I hesitate to admit that, actually. I chose the name Voxate while trawling through emails at my previous job, chomping at the bit to get out from behind my desk and do what my heart hankered after. I thought of lots of names and friends put their suggestions in too. There were ones like iWrite (this was 10 years ago, it was really original then, which is why I remembered it), Amelia’s Fantastic Writing (not really, but something along those lines), acronyms, and so on. But, the agency at which I was working had been busy putting a film together for a massive corporate entity and had been collecting vox-pops – quick clips interviewing random people on the streets to hear their opinions.
Vox. Voice.
I mean, that’s really what I was doing. Giving voice to a brand or product that had something to share. I still like the idea and the theory. But, the thing is, no-one else knows what it means. It has no relevance to them. So, I’m constantly needing to explain the name and spell it out (“V for voluptuous”).
And that’s precisely opposite to what I always advise clients. Don’t choose a name that people can’t pronounce / spell / identify with. You want your name to stand out, stick with them, and be easy to remember.
I don’t know what I’ll do about it. I love the name, I have a domain, and the last 10 years have some amazing memories for me. But, maybe it’s time for a change.
