5 ms·

It is not an ideal name, I agree. On the other hand, it is the french word for an animal, and not for the male genital organs. What about the word bite (la bit

It is not an ideal name, I agree. On the other hand, it is the french word for an animal, and not for the male genital organs. What about the word bite (la bite) in french? Are we supposed to remove the word bit from the English language because it sounds similar to the french word for penis? There is always going to be strange overlaps when it comes to different languages.

omnicognate 5y ago
No, but you might want to take it into acccount if you're naming a software project lots of French-speakers will be involved with.
- tasogare 5y ago
  French have more humor when it comes to sexual references, it wouldn't surprise me if a name like that would actually be an asset. (Source: myself, French, living abroad).
  - davidivadavid 5y ago
    Only if it makes sense for the product to make a sexual reference. (Source: myself, French, living abroad, worked in marketing/branding). Coq is a bad name.
    - coldtea 5y ago
      Or you know, Americans can learn that the world is not theirs, and they have no command or say over foreign words, just because they resemble phonetically (!!!) some word they consider shameful and sinful!
      - flurben 5y ago
        I'm confused why you think Americans are relevant to this story. The word "cock" and it's status as an English language vulgarity is a product of England. It predates the U.S. by centuries.
        coldtea 5y ago
        Because in 2021, the British are mature enough not to care. It's those that inherited the culture of the puritans they've sent away that make a fuss about it (or some words on tv or make a huge deal about a SuperBowl nip slip).
      - davidivadavid 5y ago
        Sure, but that doesn't really change anything about the fact that when an American hears "Coq" they also hear "cock." There are many similar stories about English words sounding like profanity when (badly) pronounced in Chinese. They're bad for branding and brands avoid them. Now, I like "Coq" and the story about the cheeky French people trying to one up anglophones, but that's not really enough to make it a good name. Then again I recall some people calling a compiler "Stalin" so, could be worse.

omnicognate 5y ago

No, but you might want to take it into acccount if you're naming a software project lots of French-speakers will be involved with.

tasogare 5y ago
French have more humor when it comes to sexual references, it wouldn't surprise me if a name like that would actually be an asset. (Source: myself, French, living abroad).
- davidivadavid 5y ago
  Only if it makes sense for the product to make a sexual reference. (Source: myself, French, living abroad, worked in marketing/branding). Coq is a bad name.
  - coldtea 5y ago
    Or you know, Americans can learn that the world is not theirs, and they have no command or say over foreign words, just because they resemble phonetically (!!!) some word they consider shameful and sinful!
    - flurben 5y ago
      I'm confused why you think Americans are relevant to this story. The word "cock" and it's status as an English language vulgarity is a product of England. It predates the U.S. by centuries.
      - coldtea 5y ago
        Because in 2021, the British are mature enough not to care. It's those that inherited the culture of the puritans they've sent away that make a fuss about it (or some words on tv or make a huge deal about a SuperBowl nip slip).
    - davidivadavid 5y ago
      Sure, but that doesn't really change anything about the fact that when an American hears "Coq" they also hear "cock." There are many similar stories about English words sounding like profanity when (badly) pronounced in Chinese. They're bad for branding and brands avoid them. Now, I like "Coq" and the story about the cheeky French people trying to one up anglophones, but that's not really enough to make it a good name. Then again I recall some people calling a compiler "Stalin" so, could be worse.