Apple’s Naming Conventions

Hey, I’m Isaac 👋 I founded Pistachio, where we’ve worked with brands like BuzzFeed and Clay to understand their audience, build trust and deliver measurable outcomes through content-led growth.

If you want to chat about your own strategy, book a free call here.

Presented by Tracksuit

How challenger brands beat billion-dollar competitors with smaller budgets.

While big brands burn through millions, smart challengers are winning with strategy over spend.

The Category Challengers Playbook reveals exactly how underdogs find their audience advantage and outsmart the competition:

• Demographic intel that uncovers overlooked audience segments your competitors miss

• Media consumption data showing where your targets actually hang out

• Insider strategies from experts who've turned insights into growth

• Real case studies from brands that scaled 0 to 100 in just 5 years

Stop competing on budget. Start competing on intelligence.

Interested in sponsoring these emails? See our partnership options here.

Apple’s Naming Conventions

But the real revolution wasn't the translucent plastic or the missing floppy drive (there’s a throwback for you). It was that little lowercase "i" sitting in front of "Mac". A single letter that skeptics at the time dismissed as gimmicky would go on to define an entire generation of products.

That "i" helped Apple climb from the brink of bankruptcy in 1997 into one of the most valuable brands in the world today. It became so powerful that Apple even tried to trademark the letter itself (more on that later).

What started as a naming decision became the foundation of one of the most valuable brands in history.

The Name They Almost Chose

Before launch, the internal code name for the iMac was "MacMan".

Jobs was liked MacMan because it echoed Sony's Walkman, which was the gold standard for consumer electronics at the time. He even gave a speech to the marketing team about how Apple might want to be like Sony one day.

But Ken Segall, the advertising creative who'd worked on Apple's "Think Different" campaign, hated it. MacMan felt gimmicky and dated, like Pac-Man or a toy. Worse, they were only days before launch and still had to come up with the name, packaging and ads.

In their first meeting, Segall's team pitched alternatives. Their favourite was "iMac".

Jobs' response? "I hate them all. MacMan is better."

But Segall persisted. In a second meeting, he presented iMac again, arguing that "i" didn't just mean internet but could also imply "individual" and even "I as in me".

"I don't hate it this week", Jobs reportedly said.

That grudging acceptance changed everything. The iMac's launch drove Apple from a $161 million loss to a $106 million profit in just one year. After this wild success, Apple extended the "i" naming convention to future products the iBook, iPod, iPhone, iPad and more.

What started as a second-choice product name became one of Apple's most valuable branding assets.

The Psychology Behind the "i"

Why did this simple naming strategy work so brilliantly? There are three psychological principles at play.

Personal Connection

At its core, the "i" prefix forged a personal connection between user and device.

Think about how we talk about these products. We say "my iPhone" with a bit more pride than "my phone". The name itself reinforces that it's mine.

Apple didn't just sell technology. They sold personal empowerment.

Simplicity Factor

Apple's naming convention in the "i era" was basically a common word preceded by a single letter. iPod. iPhone. iPad.

This one-letter prefix managed to turn generic terms into distinct brands without making them hard to pronounce or remember. Compare Apple's elegant names with competitors' clunky model codes like the "Casio G'zOne Commando" phone or "Sony DVP-SR200P/B" DVD player.

Pattern Recognition

The genius of Apple's "i-naming" was how it created a pattern consumers could easily recognise and trust.

The lowercase "i" became a unifying thread across product categories, establishing an Apple sub-brand family. Once people loved their iMac, they were primed to pay attention to an iPod because the naming signalled "this is an Apple thing".

This psychological approach was incredibly successful. Today, the iPhone alone regularly accounts for over 50% of Apple's total revenue ($201.2 billion in 2024, 51% of their total $391 billion), demonstrating how effective emotional connection can be in driving business results.

When the Formula Failed Others

The power of Apple's "i" naming sparked a wave of imitators during the 2000s. Suddenly there was an onslaught of gadgets and websites prefixed with "i" or "my" to seem personal and internet-savvy.

