HN Explorer

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

3 points by yeleti ↗ HN
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

7 comments

[ 3.7 ms ] story [ 29.3 ms ] thread
yeleti
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
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.

yeleti
Sorry, it should work now.
prateekj
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
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
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
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.