What name should this community take?

Question

Actually, this question is my way of answering We built this site, now what?

I would hazard the opinion that this site isn't "built" until it is self-sustaining and has a real sense of self. (Also, probably, "built" implies graduating from public beta, and we're not even there yet.)

How we style this community has a lot to do with both of those, I think.

Open Data Farm has a very different feel than Open Data-arium or EZ Open Data have. And it's incumbent upon us now not only to evangelize this site but to suss out what tone and tenor the site will most benefit from and work towards communicating that in the name.

Answer 1

I think straight forward is best and would suggest "Open Data", although I like the suggestions you made. Other community sites have a very clear name that appears to be what the topic is about.

Answer 2

Provided that we have sufficient use of the site, and enough users get reputation such that they can help to moderate the site, Stack Exchange will let the site 'graduate' into a non-beta site. Near that time, the community will have to pick a name, and work on a design to brand the site. Once that's done, I guess it's considered 'built'.

As for your proposed names, I think that if you go for one of the more humerous names suggested, you risk driving off some of the experts. You also need to be aware of what other connotations a word might have.

For instance, 'Farm' : are we growing new open data? Maybe it's a comment about nuturing it ... but that's also typically a business, and the farms then sell their goods.

'-arium' ... makes me think of something behind glass that you look at but can't actually touch.