Net Startups Go Gaga Over Silly Company Names

Following in the Google tradition of using a goofy name to stand out from the Silicon Valley pack, a new generation of internet startups is sporting wacky monikers that may rile investors and confuse consumers. Young companies resort to names like Tagtooga and Qoosa to carve out unique identities and snap up domains that aren’t already taken.

Entrepreneurs say the days of vanilla company names are over, the LA Times reports. “Made-up words don't come with psychological baggage,” says one analyst—but they may come with multimillion-dollar losses for investors if the names don’t work. With the likes of Xobni, Wakoopa, and Lala in the mix, one expert complains, “You cannot possibly remember one from another.” (More Google stories.)