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How 6 Memorable Tech Companies Got Their Names

Posted by samzenpus on from the what's-in-a-name? dept.

itwbennett writes "If Larry Page and Sergey Brin had stuck with the first name for their search engine, we'd be 'BackRubbing' instead of Googling. But the fun doesn't stop there. The unforgettable Go Daddy was first saddled with the eminently Seussian moniker 'Jomax Technologies.' And as for Yahoo!... its original name just rolled off the tongue: 'Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web.'"

22 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Apple? by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Sure, I probably need to RTFA, but I think maybe this is in apple.slashdot.org just because a quota needed filling.

  2. Make or break names by CarpetShark · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If Larry Page and Sergey Brin had stuck with the first name for their search engine, we'd be 'BackRubbing' instead of Googling.

    No, we'd be using something else.

    1. Re:Make or break names by pz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If Larry Page and Sergey Brin had stuck with the first name for their search engine, we'd be 'BackRubbing' instead of Googling.

      No, we'd be using something else.

      Quite likely AltaVista.

      --

      Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
    2. Re:Make or break names by StikyPad · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No, we'd be using something else.

      Doubtful.. names don't seem to help or hurt at all. Few people knew what a googol was before Google, and most people probably still don't.

      Of course, if the name BackRub had been selected, we'd all be "rubbing one out" right now and talking about the new InstaRub feature.

      So... pretty much no change at all.

      --
      https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
    3. Re:Make or break names by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Names don't make much of a difference if they are pronounceable and don't have unintended second meanings.

      If it were called Akfarlopagop, I'd get tired of typing that and feel like an idiot when trying to tell someone about it....and they would likely misspell it. And it's not like they can use google to look up Akfarlopagop because....google would be it.

      Or if it were called Smallwinky. You should smallwinky that. Let me smallwinky that for you.

      Names make a difference, it's just really hard to notice it until you take it to the more extreme/foolish names.

      Google is easy to spell when you hear it.....and not so hard to pronounce that you'd have a lot of people saying it differently.

  3. Jomax! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The unforgettable Go Daddy was first saddled with the eminently Seussian moniker 'Jomax Technologies.'

    Why didn't they use that? That's a way better name. I can't stand the name "Go Daddy". It's reason enough not to deal with them (although there are plenty of others).

  4. If I named my business after my first website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It would be called 127.0.0.1

  5. Bite out of the apple by LinuxGrrl · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Aw damn I had it told to me that the origin of "Apple" and specifically its logo was a coded reference/tribute to Alan Turing and his chosen method of suicide... Especially seeing as originally it was in rainbow colours...

    1. Re:Bite out of the apple by PCM2 · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's a reference to how you start out in a walled garden, but they kick you out as soon as you do something they don't like, even though you never understood the rules.

      --
      Breakfast served all day!
    2. Re:Bite out of the apple by acid06 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      This post should be modded Insightful, not Funny.
      Brilliant, sir.

  6. Some stories about GoDaddy on Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Some stories about GoDaddy on Slashdot, in order by date:
    Go Daddy Usurps Network Solutions (2005-05-04)
    GoDaddy Serves Blank Pages to Safari & Opera (2005-12-08)
    GoDaddy.com Dumps Linux for Microsoft (2006-03-23)
    GoDaddy Holds Domains Hostage (2006-06-17)
    GoDaddy Caves To Irish Legal Threat (2006-09-16)
    MySpace and GoDaddy Shut Down Security Site (2007-01-26) That incident prompted this web site:
    Exposing the Many Reasons Not to Trust GoDaddy with Your Domain Names.
    Alternative Registrars to GoDaddy? (2007-02-03)
    GoDaddy Bobbles DST Changeover? (2007-03-11)
    850K RegisterFly Domains Moved To GoDaddy (2007-05-29)
    According to this March 11, 2008 story in Wired, GoDaddy shut down an entire web site of 250,000 pages because of one archived mailing list comment: GoDaddy Silences Police-Watchdog Site RateMyCop.com. See below for Slashdot's story about RateMyCop.com.
    GoDaddy Silences RateMyCop.com (2008-03-12)
    ICANN Moves Against GoDaddy Domain Lockdowns (2008-04-08)
    GoDaddy VP Caught Bidding Against Customers (2008-06-29)

    Those are just the stories until July of 2008.

  7. one page version by Aoet_325 · · Score: 4, Informative
    http://www.itworld.com/print/119860

    Can articles please link to these by default already?

  8. So if it wasn't for Google... by dclozier · · Score: 3, Funny

    Rub one out would have a whole new meaning for ./

    1. Re:So if it wasn't for Google... by sharkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      Or a function that allows you to look over your post before submitting it. A "Preview", as it were.

      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  9. Naming a company today ... by perpenso · · Score: 3, Insightful

    1. Register a domain. The most difficult step.
    2. Check for trademarks yourself.
    3. Pay an attorney to check for trademarks. They will find conflicts that you never imagined and that you disagree with, however they understand the trademark office better than you.
    4. Now create that s-corp, llc, etc.

    and of course it has to be added:

    5. ?
    6. Profit!

  10. The most important internet company ever by retardpicnic · · Score: 3, Funny

    HOMER
    Oh, what am I gonna call my Internet company? All the good names are taken. Oh wait, I've got it! Flancrest Enterprises! (looks in a book) D'oh!

    MARGE
    What exactly is it your company does again?

    HOMER
    This industry moves so fast it's really hard to tell. That's why I need a name that's cutting-edge, like CutCo, EdgeCom, InterSlice... come on, Marge, you're good at these! Help me out!

    MARGE
    How about... CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet?

    HOMER
    Fine, it's not important... What really matters is my title. I think I'll make myself... vice president. (excitedly) No, wait! Junior vice president!

    The phone rings, and Homer answers it.

    HOMER
    CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet, junior vice president Homer Simpson speaking, how may I direct your call? (disappointedly) It's Patty.

    Homer hands the phone to Marge.

    --
    sig loading.......
  11. Asus by AfroTrance · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Do people pronounce this 'a-suhs' or 'a-zoos'? I pronounce it the first way. I've heard people use the second way. If it is from 'Pegasus', then the first way would be correct.

  12. Atari by ArcadeNut · · Score: 2, Insightful

    They were originally going to be called " Syzygy".

    Talk about dodging a bullet...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari

    --
    Visit the Arcade Restoration Workshop @ http://www.arcaderestoration.com
  13. Soroc by scatter_gather · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Soroc Technologies was an early intelligent (well, ok, dumb) terminal company, started back in 1981. Well, they were smart enough to put the cursor where you wanted and do a few other tricks. Anyway, the name came from a night of drinking beer and trying to think up a new company name. They were drinking Coors at the time, and decided that an anagram of Coors would fit the bill. The company still exists, see www.soroc.com, and check out the company logo. Yes, it is the top of the beer can.

    This was related to me one night over dinner by the company founder.

  14. Microsoft by fearlezz · · Score: 5, Funny

    I heard "Microsoft" was suggested by bill gates' first girlfriend... in bed.

    --
    .sig: No such file or directory
    1. Re:Microsoft by AfroTrance · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I don't believe that for one second. How did he get a girlfriend before Microsoft made him a crapload of cash?

    2. Re:Microsoft by AfroTrance · · Score: 2, Funny

      I stand corrected. That is making me Macrohard.