Domain name filter: Am I being offensive?
February 22, 2010 12:54 PM Subscribe
Domain Name market research: I own the domain nogbutter.com. I want to use it for a company some friends and I want to start. Does "nogbutter" have an offensive ring to it?
The name comes from the running together of the words "not great but better" The company is a marketing and business consulting company. Does the name work?
The name comes from the running together of the words "not great but better" The company is a marketing and business consulting company. Does the name work?
Ugh, yes.
posted by redfoxtail at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by redfoxtail at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010
I thought first of someone who butts into a dog, and then of Nutella (I don't know either) and then of leaking brain matter, and then of a noogie.
I don't think it's offensive; I do think it would be confusing to have "butter" in your name if the company had nothing to do with food.
posted by sallybrown at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010
I don't think it's offensive; I do think it would be confusing to have "butter" in your name if the company had nothing to do with food.
posted by sallybrown at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010
Sounds a little silly and kind of juvenile for a business and consulting company.
posted by archivist at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by archivist at 12:57 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
It kind of does have not an offensive ring, exactly, but I can see the term being confused with a reference to certain bodily fluids, yes. It's not a name that strikes me with confidence, or with professionalism. I think it depends on the kind of company - if your company intends to manufacture stuff like one might buy at Spencer Gifts, no problem. If you are a financial consulting firm or other "professional" organization, to me, personally, the name sets the wrong impression or tone.
posted by bunnycup at 12:58 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by bunnycup at 12:58 PM on February 22, 2010
and yes, to this reader of the Profanisaurus, it does sound a bit dirty.
posted by vickyverky at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by vickyverky at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
Why would you want to call yourself 'not great but better', or any variation of that?
Anyways, it's not offensive to me, but I think of snogging, and then creamy butter. So depending on how you feel about that, it could be risque, or at the very worse, offensive. Or fattening.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
Anyways, it's not offensive to me, but I think of snogging, and then creamy butter. So depending on how you feel about that, it could be risque, or at the very worse, offensive. Or fattening.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
I thought of peanut butter. Or some other nut-based thing. Not so much marketing.
posted by machine at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by machine at 1:00 PM on February 22, 2010
It's used as a derogatory epithet for blacks, so I think clearly offensive to some.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:01 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:01 PM on February 22, 2010
The top 3 results for "nog" on urbandictionary are as a synonym for the n-word. Yeah, I know urbandictionary is urbandictionary, but when the consensus is so clear, and the topic is race, it'd be a weird business decision to go ahead with this.
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 1:04 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by game warden to the events rhino at 1:04 PM on February 22, 2010
nog and butter are both creamy liquids--always dangerous territory. Then, there's the anagrams nutter, nut, nub, butt, bun, etc. all of which could be considered naughty. But then again, I see pornography in the fluffy clouds.
posted by reverend cuttle at 1:05 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by reverend cuttle at 1:05 PM on February 22, 2010
Response by poster: @no new diamonds: Thanks for the response. If you did go to nogbutter.com now, you will that there is nothing there (in fact all it it says in plain text is "nothing to see here"). The site/company is many months away from launching, if at all. We are just kicking around ideas/concepts now.
To everyone else: Excellent points all. Thanks for your opinions - shows how a name can sound good in your head and sound really awful when said out loud. We are going for a fun, somewhat irreverent take on the industry, but I certainly don't want to be confused with bodily fluids, or almond butter for that matter!
posted by Ezrie at 1:06 PM on February 22, 2010
To everyone else: Excellent points all. Thanks for your opinions - shows how a name can sound good in your head and sound really awful when said out loud. We are going for a fun, somewhat irreverent take on the industry, but I certainly don't want to be confused with bodily fluids, or almond butter for that matter!
posted by Ezrie at 1:06 PM on February 22, 2010
And if I were looking for consulting, I think I'd go for "great" not just "better." And nogbutter sounds gross. What are you going for with that? Butter made from eggnog? Butter made out of Nog from Deep Space 9? Butter made from African-American people? I really think you should reconsider this name.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:07 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:07 PM on February 22, 2010
Well, it's less offensive than "nigbatter", but only just.
