HN Explorer

Could someone advise a new name for my Pinterest app?

3 points by paulyan ↗ HN
I am the developer of "EasyPin for Pinterest"(an iPad app: http://itunes.apple.com/cn/app/easypin-for-pinterest/id525296621?l=en&mt=8). It offers unique value for user to pin images without leaving the page he is browsing, also can user pin a Pinerly campaign. However, I received from Pinterest legal team that we can't use 'Pin' in our product name:

"In addition to Pinterest’s use of the word “Pinterest” to represent its services since March 2010, Pinterest also coined ‘Pin’ terminology for posting images in the social networking context and uses ‘Pin’ and ‘Pin it’ as brands to refer to Pinterest’s service."

So I need a new name for the app. I considered "EasyCuration for Pinterst", "EasyDo for Pinterst", "EasyPost for Pinterest", but sounds nor perfect. Could someone advise a name, or how to deal with this case with Pinterest?

Thanks,

29 comments

[ 7.0 ms ] story [ 46.3 ms ] thread
willthefirst
Pintereasy.

You can send me a cake of your choosing.

paulyan
Thanks willthefirst, 'Pin' is still in the name, can we make one without "Pin"? From past communication, it seems useless to explain to Pinterest "this has nothing to do with Pinterest"...

BTW, i'm definitely happy to send a cake to anyone that offers the name.

Juniper
NipIt
paulyan
Thanks @Juniper, "Nip" is a good alternative of "Pin" I guess
JacobAldridge
EasyPeasy for Pinterest? Keeps the E-P theme.

EasyFast for Pinterest? Fast can mean both quick and attach, as in 'fasten a pin'.

paulyan
@JacobAldridge Both sounds good, and I +1 for EasyFast as it's easy to read and recognize (Peasy looks not a common word?)
JacobAldridge
Yes, Peasy is a bit of slang so there's no accepted spelling (Peasy, Peasey, Peesie?) which makes it tough if you want people to search for it.
HarrietJones
How about "thumbtacks". (or thumbtack)

You're keeping the reference (albeit obliquely) to pinning things and you're referencing thumbs (which people use for browsing and clicking on the iPad)

HarrietJones
There's also a few synonyms you could use:

brooch, barrette, bobbin

paulyan
Thanks @HarrietJones, "tack" sounds good, i'll make a decision in 1 hour
mikecane
Pinster. But if you can't use Pin, how about Stick? Sticker? Stickster? Stickr? Or even Pnster or Pnstr.
paulyan
Thanks @mikecane, i guess "Stick(er)" is good, i will balance the options and make a decision soon.
repsilat
"Push for Pinterest" gives you some nice alliteration, and I think it works well metaphorically - pins ("push-pins") are pushed into walls, and (more abstractly) the pictures are pushed to Pinterest's servers. I don't use Pinterest, so forgive me if this steps on their toes too.

(I'm a sucker for words ending in -ush. "Rush", "lush", "hush", "mush", "gush", they're all so evocative.)

paulyan
Thanks @repsilat, "Push" or "Post" are seen used more for Facebook as they have the wall, while for Pinterest, the used verb is 'Pin'.
repsilat
Perhaps "Pop"? Still fun, still alliterative, and it keeps some relevance to "pin".

It might be more of a stretch to tie the name to the product, of course, but if you said (of a photo) that you'd "pop it on pinterest" in a few places it might catch.

anujkk
tinip? Just kidding. Here are some other names that come to my mind : EasyGlue, GlueIt, StickIt, EasyStick, peenit, peenrr, peenapp.
paulyan
'tinip' is very creative, if people can understand it correctly
russtrpkovski
Are you still allowed use the word Pinterest in your app name?
paulyan
Yes, they allow "xxxx for Pinterest"
russtrpkovski
Would it make sense to lead with "Pinterest for xxx". Would the order of the words have an impact on search results placement?
paulyan
Thanks for all your advices. So far I think "EasyFast" could be my favorite. As "Pin" is used as verb to represent the action to publish a photo, so i'm hesitating to use another verb like 'Push', 'Tack', 'Stick', 'Peen'. They might be new to users.

EasyFast uses two adjectives. It's independent of what action is done, so we can avoid using "Pin". And I like the meaning of "Fast" to indicate "fasten"

This is so far the option i favor of. Thanks for all your help to think about this. And i'm open to new advices. I hope to get the perfect name, and if you guys can help trying the app and send comments (paul_yan@pinssible.com), i would appreciate.

WiseWeasel
I'd change it to Easynip to minimize the pain of transition, but whatever you end up going with, don't forget to milk this for every scrap of media coverage you can get.
paulyan
thanks WiseWeasel, EasyNip is very close to easypin. are you also developing apps?
paulyan
Hi WiseWease, Thanks very much for your suggestion, we decide to use EasyNip as the new name.

If you like, you can send your correspondence address to my personal email (paul_yan@pinssible.com), as i promised, i'l send a gift to you :-)

WiseWeasel
I'm glad you liked it. I don't need any gifts, but I appreciate the sentiment.

You might be able to get some free media coverage if you make a blog post explaining that Pinterest is forcing you to change your name, maybe include the relevant text of the C&D they sent over, indicate a possible loss of business and customers, and give it a title like "Pinterest Claims To Own The Word 'Pin'". Then email tech bloggers and media publications and hope they pick up your story. Everyone loves a good David vs. Goliath story.

sadow
Why don't you take some ideas and test the market using Google Consumer Surveys?

Don't feel pressured to determine what the market wants/likes, ask them.

www.google.com/insights/consumersurveys

paulyan
thanks sadow, sounds very interesting. i l try it
paulyan
Hey guys, we decide to use 'EasyNip'. Thanks for all of your suggestions :-)