‘So Bad’: Netflix’s Original Name Had Nothing To Do With Movies
March 31, 2024 1:37PM EDT
This illustration picture taken on April 21, 2018 in Paris shows the logo of the Netflix entertainment company, displayed on a tablet screen with a remote control in front of it. (Photo by Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP) (Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP via Getty Images)
Netflix co-founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings originally named their company “Kibble” before changing it to “Netflix.”
The name “Kibble” was intentionally bad to remind them to create a desirable product. Despite considering other names like “TakeOne” and “NetPix,” they settled on “Netflix,” which they felt sounded too similar to “skin flicks.”
The name “Kibble” stuck around long enough to be acknowledged as the company’s original name. The co-founders believed that choosing a bad beta name would prevent them from settling on it out of desperation.
What if Netflix had kept it’s original name, “Kibble?” Do you think it would have been as popular?
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