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Image courtesy of Apple Computer

I have recently rambled through a raft of interviews, and even did a guest stint on a CNN International segment just now, discussing the name of the inventive new product launched by Apple yesterday (quick—what’s it called?). You know the answer, of course. By now, everyone with access to media in any conceivable format has seen some version of the story. And apparently hundreds of thousands of people around the globe are now talking about it in one vast, global babble-fest. I’ll go further out on a limb and guess that all of these virtual and actual water-cooler discussions are roughly breaking into two camps: Camp 1) the more sober-minded tech-tweeters who are abuzz with the wonders of the gadget itself (and it certainly has many to offer); and Camp 2) the world-wide network of product naming aficionados who are in mock-shock over Apple’s careless choice of the name “iPad,” thereby turning this simple four-letter name into, well, a four-letter word.

This is all fun to watch, of course, especially if you’re a marketer at Apple. Not only have they spawned the most buzzed about pre-launch event in consumer electronics history since, gosh, the iPhone, I suppose, but now they get to watch the name—and description—of their new product bandied about on global network television and every other conceivable news source. Negative press, you say? Ask anyone who’s stressing over the name if they would still buy one. Then get in line.  

But from a hard core branding perspective, the question remains: Is iPad a good name for this product? From my perspective, it’s pretty nigh perfect. Yes—would have been more PC (bad term in this context?) if half the population didn’t immediately flutter over its verbal connection to a whole category of female products. But after the jokes and puns are lobbed (and there have been some good ones), is anyone confused about who brought us this modern marvel, what it does, how it will likely be used, and whether it’s probably just affordable enough? You don’t need a product demo to get the idea that, once again, the world’s most innovative mobile consumer electronics company (as Mr. Jobs now describes his company) has come up with another category killer. As most of us hoped and expected they would.

So have your fun and express your outrage. And by all means stand your ground and refuse to purchase one—I want to be sure mine will be available this spring as I pad my way to the nearest Apple store.