What's a better name for my Alexa to avoid accidental activation?

August 30, 2017 11:15 AM

Basically saying "Alexa" for my Amazon Alexa apparently sounds a lot like other things I say. And other people say. And the TV says. So I want to rename her into something less prone to accidentally being said or it's soundalike. I was thinking of Elwood but then thought about how many times I say the word "hell" and "would" every day. So that's out. Others I came up with had the same problem. But there has to be a perfect name just like Orange has a perfect inability to rhyme. What is it?
posted by rileyray3000 to Technology (10 answers total)

There are only four wake words that are allowed - Alexa, Amazon, Echo, and Computer. So, whichever one of those you like best!
posted by mskyle at 11:17 AM on August 30, 2017 [13 favorites]

"Alexa" is Echo's so-called "Wake Word."

I'm not aware that you can pick your wake word at random. As far as I know, only the following are supported:
Alexa
Echo
Amazon
Computer

You select the one you want to use in the Alexa app Settings.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:18 AM on August 30, 2017 [6 favorites]

Shucks. I was going to suggest "Bezos", since he and his minions are listening to every word you say.
posted by themanwho at 11:19 AM on August 30, 2017 [2 favorites]

What about choosing a one-syllable name and repeating it twice. So, Bob-bob-bob, or Lex-lex-lex.
posted by hydra77 at 11:19 AM on August 30, 2017

"Echo" seems to work reasonably well. False-positives are fairly rare. We tend to have the opposite problem -- Alexa will not recognize the wake word, especially when music is playing.
posted by akk2014 at 11:43 AM on August 30, 2017

I've tested them all, Echo worked best.
posted by Cosine at 12:04 PM on August 30, 2017 [3 favorites]

I call mine Gecko, which is close enough to Echo that it works (and gives me a giggle).
posted by acridrabbit at 1:50 PM on August 30, 2017 [11 favorites]

Wait...if 'Computer' is a wake word and the programming allows some wiggle, would 'Manputer' or "Femputer" work? As in "Have you any idea how it feels to be a Fembot living in a Manbot's Manputer's world?"

'Cause that's what I would do.
posted by theweasel at 2:24 PM on August 30, 2017

I use "Echo" because I have a sister named Alex and didn't want to set myself up for comedy later. It works well enough, although my TV and audiobooks use the word occasionally and make my Dot talk to itself.
posted by Autumnheart at 4:54 PM on August 30, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yes, Echo works well here, too.
posted by getawaysticks at 10:02 AM on September 4, 2017