Ask HN: Should we change the name of our startup?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6572647

by yeleti • 13 years ago

3 7 13 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

We are www.tesla.im - an encrypted messaging service for teams. We are named after the brilliant scientist Nikola Tesla. People confuse our name with the more famous Tesla Motors.

Should we change our name? Please tell us here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uERhq0A9GIRMaIDh8AtAw8_ZHGtUSpNiZbXK6xt56rE/viewform

yeleti2• 13 years ago

We are https://www.tesla.im - an encrypted messaging service for teams. We are named after the brilliant scientist Nikola Tesla. People confuse our name with the more famous Tesla Motors.

Should we change our name? Please tell us here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uERhq0A9GIRMaIDh8AtAw8_ZHGt...

deanly• 13 years ago

ahem.

tesla.im survey.

The form "tesla.im survey." is no longer accepting responses. Try contacting the owner of the form if you think this is a mistake.

yeleti2• 13 years ago

Sorry, it should work now.

prateekj• 13 years ago

Yes, you should definitely change your name. These things always come back and bite you in the future. I just submitted my answer in that form.

patmcc• 13 years ago

Do you want to ever show up in search results when people google your company name? If yes, then yeah, you should change it. I wouldn't even worry about trademark issues or brand confusion, just visibility.

timhargis• 13 years ago

Absolutely. Tesla is very well known and is not a common word that you can brand in your space and develop over time like the word "Square." People will always think of the car dealer.

artas_bartas• 13 years ago

Having a name like that is very bad, because a) you will be forever trailing on the 6473th page of Google Search results and b) it will be difficult to grow a meaningful brand around a name, which already has such a strong emotional charge.

If I were you, I would definitely rethink the name.

Ask HN: Should we change the name of our startup?

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