Palm’s naming convention has been pretty interesting: nobody really knows where names like Tungsten, Zire or Veld originated. But for the Pre, it’s different – the folks at CatchWord brandings had a study on all things Pre naming online for a few hours (it has since been taken down).
Fortunately for us, MobileMag has a cache of the core message – it is as follows:
For starters, the name is a short, single syllable, word that pairs very nicely with the Palm company name. And, of course, because it begins with a “P” it’s alliterative. Palm Pre just rolls off the tongue.
In addition, it makes use of an accented “e”, which is consistent with other products in the Palm portfolio, including the Treo (and the Foleo), which also makes use of an accented “e”. The accent is also a really nice device for distinguishing the name visually in the market.
The messaging communicated in the name is intentionally broad in order to avoid pigeonholing and the suggestion of a specific *type* of phone (e.g. text phone, music phone, camera phone, etc). General associations with setting a new PREcedent, and the implication of things to come were of course intentional. You get a bit of redefining what it means to be a smartphone. And maybe you get a little speed and efficiency from the name if you’re taken to Prix as in Grand Prix.
Lastly, and this is really important, the name doesn’t try to out “cool” all the other phones in the space. It’s not a “Dare” or a “Decoy” or a “Sway” or a “Juke” or a “Mirage” or whatever. Pre is more understated and allows the phone itself to take center stage. And right it should, it’s an amazing phone. You don’t buy this phone because it sounds cool – you buy this phone because it IS cool!
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