Also, as a marketing consultancy, why would you advertise yourself as "not great", out of interest?
posted by MuffinMan at 1:11 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Also, as a marketing consultancy, why would you advertise yourself as "not great", out of interest?
posted by MuffinMan at 1:11 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
You know what? It would depend on your intended clientèle. It's memorable as heck, and sounds like you don't take yourself too seriously.
I'd be chary of running with the "not taking yourself too seriously" theme too much; as long as you _don't_ try to be "folksy" or "accessible" or "we're just a fun bunch of dudes", it might work. Let the name take care of the irreverence without you feeling a need to Point Out that You're Irreverent, and you might be able to pull it off.
I'd try to think of some other names, though, in case you come up with something better that pleases all involved.
posted by amtho at 1:15 PM on February 22, 2010
I'd be chary of running with the "not taking yourself too seriously" theme too much; as long as you _don't_ try to be "folksy" or "accessible" or "we're just a fun bunch of dudes", it might work. Let the name take care of the irreverence without you feeling a need to Point Out that You're Irreverent, and you might be able to pull it off.
I'd try to think of some other names, though, in case you come up with something better that pleases all involved.
posted by amtho at 1:15 PM on February 22, 2010
No worse than Fuddrucker's.
posted by cmoj at 1:20 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by cmoj at 1:20 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
Nog = head. "Headbutt" is a word, and not a pleasant one. Nogbutter = headbutter = one who headbutts?
"[Egg]nog" and "butter" are both dairy.
Sorry, but someone has to say it: "n_g__er" looks really bad. There was a guy who was run out of a job for using the word "niggardly." He was speaking at a meeting and said something about how we need to avoid being niggardly with our budget. He wasn't technically fired; he resigned and profusely apologized. Why would someone lose their job for using a synonym for "stingy"? You know why, without anyone even saying the word it made people think of, because it's SO explosive that people imagine it being there when it isn't even there.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:27 PM on February 22, 2010
"[Egg]nog" and "butter" are both dairy.
Sorry, but someone has to say it: "n_g__er" looks really bad. There was a guy who was run out of a job for using the word "niggardly." He was speaking at a meeting and said something about how we need to avoid being niggardly with our budget. He wasn't technically fired; he resigned and profusely apologized. Why would someone lose their job for using a synonym for "stingy"? You know why, without anyone even saying the word it made people think of, because it's SO explosive that people imagine it being there when it isn't even there.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:27 PM on February 22, 2010
Based on the domain name alone, I would expect it to be some sort of puerile humour site.
posted by 256 at 1:27 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by 256 at 1:27 PM on February 22, 2010
Nog = head.... Actually, I guess that's noggin. That's still what I thought of.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:28 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:28 PM on February 22, 2010
Sorry to derail, but Jaltcoh: do you have a citation for that anecdote? I've heard variations on it before and always written it off as LOL-politicalcorrectness.
posted by 256 at 1:29 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by 256 at 1:29 PM on February 22, 2010
Response by poster: @muffinman: "Also, as a marketing consultancy, why would you advertise yourself as "not great", out of interest?"
I have been working in marketing for 5 years. Marketing seems to be dominated by superlatives. "we are the best" "the only ___ you will ever need" "The easiest" "the smartest" etc. It all seems like white noise to me. I thought that something more down to earth - less "holy hell we are the best" more "we can help your business be better) might go a long way in the marketplace we will be trying to enter.
@cmoj: excellent point.
posted by Ezrie at 1:31 PM on February 22, 2010
I have been working in marketing for 5 years. Marketing seems to be dominated by superlatives. "we are the best" "the only ___ you will ever need" "The easiest" "the smartest" etc. It all seems like white noise to me. I thought that something more down to earth - less "holy hell we are the best" more "we can help your business be better) might go a long way in the marketplace we will be trying to enter.
@cmoj: excellent point.
posted by Ezrie at 1:31 PM on February 22, 2010
My first thought was that it was bognutter transposed but having googled the "nog" stem, I'd definitely hesitate to use it professionally.
Am wondering about buying www.nogtoggler.com though... :-)
posted by ceri richard at 1:32 PM on February 22, 2010
Am wondering about buying www.nogtoggler.com though... :-)
posted by ceri richard at 1:32 PM on February 22, 2010
Sorry to derail, but Jaltcoh: do you have a citation for that anecdote?
