# Confusing product names **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** commercials-ads\ **Created:** [April 18, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472 "2024-04-18T19:59:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/121 "2024-04-24T01:02:54Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The product Cologuard has been mentioned in some discussions here from time to time. I know it’s a poop test for symptoms of colorectal cancer, but I always have the impression that it’s a laundry product – either a detergent or a bleach safe for brightly coloured fabrics. I would be confused by it too, now that you mention it, if I had ever heard it outside the context of medical ads. I do think I’m _slightly_ confused anyway, but expecting it to be some sort of physical product like a suppository that “guards” the colon. But speaking of colon screening, I’ve not had to experience this personally, but I’ve heard that Golytely is pretty inaptly named as well. Anyone who assumes that it refers to the “lightness” of the resulting BMs rather than electrolytes would be in for a shock. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/122 "2024-04-24T16:45:35Z")
And Washington University isn’t in Washington and shouldn’t be confused with the University of Washington. I knew and worked with people at both places. I couldn’t just say “There’s this nice paper from some folks at Washington …” ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/123 "2024-04-24T18:05:51Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > But speaking of colon screening, I’ve not had to experience this personally, but I’ve heard that Golytely is pretty inaptly named as well. Anyone who assumes that it refers to the “lightness” of the resulting BMs rather than electrolytes would be in for a shock. I have. Golytely is a gallon jug that you fill with water to dissolve the laxative, then proceed to try to drink the whole gallon over the next few hours. It tastes bad, and gets harder to drink the longer you try. They do different methods now. Usually a couple of doses of magnesium citrate in combination with dulcolax, or a miralax prep with gatorade. Less to drink, still hard to get down but not as much. Yes, either prep method uses high dose laxatives to flush you out. Not just gets runny, but full on water cannon out your backside. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/124 "2024-04-28T23:10:28Z")
Which is indeed the “lyte”, albeit voluminous, form of poop. The anti-lyte form is rock-hard billiard balls that do not float. As opposed to the happily floating shards of barely-thicker-than-liquid that constitute a Golytely-assisted shit. IMO @Ludovic is mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/125 "2024-04-29T00:47:15Z")
This from Wikipedia: “Boston cream pie is a cake with a cream filling. The dessert acquired its name when cakes and pies were baked in the same pans and the words were used interchangeably. In the late 19th century, this type of cake was variously called a “cream pie”, a “chocolate cream pie”, or a "custard cake.’” ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/126 "2024-04-29T13:32:12Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > And Girl Scout cookies are not made from real Girl Scouts. No, they’re made from fake Girl Scouts-- don’t spread this around, but it’s those stupid Campfire Girls-- and good riddance. Loyal Scout since 1974 ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/127 "2024-04-29T17:35:36Z")
[City chicken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_chicken) contains no chicken; it’s usually made from veal or pork. _Pannhaas_ is a Pennsylvania Dutch word that literally means “pan rabbit” although it contains no rabbit. It refers to congealed pork scraps set in a mold. It has entered the English language under the spelling _ponhaws,_ but it is far better known in English as scrapple. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/128 "2024-04-29T17:44:48Z")
Beech-Nut used to sell a product for babies with the confusing name ‘Apple Juice’ [even though it contained no apple juice at all.](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/06/22/how-beech-nut-betrayed-a-trust/#:~:text=Two%20former%20executives%20of%20the,t%20apple%20juice%20at%20all.) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/129 "2024-04-29T18:35:47Z")
‘[Light olive oil](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1457985/what-is-olive-oil-more-nutritious-myth/)’ isn’t a lower-calorie, therefore possibly healthier, version of extra-virgin olive oil. It’s oil that was extracted from olives already cold-pressed to obtain the superior extra virgin oil, using techniques like heat or chemicals that strip any remaining nutrients and result in a neutral-tasting oil that may have added chemicals from the extraction process. It’s, if anything, less healthy than extra-virgin oil, and certainly less flavorful. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/130 "2024-04-29T21:38:44Z")
That’s not really a confusing product name, it’s outright fraud. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2024, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/131 "2024-04-29T21:54:39Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ‘[Light olive oil](https://www.foodrepublic.com/1457985/what-is-olive-oil-more-nutritious-myth/)’ isn’t a lower-calorie… Speaking of which, in America “light beer” means lower calorie beer. But from what I’ve heard, in Australia “light beer” means low alcohol beer (correct me if I’m wrong, Aussie Dopers). Which you can imagine leads to confusion by Australians visiting the US getting more intoxicated than they expect. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/132 "2024-04-30T01:27:49Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Which you can imagine leads to confusion by Australians visiting the US getting more intoxicated than they expect. True; no Australian expects to get drunk when drinking American water beer. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/133 "2024-04-30T01:39:37Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > Speaking of which, in America “light beer” means lower calorie beer. But from what I’ve heard, in Australia “light beer” means low alcohol beer (correct me if I’m wrong, Aussie Dopers). Not Australian, but that’s certainly correct for Canada. “Light beer” contains less alcohol; generally, anything at 4% abv or less. But it does contain all the calories. Low-calorie beers are available, but unless they contain less than 5% abv, they’re not allowed to call themselves light beers. Here’s an example of a true light beer in Canada. Low calories, and at only 3% abv, it can be called a light beer: [https://www.molsoncoors.com/brands/our-brands/molson-ultra?region=931](https://www.molsoncoors.com/brands/our-brands/molson-ultra?region=931) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/134 "2024-04-30T02:06:24Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > When I started working at 7-Eleven, I was unfamiliar with a brand called Liquid Death. When someone brought up a can of it for me to scan, it took me a minute to realize it was water and not, like, beer or something. So I didn’t have to ID them. In the northwest, there’s a brand of beer called Henry Weinhard’s. Weinhard’s also makes root beer and orange soda under the same brand, and they also come in glass bottle 6-packs, which caused me some consternation when I first started working in a grocery store and tried to card some teenagers for buying orange soda. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2024, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/135 "2024-04-30T03:39:15Z")
Cotton candy contains no cotton, rock candy contains no rocks and LSD windowpanes contain no glass. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2024, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472/136 "2024-05-07T04:41:36Z")
The office men’s room where I work has a bottle of industrial cleaner. It’s white coming out of the bottle and turns a pale reddish-lavender when it gets wet. The name? **Blue Wizard** 😕🤷‍♂️ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/confusing-product-names/1000472.md?page=6)