app nomenclature - a dull pattern

This post has been long overdue. Over time I have followed the trend in naming apps and it's clearly a pattern. Have a look at a list I came up with from various sites. These are 'upcoming' apps or recent start-ups based on apps.

1. mCollector
2. mPermit
3. M-Tafiti
4. MyBusiness App
5. SMS Offline and Online virtual Market place
   
6. Andromaid
7. FarmPal
8. mpoultry
9. MPrep
10. Crowdpesa
11. I travel
12. mTracker
13. m-verified
14. Cloudmatatu
15. cloud governor
16. [the list is endless... not really but it is long]

And now my point, Over the last few years of what I think of as 'the mobile revolution' in eastafrica (more specifically in Kenya) There has been many apps and app competitions.

Don't you think that these apps have names that are techie? saying m-something or crowd-something or cloud-something does not relate to a basic user.

Maybe a user would think that cloud- something is an app for meteorology.

The i and the m also are not exactly the best names for the apps from wanjiku's side but we seem to like them cause other techies clap for us and they don't need lot's of explaining to know what 'our' idea was.

Don't get shocked to hear two apps with the same name but none copied the other's; Reason- our app-naming follows an obvious style. I can guess the next matatu app that wins any competition will be called 'm-matatu' or 'm-nganya' and if not it's something close to that, or maybe it already exists. Then utapata domain yako imesha kuwa registered. Or worse you start saying somebody copied your idea. (see patahao & patasq).

So please as you name your next app, consider wanjiku. Won't you? it's also a good idea to have a name that can have a global effect.

PS: Don't mistake me for saying that they're bad apps. Some of these apps are doing well apart from winning competitions. A book shall not be judged by it's cover... but a better cover won't hurt.