Site Blog

"YOUscription" - the new name

In the beginning, there was "LastWorker". Then came "Holonation". And now, finally (I hope!), we have "YOUscription". Three names for this one site in only 1 and 1/2 years. Sheesh.

Well, in my OneManIncubator consulting business,  I've counseled clients that the name of their site isn't really that important. That is, it can't make an unsuccessful business successful. But it could do the opposite. In other words, you can't pick a good name, but you can certainly pick a bad one.

"LastWorker" was the first name of this site. That name was a "bad" choice because it was taken from a Christian parable.  And even though I'm not exactly Christian (although I am a fan of most teachings of Jesus), and even though this site can't be characterized as such, that name rubbed against some folks who thought it pigeonholed the site as a Chistian one. Strike one for naming.

So about a year ago, I changed the name of the site again. This time to "Holonation". Here is  some detail on the switch from LastWorker to Holonation. And here is a deeper discussion on the meaning of "Holonation".

Lesson #2: If the name of your site is obscure, at least make sure it's a very short and simple walk to explain its meaning. For example, the name "Google" is explained as follows:  "'Googol' is the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. ... Google's play on the term reflects the company's mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web."

Simple enough. But try that for "Holonation". Explaining what a "holon" is is much trickier (i.e. "a holon is something that is simulatenously made up of parts, and also a part of larger phenomena" -- argh!), as is explaining what that philosophical term has to do with this site (i.e. "wisdom of crowds", sharing health stories, etc.).

Thus I came upon YOUscription. If that name ain't clear to you, maybe I've screwed up again.  But at least that name now enables a fairly straightforward About page.