In addition to your link, John McWhorter opens his book Losing the Race with an extended discussion of it. I'm sure he cites other sources in his endnotes.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:35 PM on February 22, 2010
In addition to your link, John McWhorter opens his book Losing the Race with an extended discussion of it. I'm sure he cites other sources in his endnotes.
posted by Jaltcoh at 1:35 PM on February 22, 2010
The first thing I thought of was smegma.
Don't use this domain.
posted by dunkadunc at 1:40 PM on February 22, 2010
Don't use this domain.
posted by dunkadunc at 1:40 PM on February 22, 2010
the "don't overwhelm with superlatives" is a good idea, but "not great but better" seems Eeyoreish. "Thanks for noticing me."
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:42 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Solon and Thanks at 1:42 PM on February 22, 2010
Nog = head.... Actually, I guess that's noggin. That's still what I thought of.
When I first read it I parsed nog as a random nonsense word, leaving the impression of some sort of nondescript butter-like substance. If I would have interpreted it as noggin butter then I probably would have imagined some sort of strange butter-like brain substance leaking out of someone's head. Either way not a positive first impression.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:54 PM on February 22, 2010
When I first read it I parsed nog as a random nonsense word, leaving the impression of some sort of nondescript butter-like substance. If I would have interpreted it as noggin butter then I probably would have imagined some sort of strange butter-like brain substance leaking out of someone's head. Either way not a positive first impression.
posted by burnmp3s at 1:54 PM on February 22, 2010
I should disclose that I've seen Idiocracy and can never eat at a Fuddrucker's again.
posted by cmoj at 1:55 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by cmoj at 1:55 PM on February 22, 2010
Do not use that domain name. I thought about a greasy head.
I would not emphasize "not great". I would emphasize "helping to improve / making better". But then, I'm not in marketing. But then, presumably neither will your clients be in marketing and they might not get what you're going for immediately, so starting with "not great" is very risky - will put a lot of people off on the chance of intriguing a few.
posted by lorrer at 2:01 PM on February 22, 2010
I would not emphasize "not great". I would emphasize "helping to improve / making better". But then, I'm not in marketing. But then, presumably neither will your clients be in marketing and they might not get what you're going for immediately, so starting with "not great" is very risky - will put a lot of people off on the chance of intriguing a few.
posted by lorrer at 2:01 PM on February 22, 2010
USE THIS DOMAIN!
(for selling sunscreen to the bald & balding)
You will make untold sacks of cash, especially if you get an infomercail going.
Then you will have all the time in the world to come up with a better domain for this project of yours. You can think about it on an island somewhere. With an umbrella drink. Then go back to sleep.
posted by terpia at 2:10 PM on February 22, 2010 [5 favorites]
(for selling sunscreen to the bald & balding)
You will make untold sacks of cash, especially if you get an infomercail going.
Then you will have all the time in the world to come up with a better domain for this project of yours. You can think about it on an island somewhere. With an umbrella drink. Then go back to sleep.
posted by terpia at 2:10 PM on February 22, 2010 [5 favorites]
it makes me imagine canine frumunda cheese.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:12 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 2:12 PM on February 22, 2010
I didn't think anything about it, really, until I read the comments. Now I kind of want peanut butter, but I'm not offended.
posted by KAS at 2:13 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by KAS at 2:13 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
It doesn't sound offensive to me, but it definitely sounds gross.
posted by gnutron at 2:19 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by gnutron at 2:19 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yeah, gross connotations. I do like this as a domain name though: "holyhellwearethebest".com
posted by Think_Long at 2:24 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Think_Long at 2:24 PM on February 22, 2010
Whatever you end up doing with the marketing business, use this domain to start a blog about gross things you can buy from Amazon, complete with affiliate links. Stuff like potted meat spread and huitlacoche and booger candy. Invent a fictional product called Nogbutter (TM), which you promise will be revealed someday and very slowly give little, impossibly incongruous hints about what it is.
posted by jbickers at 2:26 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by jbickers at 2:26 PM on February 22, 2010
First thought was eggnog butter...
