueObject } from './ValueObject';
 
-describe('ValueObject', () => {
+describe('Literal', () => {
   const type = new DataType({
     name: DataTypeName.VARCHAR,
     precision: 255,
   });
   it('should be possible to initialize with valid data', () => {
-    const address = new ValueObject({
+    const address = new Literal({
       name: 'address',
       properties: {
         name: new Property({
@@ -19,12 +19,12 @@ describe('ValueObject', () => {
         }),
       },
     });
-    expect(address).toBeInstanceOf(ValueObject);
+    expect(address).toBeInstanceOf(Literal);
   });
   it('should throw an error if the property is "updatable"', () => {
     try {
       // tslint:disable-next-line: no-unused-expression
-      new ValueObject({
+      new Literal({
         name: 'address',
         properties: {
           name: new Property({
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ describe('ValueObject', () => {
       throw new Error('should not reach here');
     } catch (error) {
       expect(error.message).toEqual(
-        'value objects can not have updateable properties, by definition',
+        'literals can not have updateable properties, by definition',
       );
     }
   });
diff --git a/src/domain/objects/ValueObject.ts b/src/domain/objects/Literal.ts
similarity index 71%
rename from src/domain/objects/ValueObject.ts
rename to src/domain/objects/Literal.ts
index 3639e6e..9dc5f0c 100644
--- a/src/domain/objects/ValueObject.ts
+++ b/src/domain/objects/Literal.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,18 @@ import { Entity } from './Entity';
 import { Property } from './Property';
 
 /*
-  turns out: Domain Value Objects, from a persistance perspective, are just like Domain Entities - except with more constraints:
+  turns out: Domain Literals, from a persistance perspective, are just like Domain Entities - except with more constraints:
     - i.e., no updatable values
     - i.e., it is unique on all properties
 */
-interface ValueObjectConstructorProps {
+interface LiteralConstructorProps {
   name: string;
   properties: {
-    [index: string]: Omit<Property, 'updatable'>; // by definition, value objects are not updatable
+    [index: string]: Omit<Property, 'updatable'>; // by definition, literals are not updatable
   };
 }
-export class ValueObject extends Entity {
-  constructor(props: ValueObjectConstructorProps) {
+export class Literal extends Entity {
+  constructor(props: LiteralConstructorProps) {
     // 1. check that all the properties are immutable; this shouldn't be allowed w/ type checking but lets run time validate it too
     const updateableProperties = Object.keys(props.properties).filter(
       (propertyName) => {
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ export class ValueObject extends Entity {
     );
     if (updateableProperties.length)
       throw new Error(
-        'value objects can not have updateable properties, by definition',
+        'literals can not have updateable properties, by definition',
       );
 
     // 2. define the unique condition automatically, as all properties
diff --git a/src/domain/objects/index.ts b/src/domain/objects/index.ts
index fff80e9..a3eea6a 100644
--- a/src/domain/objects/index.ts
+++ b/src/domain/objects/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 export { DataType } from './DataType';
 export { Property } from './Property';
 export { Entity, Properties } from './Entity';
-export { ValueObject } from './ValueObject';
+export { Literal } from './Literal';
 export { Event } from './Event';
diff --git a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema.integration.test.ts b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema.integration.test.ts
index 635be2d..1df1484 100644
--- a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema.integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema/generateAndRecordEntitySchema.integration.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../../domain';
 import * as prop from '../../../define/defineProperty';
 import { generateAndRecordEntitySchema } from './generateAndRecordEntitySchema';
 import { readFile } from './utils/fileIO';
 
