How to name a Sequel
While discussing the new iphone with a friend, we noted it’s unusual name (3G S) (Naturally at this point I borrowed from Red vs Blue with “3G S? How did I miss versions B-R?”). That got me thinking about the multitudinous ways that sequels are named, so I decided to note here as many as I could think of off the top of my head:
Detroit Style - name the new model after the year in which you will start selling its successor…or its successor’s successor! The farther away the year is, the cooler your car will sound.
Matrix Style - the subtitle. Bonus points if you can communicate the idea of a sequel using themed jargon!
XBOX Style - pick an arbitrary awesome sounding number. Maximum effect provided if this number happens to be a lot bigger than your competition’s
George Lucas Style - start at 4 and work your way back around to 3. Hard to beat in terms of making ordinal references ambiguous.
AT&T Style - provide the same lousy products and services, but prefix your company name with “the new”. Best backed by propaganda- like repetition.
Baby Name Style - suffix the second iteration with “Jr”, after that use roman numerals. Works well for royalty and popes.
Windows Style - use a hodge-podge of model years, cool sounding words, version numbers, and acronyms. (How do I still not know what “XP” stands for?)
Ubuntu Style - combination of version numbers with cute alliteration of neat adjectives and fun animal names for maximum confusion in forums (”I think I have the jackalope one…is that the same as 8.04?” “No, that’s ‘Hardy’, you’re on 9.04″ “But that’s the jaunty one” “Exactly”)
Playstation Style - to mysterious to describe
Not a bad list, but it’s far from exhaustive. What others have you seen? Maybe used?
