Several past articles have covered this topic, including Naming the intranet, which goes into the reasons why you should name a site, and Publicising the launch of Boris at City of Casey, which demonstrates the value of a great intranet brand.

Beyond this, it is interesting to learn more about the reasoning and processes behind the creation of such names: was it a staff competition, a diktat from senior management, or a name that caught the imagination of the intranet manager?

Here are the responses from intranet managers at three Australian organisations. Something that’s strong, helps create an identity and is a little fun, seem to be the key ingredients.

ANZ Banking Group

"ANZ’s intranet has been called Max since its inception in 1999.

"I believe that the project team came up with the name, aiming for something that was short, easy and neither male nor female. At the time, a custom-built Classifieds tool was added to entice people to the site. Now, the intranet is a key business tool that most people can’t work or manage a team without.

"Everyone at ANZ knows Max — it’s the default homepage when Internet Explorer is opened and people have a warm spot for it, despite it being very old and rather rusty now.

[CM Briefing 2010-02 by Alex Manchester, read the full article]

Why name your intranet?

Having a catchy and memorable intranet name is a great way of promoting the intranet.

A name can help build an identity, even give the intranet a personality, removing that ‘techy’ edge. This is useful when trying to build staff awareness and engagement with a new or relaunched intranet.

It is an opportunity to leverage off the organisation’s brand or simply to differentiate the intranet from the organisation’s internet site.

What to consider in a name

Some names will work in a particular organisation while others may not. A culturally formal financial services organisation may opt for a name such as The Vault or Max, whereas Capsicum or The Lily Pad may sit more comfortably in a less formal environment.

For some, the benefit of the name comes from being synonymous with the aim and purpose of the intranet, such as The Hub or The Heart Beat for a health care organisation. Other organisations can leverage the profile that a fun and light-hearted image may provide.

Consider what type of name will best suit your organisation.

[CM Briefing 2008-15 written by Amanda Broomhall, read the full article]