 describe('generateAndRecordEntitySchema', () => {
   const targetDirPath = `${__dirname}/__test_assets__/generated`;
-  it('should record all resources for a value object (i.e., non updatable entity)', async () => {
-    const address = new ValueObject({
+  it('should record all resources for a literal (i.e., non updatable entity)', async () => {
+    const address = new Literal({
       name: 'address',
       properties: {
         street: prop.VARCHAR(255),
@@ -105,13 +105,13 @@ describe('generateAndRecordEntitySchema', () => {
     expect(viewCurrentSql).toContain('CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW');
   });
   it('should record all resources for an updatable entity with array properties', async () => {
-    const language = new ValueObject({
+    const language = new Literal({
       name: 'language',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255),
       },
     });
-    const producer = new ValueObject({
+    const producer = new Literal({
       name: 'producer',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255),
diff --git a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/normalizeDeclarationContents.test.ts b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/normalizeDeclarationContents.test.ts
index 180f139..389c7be 100644
--- a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/normalizeDeclarationContents.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/normalizeDeclarationContents.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../../domain';
 import { prop } from '../../../define';
 import { normalizeDeclarationContents } from './normalizeDeclarationContents';
 import { throwErrorIfAnyReservedPropertyNamesAreUsed } from './throwErrorIfAnyReservedPropertyNamesAreUsed';
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ describe('normalizeDeclarationContents', () => {
       );
     }
   });
-  it('throw an error if entities are not all of class Entity or ValueObject', () => {
+  it('throw an error if entities are not all of class Entity or Literal', () => {
     const contents = { entities: ['not an Entity'] };
     try {
       normalizeDeclarationContents({ contents });
@@ -101,12 +101,12 @@ describe('normalizeDeclarationContents', () => {
       entity: exampleEntity,
     });
   });
-  it('should return the entities and value objects found in the contents', () => {
-    const plant = new ValueObject({
+  it('should return the entities and literals found in the contents', () => {
+    const plant = new Literal({
       name: 'plant',
       properties: { genus: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
-    const vase = new ValueObject({
+    const vase = new Literal({
       name: 'vase',
       properties: { plants: prop.ARRAY_OF(prop.REFERENCES(plant)) },
     });
@@ -131,12 +131,12 @@ describe('normalizeDeclarationContents', () => {
     // check that we return everything as expected
     expect(entities).toEqual([plant, vase, customer, order]);
   });
-  it('should return the entities and value objects found in the contents - when specified with the generateSqlSchemasFor syntax', () => {
-    const plant = new ValueObject({
+  it('should return the entities and literals found in the contents - when specified with the generateSqlSchemasFor syntax', () => {
+    const plant = new Literal({
       name: 'plant',
       properties: { genus: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
-    const vase = new ValueObject({
+    const vase = new Literal({
       name: 'vase',
       properties: { plants: prop.ARRAY_OF(prop.REFERENCES(plant)) },
     });
diff --git a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/throwErrorIfNamingConventionsNotFollowed/throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix.test.ts b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/throwErrorIfNamingConventionsNotFollowed/throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix.test.ts
index be9faae..a6fc87b 100644
--- a/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/throwErrorIfNamingConventionsNotFollowed/throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/compose/generateSchema/normalizeDeclarationContents/throwErrorIfNamingConventionsNotFollowed/throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../../../domain';
 import { prop } from '../../../../define';
 import { throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix } from './throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix';
 
 describe('throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix', () => {
   it('should throw an error if property references another but does not have correct name', () => {
-    const photo = new ValueObject({
+    const photo = new Literal({
       name: 'photo',
       properties: { url: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ describe('throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix', () => {
     }
   });
   it('should throw an error if an array property references another but does not have correct name', () => {
-    const photo = new ValueObject({
+    const photo = new Literal({
       name: 'photo',
       properties: { url: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ describe('throwErrorIfAnyReferencePropertyDoesNotHaveExplicitSuffix', () => {
     }
   });
   it('should not throw an error for an entity with correctly named reference properties', () => {
-    const photo = new ValueObject({
+    const photo = new Literal({
       name: 'photo',
       properties: { url: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
diff --git a/src/logic/define/defineProperty.test.ts b/src/logic/define/defineProperty.test.ts
index 824e29d..8d8cedb 100644
--- a/src/logic/define/defineProperty.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/define/defineProperty.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { DataTypeName, Entity, Property, ValueObject } from '../../domain';
+import { DataTypeName, Entity, Property, Literal } from '../../domain';
 import * as prop from './defineProperty';
 
 describe('generateProperty', () => {
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe('generateProperty', () => {
     });
   });
   it('should throw an error if entity REFERENCES_VERSION of a non-updatable entity', () => {
-    const apple = new ValueObject({
+    const apple = new Literal({
       name: 'apple',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255), // e.g., Granny Smith
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/generateEntityUpsert.integration.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/generateEntityUpsert.integration.test.ts
index d552ff8..115f5df 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/generateEntityUpsert.integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/generateEntityUpsert.integration.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { pg as prepare } from 'yesql';
 import { normalizeCreateFunctionDdl } from '../../../../__nonpublished_modules__/postgres-show-create-ddl/showCreateFunction/normalizeCreateFunctionDdl';
 import { getShowCreateFunction } from '../../../../__test_utils__/getShowCreateFunction';
 import { uuid as uuidV4 } from '../../../../deps';
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../../domain';
 import * as prop from '../../../define/defineProperty';
 import {
   createTablesForEntity,
@@ -444,13 +444,13 @@ describe('generateEntityUpsert', () => {
   });
 
