How We Name Our Products

In growing companies, decisions about naming products and features are often treated lightly, but a poorly chosen name can weaken brand strength and cause confusion.

The first principle is to harmonize with the brand and set appropriate expectations. Names that clearly indicate they are a sub-concept of the brand, like Google Photos or Google Maps, are effective. In contrast, Tesla's Autopilot is cited as a case that causes confusion by making users overly expect the product's performance.

Replit recently changed the name Ghostwriter to Replit AI. The previous name caused misunderstanding that AI would write code on the user's behalf, but in reality it was a tool that helped complete code. By changing the name, the company clarified that AI is the product's core function and increased consistency with the brand.

The second principle is to use realistic names rather than fantastical ones. Flashy names that reflect a founder's excitement may attract initial attention, but if there is a large gap from the product's actual functionality, there is a risk of instilling incorrect expectations in users.