We are totally running out of names for stuff

[200sols]

OP clearly ran out of ideas for his username

 

[Domo]

I think I had one of those from HMRC. It went something like ‘click on http://737733-hdnnejdj-.monies.XT3738444.tax.ug to get your tax rebate’.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[h4rm0ny]

OP clearly ran out of ideas for his username

Perhaps they're from a Native American tribe.

You know... "These are my sons: Soaring Eagle, Running Elk, Swift Eagle... and Damp Cat. (I'm pretty sure he's not mine)".

 

[Ugley_Matt]

You remembered and recalled the name so it worked perfectly.

 

[DampCat]

It had a very specific meaning that I thought was hilarious when I was 16.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[200sols]

I thought it was a euphemism for exited female private parts

 

[DampCat]

I thought it was a euphemism for exited female private parts

...

 

[Devrij]

As is Orange and Blackberry.

Precisely. Arguably then, what you're called is largely irrelevant once you gain share of mind

 

[h4rm0ny]

I thought it was a euphemism for exited female private parts

Ohhhhh, you're right. I missed the obvious, crude joke.

Typical me.

 

[FoxEye]

You remembered and recalled the name so it worked perfectly.

People often say this, but if you remember them with bad thoughts and bad connotations; ie "what a stupid name for a stupid business", then surely just being remembered can't be a measure of success. Or the only measure.

 

[Orionaut]

I wonder if they knew what 'Kiki' means before choosing that name?

Again, this is part of the problem with globalization.

Marketers have to dream up an original, catchy, etc name for their product or service that doesn't also mean something Naff/Rude/outrageous in any of the 200 or so different languages of the people that you might be wanting to sell too.

This is not a new problem.

As I recall, RR ran into this problem with the classic model name "Silver Shadow". Funny name that isn't it? Doesn't really make sense as a name, so why did they pick it?

From what I read, they didn't, to begin with, It was originally supposed to be "Silver Mist" which actually makes a lot more sense as a name but means something not very nice in German, so they had to change the name for the export market.

More recently, it was a standing joke that the Toyota MR2 didn't sell particularly well in France!

And dont get started on Engrish/Chinglish

The problem there AIUI, is that for the East Asians. Having a long tradition of using a pictographic rather than alphabetical written language. The appearance of the word is as important (If not more important) than the actual meaning.

For some reason, from an artistic perspective, they find Anglo-Saxon potty-mouth 4 letter words really rather pleasing to the eye and will use them quite readily in signage without really having any concept of the meanings.

(Of course westerners do the same thing when having Arabic/Asian Tats that look nice but actually mean "I shag Goats" or whatever when translated into English)

 

[subbytna]

It's all **** marketing.

I swear, marketing depts are reserved a toasty spot in the 9th circle of hell.

Don't choose a career in marketing, kids. Only **** holes work in marketing.

yes yes yes 100%

Marketing is along side Estate agents and Politicians as the worst professions

 

[ScoTTyBEEE]

I avoided all naming problems with E’s. They get added until such time it is unique, my current record being 6 - although i think I also registered 5 and forgot.

Also don’t google google, it will break the internet.

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM

 

[Orionaut]

Success is being the name on everyone's lips, to the point where they cannot name a competitor, or the name becomes the byword for the thing it relates to.

I know many people who still hoover their carpet or crack the hoover out, for example, even if their Hoover™ is actually a Dyson™.

Its not quite that simple. Many marketing campaigns are trying to get close to that position but without actually getting there. When a campaign is so successful that the manufacturers name (say) becomes synonymous with the product/process rather than the manufacturer, it is actually counterproductive.

 

[FoxEye]

Success is being the name on everyone's lips, to the point where they cannot name a competitor, or the name becomes the byword for the thing it relates to.
I know many people who still hoover their carpet or crack the hoover out, for example, even if their Hoover™ is actually a Dyson™.

We all hoover the carpet.

That won't stop Hoover going bankrupt at some theoretical point in the future. And in a post-Hoover world we'd still hoover the carpet. With our Dysons or Mieles.

This is a gross over-simplification I think.

"I need a good hoover... any ideas?"
"Dyson is great!"
"Can't beat Miele."
"I like my Shark."

Clearly in this particular instance although hoover is now an accepted verb for cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, it doesn't really affect people's choices of vacuum cleaner at all.

In fact Hoover may even now be seen as an old-fashioned brand, with Dyson being thought of as "modern" and "innovative".

 

[Luke]

Just Googled that - International Business Machines. /edit - don't think I ever knew that. Or forgot!
Then proceeded to Google HAL - Heuristic ALgorithmic!

I was told years ago HAL was derived by moving each letter in IBM back one letter. Not sure if this was true or not but it seemed reasonable at the time!

 

[ttaskmaster]

NVM