On Mon, 5 Sep 1994, Peter M. Weiss +1 814 863 1843 wrote:
> It is my understanding (urban legend?) that large multinational
> companies check their acroynms for their company and products
> to make sure they don't mean something "nasty" in other languages.
>
> Did "Exxon" change their names from "Esso" because of that?
 
It's true.  Exxon came about because they wanted to combine the names
used in different areas of the country (Enco, Esso, Humble) some of
which had unfortunate meanings in other languages.  They did a
multimillion dollar study to come up with a new name that meant
nothing in any language.  Unfortunately, they missed an obscure
language (in Africa, I think) in which the new name meant something
nasty.  I remember the reports in the papers of the time, first
about how proud they were of their new name and how much work went
into it and then how embarassed they were when it turned out they'd
blown it.
 
        Douglas Winship    Austin, Texas    [log in to unmask]
                    Secondary AUTOCAT Listowner