But most fell flat. They felt like clunky rip-offs because they lacked the authentic foundation that made Apple's approach work.

Apple's "i" succeeded because it genuinely aligned with their mission at the time. They were signalling a bridge to the internet and personal connection with users, backed by great quality products and marketing. When other brands slapped trendy names onto mediocre products, consumers saw through it immediately.

Meanwhile, competitors struggled to replicate Apple's success. Samsung eventually unified under their "Galaxy" brand, deliberately trying to build a family name like Apple's "i" line, but few achieved the same emotional connection or market dominance.

The difference wasn't just the letter itself. It was the authenticity and meaning behind it.

The Evolution Beyond "i"

Interestingly, Apple has gradually moved beyond the "i" prefix recently.

The shift arguably began in the mid-2000s when the iBook was discontinued in 2006 and replaced by the MacBook. Jobs explained "We wanted all of our computers to have the word 'Mac' in them".

By using "Apple" in the name, there's no doubt who makes the product and trademark control is a lot simpler. "Apple [X]" is easier to protect legally than an "i[X]" name that others might claim.

Another factor is that the meaning of "i" has become less novel over time. In 1998, "i" = internet was revolutionary. Today, everything is internet-connected by default.

Ken Segall himself has suggested the "i" prefix's time may be up, calling it "now meaningless" and even proposing that Apple could rebrand the iPhone itself in the future (though “Apple Phone” really doesn’t have the same ring to it…).

Apple hasn't completely abandoned the "i" for legacy blockbusters. We still have iPhone, iPad, and iMac. These names are so ingrained and valuable that changing them would be risky. But for new product lines, Apple has clearly moved to a different strategy.

What This Means for Your Brand

Apple's "i" naming convention has several lessons for brand builders:

• Consistency builds recognition. Using a consistent naming scheme creates cohesion across your product line and reinforces your brand with each new release.

• Psychological ownership drives loyalty. When customers feel personally connected to a product, they're more loyal. Apple achieved this by literally positioning the user in the product's identity.

• Simplicity beats complexity. Choose names that are easy to remember, pronounce and spell. When in doubt, choose a name a fifth-grader could spell and a grandparent could say.

• Pattern creation amplifies brand strength. Each new product can reinforce the pattern and benefit from the equity of others.

• Authenticity is everything. Names that carry emotional resonance set brands apart. The takeaway isn't to copy the letter "i", but to find your own genuine connection in naming.

The Lasting Revolution

Apple's decision to prefix that little "i" to Mac in 1998 became one of the most impactful branding moves in tech history.

It propelled the company into the global powerhouse it is today. The "i" naming convention worked phenomenally because it was authentic to Apple's mission, signalling both internet connectivity and personal empowerment.

But what worked for Apple might not work for everyone. Many tried to sprinkle a magic one-letter formula on their products, only to find that names alone aren't silver bullets.

It’s a reminder that the right name can become an engine of identity, loyalty and value. But it must be chosen with insight into psychology and executed with authenticity.

Apple's "i" was brilliant because it was simple, personal and consistent with what the company stood for. Any brand can aim for those same principles, even if the naming conventions they use will be different.

In the end, a product name is a promise and a narrative. Apple's "i" made a promise of individual empowerment through technology and delivered on it.

As we've seen, one small letter can leave a huge legacy. The real magic is ensuring that legacy is built on substance, not just syllables.

If you enjoyed this post or know someone who may find it useful, please share it with them and encourage them to subscribe: brandchemistry.co/p/apple-naming-conventions

When you’re ready, here’s 3 ways I can help you

1. Content-led growth course [FREE]

The Modern Media Masterclass walks you through how to use organic content channels to build your brand and business.

2. Content audit + strategy

Get the clarity and direction you need to turn content into a growth engine that drives brand trust and business results. Flat fee. No contracts. No lock-ins.

3. Hands-on support

I’ve worked with brands like BuzzFeed and Clay to launch, grow and monetise organic content channels that drive real business results. Book a call today and lets see how I could help you.