Random startup tip #1: Picking a name

Random startup tip #1: Picking a name(blog.mattrubens.com)

8 points by matt 18 years ago | 6 comments

What I find more important now in retrospect is to agree upon a name as one of the first things when working together with someone. Not because the name is important, but because this will be the first decision where you can find out how good you will work together when you have an argument. If you can't decide on a name, work with someone else.

pg 18 years ago | |

This is a good point. We find it also works as a predictor of success at the level of whole startups. When a group is spending half their time agonizing over what to call themselves, that's probably a sign of deeper breakage.

mr_luc 18 years ago |

Is this a troll, or did the author not realize that urbandictionary isn't exactly a reliable resource?

The entry in urbandictionary for "googe" tries to be funny but is clearly fake.

I suppose it's technically possible for someone to name their startup something like "Blumpkn", but I'd say this is a non-issue.

It's a good idea to think about a word before buying it as a domain, but that's common sense.

matt 18 years ago | |

Fake meaning what? Doostang is just a ridiculous name regardless, but it might have served Google well to see if 'googe' had any other connotations (whether or not they're in Merriam/Webster) before putting it in a logo.

mr_luc 18 years ago | | |

First, the stem of the cherry was intended to be the L, but it's acknowledged that it doesn't look that way.

Secondly, "Googe" doesn't connote anything, unflattering or otherwise.

When I say fake, I mean that people try to invent new words on urbandictionary, and not words that people have ever used before. Don't believe me? Then just click a letter on urbandictionary and read the entries sequentially instead of by popularity.

To sum up: the examples used in the article are completely ineffective, but know what words mean before attaching them to the identity of your company.

donna 18 years ago | |

It's only common sense if your up-to-date on the current slang. A founder friend of mine from another generation chose the name, tawala - .. yikes.