In case someone reads this comment and wonders what the actual names of this aircraft are:
The official name is the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. It comes in three variants:
* F-35A (Conventional TakeOff/Landing - CTOL)
* F-35B (Short TakeOff/Vertical Landing - STOVL)
* F-35C (Carrier Variant - CV)
While an unofficial nickname hasn't solidly grabbed on, I think, given that USAF Fighter Weapons School calls it the "Panther", that will probably be what holds at least in the US.
To give a serious answer, as in a stealthy animal that stalks its prey unseen until the final, decisive moment and then can exit the situation with haste.