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Net Startups Go Gaga Over Silly Company Names

New web companies follow Google's example and embrace goofy monikers

By Wesley Oliver,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 29, 2007 2:19 PM CDT
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(Newser) – 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.”

Lala.com business developer John Kuch poses next to a company poster at his office in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, June 4, 2007. Entrepreneurs behind Silicon Valley startup Lala.com hope to transform the CD-swapping site into a music portal where members can download songs directly to their iPods, bypassing...
Lala.com business developer John Kuch poses next to a company poster at his office in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, June 4, 2007. Entrepreneurs behind Silicon Valley startup Lala.com hope to transform the...   (Associated Press)
Lala.com business developer John Kuch poses next to a huge CD collection at his office in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, June 4, 2007. Entrepreneurs behind Silicon Valley startup Lala.com hope to transform the CD-swapping site into a music portal where members can download songs directly to their iPods,...
Lala.com business developer John Kuch poses next to a huge CD collection at his office in Palo Alto, Calif., Monday, June 4, 2007. Entrepreneurs behind Silicon Valley startup Lala.com hope to transform...   (Associated Press)
Silicon Valley Newtech Meetup - Guy Kawasaki, Truemors and Garage.com
Silicon Valley Newtech Meetup - Guy Kawasaki, Truemors and Garage.com   ((c) b_d_solis)
Two women walk past a Google sign at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, July 17, 2007. Google Inc. is expected to release quarterly earnings on Thursday, July 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Two women walk past a Google sign at the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif., Tuesday, July 17, 2007. Google Inc. is expected to release quarterly earnings on Thursday, July 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Jeff...   (Associated Press)
A Google sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. in this April 19, 2007 file photo. Google Inc. is seeking help from the U.S. government to fight the rise of Web censorship worldwide. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, file)
A Google sign is posted at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. in this April 19, 2007 file photo. Google Inc. is seeking help from the U.S. government to fight the rise of Web censorship worldwide....   (Associated Press)
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Yahoo • Google • Internet • Silicon Valley • eBay • Squidoo • Xoopit • startup

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