   describe('entity with array properties', () => {
-    const language = new ValueObject({
+    const language = new Literal({
       name: 'language',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(),
       },
     });
-    const producer = new ValueObject({
+    const producer = new Literal({
       name: 'producer',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(),
@@ -1138,10 +1138,10 @@ describe('generateEntityUpsert', () => {
       },
       unique: ['make', 'model', 'year'],
     });
-    const crashReport = new ValueObject({
+    const crashReport = new Literal({
       name: 'crash_report',
       properties: {
-        location_id: prop.BIGINT(), // this should reference a real "location" value object, but for this example lets just leave it as a bigint
+        location_id: prop.BIGINT(), // this should reference a real "location" literal, but for this example lets just leave it as a bigint
         vehicle_version_id: prop.REFERENCES_VERSION(vehicle), // reference the specific vehicle version, as maybe a software glitch is causing the crashes
       },
     });
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition.test.ts
index dc17ccd..a599108 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { ValueObject } from '../../../../../domain';
+import { Literal } from '../../../../../domain';
 import { prop } from '../../../../define';
 import { castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition } from './castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition';
 
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ describe('castPropertyToFunctionInputDefinition', () => {
     expect(definition).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
   it('should define the definition accurately for an array property', () => {
-    const tag = new ValueObject({
+    const tag = new Literal({
       name: 'tag',
       properties: { name: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
     });
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional.test.ts
index 693ecc6..3d33bb5 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityFunctions/generateEntityUpsert/utils/castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../../../domain';
 import { prop } from '../../../../define';
 import { castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional } from './castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional';
 
 describe('castPropertyToWhereClauseConditional', () => {
-  const user = new ValueObject({
+  const user = new Literal({
     name: 'user',
     properties: { name: prop.VARCHAR(255) },
   });
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.integration.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.integration.test.ts
index d23ecb1..733292f 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.integration.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import {
   getDatabaseConnection,
 } from '../../../__test_utils__/databaseConnection';
 import { getShowCreateTable } from '../../../__test_utils__/getShowCreateTable';
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../domain';
 import * as prop from '../../define/defineProperty';
 import { createTablesForEntity, dropTablesForEntity } from '../__test_utils__';
 import { generateEntityTables } from './generateEntityTables';
@@ -170,13 +170,13 @@ describe('generateEntityTables', () => {
     expect(createVersionTable).toEqual(tables.version!.sql); // should be the exact string
   });
   it('generates tables for an entity with array properties (both updatable and static) and unique on one array, w/ the same syntax as show create', async () => {
-    const photo = new ValueObject({
+    const photo = new Literal({
       name: 'photo',
       properties: {
         url: prop.VARCHAR(255),
       },
     });
-    const host = new ValueObject({
+    const host = new Literal({
       name: 'host',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255),
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.test.ts
index b2ec60e..2b6fadb 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityTables/generateEntityTables.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../domain';
 import * as prop from '../../define/defineProperty';
 import { generateEntityTables } from './generateEntityTables';
 import { generateMappingTablesForArrayProperties } from './generateMappingTablesForArrayProperties';
@@ -88,13 +88,13 @@ describe('generateEntityTables', () => {
     );
   });
   it('should generateMappingTablesForArrayProperties for the array properties only', () => {
-    const language = new ValueObject({
+    const language = new Literal({
       name: 'language',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255),
       },
     });
-    const producer = new ValueObject({
+    const producer = new Literal({
       name: 'producer',
       properties: {
         name: prop.VARCHAR(255),
diff --git a/src/logic/generate/entityViews/generateEntityCurrentView.integration.test.ts b/src/logic/generate/entityViews/generateEntityCurrentView.integration.test.ts
index b5def34..fd686e7 100644
--- a/src/logic/generate/entityViews/generateEntityCurrentView.integration.test.ts
+++ b/src/logic/generate/entityViews/generateEntityCurrentView.integration.test.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   getDatabaseConnection,
 } from '../../../__test_utils__/databaseConnection';
 import { uuid } from '../../../deps';
-import { Entity, ValueObject } from '../../../domain';
+import { Entity, Literal } from '../../../domain';
 import * as prop from '../../define/defineProperty';
 import { createTablesForEntity, dropTablesForEntity } from '../__test_utils__';
 import { dropAndCreateUpsertFunctionForEntity } from '../__test_utils__/dropAndCreateUpsertForEntity';
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ describe('generateEntityViewCurrent', () => {
       });
     });
     describe('with array properties', () => {
-      const lock = new ValueObject({
+      const lock = new Literal({
         name: 'door_lock',
         properties: {
           manufacturer: prop.VARCHAR(255),
           manufacturerId: prop.VARCHAR(255),
         },
       });
-      const door = new ValueObject({
+      const door = new Literal({
         name: 'door',
         properties: {
           color: prop.ENUM(['red', 'green', 'blue']),
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ describe('generateEntityViewCurrent', () => {
       });
     });
     describe('with array properties', () => {
-      const wheel = new ValueObject({
+      const wheel = new Literal({
         name: 'wheel',
         properties: {
           name: prop.VARCHAR(255),