Then I veered off into the perverse thinking it had something to do with semen...
posted by Redmond Cooper at 2:54 PM on February 22, 2010
Then I veered off into the perverse thinking it had something to do with semen...
posted by Redmond Cooper at 2:54 PM on February 22, 2010
Anything with butter in the title that isn't food will sound bad in a dirty kind of way. Just try it. Put any word before butter, and it isn't very pretty.
posted by markblasco at 3:09 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by markblasco at 3:09 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
I wouldn't... just reminds me of the (archaic, I admit) racial epithet "nig-nog".
posted by pompomtom at 3:18 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by pompomtom at 3:18 PM on February 22, 2010
I said "eeewwwww!" outloud before I even finished the question. But then I laughed. YMMV.
posted by missmary6 at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by missmary6 at 3:28 PM on February 22, 2010
I would automatically buy anything from a company called Nogbutter.
posted by asuprenant at 3:44 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by asuprenant at 3:44 PM on February 22, 2010
wayaboveavg.com is still available.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:45 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Deathalicious at 3:45 PM on February 22, 2010
Nogbutter sounded to me at first like some crazy butter-like spread made from eggnog.
I'm also not sure how "nogbutter" came about from not-great-but-better. Why is it not "nogbetter"?
I appreciate that you are avoiding the usual WE ARE THE BEST EVER! but calling yourselves "not great" sounds like shooting yourself in the foot, no matter what the industry. I am not interested in buying something that advertises itself as not great, personally.
posted by asciident at 4:14 PM on February 22, 2010
I'm also not sure how "nogbutter" came about from not-great-but-better. Why is it not "nogbetter"?
I appreciate that you are avoiding the usual WE ARE THE BEST EVER! but calling yourselves "not great" sounds like shooting yourself in the foot, no matter what the industry. I am not interested in buying something that advertises itself as not great, personally.
posted by asciident at 4:14 PM on February 22, 2010
Also, speaking from personal experience with domain names that are not immediately recognizable: many people will see "nogbutter.com" and read it as "no g butter".
posted by asciident at 4:20 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by asciident at 4:20 PM on February 22, 2010
Best answer: "Nogbutter" sounds like a word that Darrell Hammond as Sean Connery would abuse Alex Trebek with.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:29 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:29 PM on February 22, 2010 [2 favorites]
I picture an unhealthy but delicious drink involving Egg Nog and Butter. Appeals to me, but probably not the impression you're going for it sounds like.
posted by Diplodocus at 5:33 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Diplodocus at 5:33 PM on February 22, 2010
"snog" is a euphemism for sex. So "snogbutter" would be... yeah... no... don't do that. Unless you are selling sex products.
posted by chairface at 5:36 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by chairface at 5:36 PM on February 22, 2010
ROFL sounds like something you would only be able to purchase in an ADULT store...
posted by MsKim at 6:07 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by MsKim at 6:07 PM on February 22, 2010
The company is a marketing and business consulting company.
Woah, I did not see that coming. I figured some kind of food product, probably sandwich spread ish, and with a name having unfortunate connotations of faeces. That's bad enough but throwing it onto a marketing business becomes downright confusing while still retaining the faecal overtones (or, now I've read the tread, other bodily products). So yeah. No.
posted by shelleycat at 8:13 PM on February 22, 2010
Woah, I did not see that coming. I figured some kind of food product, probably sandwich spread ish, and with a name having unfortunate connotations of faeces. That's bad enough but throwing it onto a marketing business becomes downright confusing while still retaining the faecal overtones (or, now I've read the tread, other bodily products). So yeah. No.
posted by shelleycat at 8:13 PM on February 22, 2010
Add me to the list of people who thought "it makes me think of snogbutter", which can only be "dirty", whether dirty is a good thing or not. Sorry.
posted by Witty at 8:46 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Witty at 8:46 PM on February 22, 2010
Faint of Butt - I just went back read the thread and your comment is perfect... so true.
posted by Witty at 8:47 PM on February 22, 2010
posted by Witty at 8:47 PM on February 22, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Vantech at 12:56 PM on February 22, 2010 [1 favorite]