The importance of naming services online is that it helps users find and understand what the service does. A well-chosen name can also help to build trust and credibility with potential users. When we look back and see some of the changes in naming conventions for popular services, its hard to understand the logic of the naming as it caused confusion or even enabled a new attack vector that could be exploit. What I noticed is that some of the biggest brands tend to make biggest flops so lets do some research.,
Google Registry has launched some of the most popular top-level domains, such as .app and .dev. Then, they adding eight new extensions to the internet: .dad, .phd, .prof, .esq, .foo, .zip, .mov and .nexus. To point out is .ZIP domain which is same as the extension for the popular compression format. With this Google enabled wide range of attack vectors and new phishing campaign.
Another good example is Microsoft, top dog of the name changing, removed Azure remote desktop app from their store and replaced it with Windows App…Funny thing is, if you try to google this application, you will get random results. Reason for that is because most people would say for Windows app to be any app for windows platform and Microsoft is branding it as Windows app which then returns random link with sites, forums, groups mentioning it.
Microsoft also announced another major change about rebranding Microsoft 365 to Microsoft 365 Copilot. Then, it wants to change the Microsoft Copilot name for Entra account users to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. All in all, it wants to change the name of the app and its AI chat assistant service for Enterprise customers.
Twitter underwent a drastic rebranding under its new owner, Elon Musk. The iconic blue bird logo was replaced with a simple “X,” and the platform’s name was changed accordingly. This move was met with widespread confusion and criticism, with many users questioning the rationale behind the change and lamenting the loss of a beloved brand.
Instagram: In 2016, Instagram changed its logo from a retro camera to a colorful gradient icon. While the new logo was visually appealing, it was a significant departure from the brand’s original identity and sparked criticism from users who felt it was too generic.
Before making a decision to change a service name, it’s important to carefully consider the potential risks and benefits and conduct thorough market research to ensure the new name resonates with the target audience and aligns with the company’s overall brand strategy. It is obvious that these companies ignored all best practice just to fit requirement and thus making confusion and vulnerabilities.