I was given an assignment to find the origin of the company’s name- Ceridian. I think they just needed to find something for me to do. I thought this would be an easy task, but the Ceridian website, including the page on its history, offers no explanation over the name.
It is not in the dictionary, and i can’t figure out what language the prefix or suffix is in.
Anyone have any ideas?
I seriously smell a made-up name or a name provided by a “Corporate Imaging Consultant” here…
That was my first theory-
Like the Cierra or Kodak or companies or products that stick “2000” at the end of their names-
It has no meaning but it supposedly sounds good.
I thought so too, but I was hoping I could come up with a better answer.
Then again, if Ceridian is going to give itself a nonsensical name, I suppose it would be fair enough if I made up an outlandish word origin story that no one could verify.
Any ideas for a good origin story?
keep in mind:
fighting ignorance since 1973.
: )
I think that swisemankcmo is right – it’s just a word dreamed up by the same guys that saddled the world with Allegis. But IIRC Ceridian had a whole big story at the time (1993? 4?) about how they came up with that particular corporate naming consultant name. (Again, IIRC, it was a merger of a couple of companies that created the basis of today’s Ceridian; the name came with the announcement of the merger, neither party to which was called Ceridian at the time.)
Ceridian has one of the most solicitous PR/Investor Relations departments in all of corporatedom. Drop them an email and I’m sure they’ll be happy to brag once again about the great name they chose.
Actually, according to the company, the name “Kodak” came from the sound a camera makes (or made at the time) when the shutter is released. “Ko-Dak”
tanstaafl:
With all due respect, the “Kodak” story is only part true.
I have my reference at home, but what I read was that Eastman liked the “K” sound because it “was like the sound of a shutter–quick and final.” So he came up with a name that started and ended with “K.” The intermediate letters were just filler.
it bothers me when people forget this is the straight dope, and state speculations as fact.
“It was in 1888 that the word “Kodak” was first registered as a trademark. There has been some fanciful speculation, from time to time, on how the name was originated. But the plain truth is that Eastman invented it out of thin air.”
source: http://www.kodak.com/aboutKodak/kodakHistory/eastman.shtml
I heard the explanation of the Kodak name on an episode of Modern Marvels on The History Channel. (The episode was on photography.) I remember the person they were interviewing standing there going “Ko-Dak”. I assumed that they knew what they were talking about.
sure, that is how rumours are spread. you take information from someone that seems credible as fact.
but you said “according to the company…”
it seems to me that according to the company, that person’s statement is untrue.
that is what i’m complaining about. you should have said “according to some person on a history channel documentary…”, as it wasn’t Kodak at all.
a nitpick perhaps, but true.
Umm… Can I ask the reason for your intensity on this issue?
I stated my source. I will admit that it appears I may have assumed the ultimate source of the information incorrectly but it was certainly not “speculation” on my part. I could check any thread in GQ and find several “speculations stated as fact” in each of them. I’m curious as to why you seem to be warming up your flamethrower on me here.
it does seem that you speculated that this misinformed character was part of the Eastman Kodak company.
but anyway… true enough, such things happen all the time in GQ. my apologies for picking this one out.
I would also point out that because someone at KODAK said it, it does not make it true. One would assume the sourse is more reliable but if we want more confidence we would have to ask both sources where and how they got their information. Not only that but I would say that many companies would make up their history to fit the profile they want. In a sense Kodak’s testimony might be" less reliable.
OK, here’s my quote from George Eastman:
“Philologically, the word ‘Kodak’ is as meaningless as a child’s first ‘goo.’ Terse, abrupt to the point of rudeness, literally bitten off by firm and unyielding consonants at both ends, it snaps like a camera shutter in your face. What more would one ask?”
Many of the TLC or Discover shows seem to be sighlty disguised advertisments for a product or company. I work take much of what they give as facts witha grain of salt.
I bet the shows are paid for or partly paid for by the companys they are discussing. eg The History of Twinkies or THe History of Ford Cars
michael
I mean, are you a new hire/intern that they want to find out the meaning of the word as a timekiller? If so, this could just be a classic snipe hunt (“oh, Jim knows the answer, go ask him!” “He said I knew? No, Mary’s the etymology expert here!”).
If it’s not for the company itself, your best bet is to simply call the company and ask. Either that, or find an email address on their Web site and email the question.