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by jxodwyer1 1180 days ago
Whoa! Thanks for sharing -- we haven't seen this!
1 comments

Please note that this is not a snark, but am genuinely curious since you're a YC company - didn't anyone from YC or from the YC network point you to that?

I'd hoped that proper product naming, and avoiding such minefields, be one of the things someone from YC or YC network would help/advise or at least give input on.

I think names don't really matter that much in the grand scheme of things, short of being catastrophically bad. Bonus points if you can get the single word .com at some point, bonus points if it's memorable, but you can always rebrand down the road and of the list of things to worry about, I don't think it's very high. Certainly not a minefield.
In general, yes I agree.

However, in some cases it can indeed be an issue when there is potential conflict with some very litigious companies.

Edit: I have no idea if it will be an issue in this case or not, but given Apple and similar domain (AI/ML), it may be an issue.

Apple is famously protective of its trademarks against small software companies.

I forget the details so I can’t Google it, but twenty years ago there was a case where a Mac developer had a name collision with an Apple product, emailed Steve Jobs, and he replied with “No big deal, change the name.” — the little guy was expected to bear the burden of coming up with a new brand, but Jobs was (in his own view) kind enough not to sue.