Web 2.0 Naming
on 12.07.07, 07:33am in weblog • Comments (4)
[Steve Pogue] These days, startups take the lazy way out: they choose goofy-sounding nonsense words. They think they’re being clever by being unclever.
These are all actual Web sites that have hit the Web in the last year or so: Doostang. Wufoo. Bliin. Thoof. Bebo. Meebo. Meemo. Kudit. Raketu. Etelos. Iyogi. Oyogi. Qoop. Fark. Kijiji. Zixxo. Zoogmo.
These startups think that these names will stick in our minds because they’re so offbeat, but they’re wrong. Actually, all those twentysomething entrepreneurs are ensuring that we won’t remember them. Those names all blend together into a Dr. Seuss 2.0 jumble.
I know, I promised never to mention Web 2.0 here. I’m just so freaking tired in the unfounded hype that is Web 2.0.
Raketu Support (December 8, 2007 @ 8:33 am)
The word Raketu (pronounce ra-ke-tu) is a declension form of the Czech word “rocket”. The sound of the word is also similar to pronunciation of the word “rocket” in Russian and Japanese. Please note that the word Raketu is NOT a mambo jumbo word. We chose this name not only because the visionary behind Raketu, G. Parker, is an astrophysicist, but also Raketu software will take communications and media the way we know it to another level.
Sincerely
The Raketu Team
Gabri (December 10, 2007 @ 8:26 am)
Couldn’t agree more. Never did understand why startups go for those goofy names. As if ten years later anyone will remember something like… uhm… say Google.
Of course, it could have something to do with the quality of the product served as well…
Michael (December 10, 2007 @ 1:51 pm)
It’s like that Elton John song, Raketu Man, but taken to another level!
mattbg (December 14, 2007 @ 6:37 am)
It’s definitely true… a lot of people can’t remember what site does what, even if they remember the name. And they often get the name wrong when they try to remember it because it doesn’t make any sense.
It’s a logical fallacy of composition.
To the Raketu team: it doesn’t matter if it’s a mumbo jumbo word or not: it sounds like one; I can’t remember it amidst the other similar names; and I can’t associate it with a service. It’s nice that *you* understand what it means; but I don’t.