"Python" is not a good name, should rename to "Athon"

[Russ P.]

On Dec 3, 8:22 am, cokofree... at gmail.com wrote:
> The only reason to change the name would be because of some serious
> bad PR that came onto Python, thus causing its branding name to be
> catagorized as something bad.
>
> However this is not the case, presently, and the brand name is well
> established and accepted. There is no reason to change its name and
> while this conversation has now turned completely off this, I do not
> know why you dislike it so much.
>
> It is a rather catchy, easy to spell and say name, that "rolls off the
> tongue". Frankly all the other suggested names just do not fit to me.
>
> Why change what isn't broken?

You are probably right, but let me just explain one more time why I
think a name change is worth considering, then I'll drop it.

I'm thinking about the first impression people get when they hear the
name. Python is a "funny" name -- in both senses of the word. No? Then
why did a comedy team adopt it?

You and the others here don't think it's funny because you are used to
it, but when someone hears it for the first time as the name of a
programming language, they thinks it's just a bit funny. Many other
programming languages have funny names too, so it is considered normal
-- by software people, but not necessarily by the general public.

When someone proposes that Python be considered for use by an
organization that has little or no knowledge of it, first impressions
can make a difference. When managers hear "Python" for the first time,
I'm afraid they are not inclined to consider it a serious language.
And they usually need a serious language for a serious problem. The
barrier to initial consideration is therefore just a bit higher than
it needs to be. And that barrier can be subconscious, so that no one
even realizes it exists.

I know this because I've been through it myself. When I tell people
that I use Python, I often qualify it by pointing out that it is used
extensively at Google. In other words, I'm banking on the reputation
of Google to offset the goofiness of the "Python" name.

Come to think of it, maybe it should be called "Googlang" or "Googon"?