Some companies keep their names since their creation, but there are others that change names for a variety of reasons: to restore the company’s image, to open up internationally, and to choose names that are culture-friendly during mergers. . Or an acquisition… the focus is on companies that have set up shop and changed their names.
1 – Facebook → Meta
The firm’s boss Mark Zuckerberg announced during a Facebook Connect virtual event on Thursday, October 28, that the parent company would now be called “meta.” The founder chose “meta” – “beyond” in Ancient Greek – to show that there is “always more to build upon”. So Meta will bring together Oculus Virtual Reality Glass, along with the Facebook and Instagram social networks, Messenger and WhatsApp messaging.
2 – Google → Alphabet
In 2015, Google reorganized its operations by creating a parent company called Alphabet, to separate its profitable assets from the unprofitable parts of its business, such as the YouTube platform, self-driving car subsidiary Waymo, etc. This isn’t the first time Google has changed its name. In 1996, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin renamed their company BackRub.
3 – total → total energy
In February 2021, Patrick Poyne, CEO of Total, announced that the firm should change its name to TotalEnergies. Theoretically, by changing the name Total Energy does not commit to contributing to industrial policies that are more environmentally viable. The company’s last name change dates back to 2003, when TotalFinaElf became Total.
4 – covoiturage.fr → BlaBlaCar
Covoiturage.fr was created in 2004 in France by Frédéric MAZZELLA, then exported to other European countries under the name BlaBlaCar to facilitate its development in Europe. After an extensive survey of carpoolers and over 250 offers, the company chose “blabla + car”, hence BlablaCar! The entrepreneur wanted the new name to have only one vowel and be pronounced the same in all languages.
5 – Trips-SNCF → OUI.sncf
In 2017, after 17 years of existence, the French railway company Voyages-sncf decided to become Oui.sncf. This is above the company’s desire to standardize the various brands. The insertion of “yes” echoes the names of brands made by the company such as inoui (TGV), ouigo (low-cost TGV), oibus (coach) and oiCar (car rental between individuals).
6 – France Telecom → Orange
In February 2012, France Telecom fixed line changed its name to Orange, a British mobile telephone operator that was acquired by France Telecom in 2000. France Telecom is the current telecommunications operator in France. In response to a European directive and to reorganize the French telecommunications sector, the General Directorate of Telecommunications took the name France Telecom on 1 January 1988, headed by François Mitterrand.
7 – Verizon Media → Yahoo
In 2017, a year and a half after launch, Oath actually changed its name to Verizon Media Group. Verizon Media is the result of the merger of Yahoo and AOL and a partnership with Microsoft. It owns brands such as Yahoo, Techcrunch and Engadget, as well as proprietary edtech technologies (SSP and DSP). In November 2021, Verizon Media changed its name to Yahoo EMEA Limited.
8 – GDF Suez → Angie
Since April 24, 2015, the GDF Suez Group has given itself a new visual identity and a new name “Angie”. The group wanted to move away from its image of a “gas seller” to “mobilize all the energies”. It also marked its distance from the Suez brand as a result of the 2008 merger of GDF, Gaz de France, with the Suez Group.