The Importance of Choosing Names That Reflect Our Identity for SEO

If you’ve ever wondered about the significance of names, you’re not alone. Names can hold a lot of weight, shaping our identities and how we feel about the places we call home. Take Rocky Top, Tennessee, for example. This city has changed its name multiple times, with the most recent change in 2014 aimed at attracting investors for a tourism project. Now, you can still see remnants of all three names in the downtown area.

Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with locals in Rocky Top about how these name changes have affected them, over a decade after the most recent switch. The responses I heard were varied – from resentment and embarrassment to nostalgia for a time when the city was known by a different name.

It’s fascinating to think about how a simple name change can evoke such strong emotions. The debate over names isn’t just limited to small towns like Rocky Top, though. We’ve seen it play out on a national scale, like when streaming service Max became HBO Max, or when President Donald Trump reverted Army base names to their previous Confederate titles.

As a recent graduate of the University of the South (or Sewanee, as it’s commonly known), I’ve witnessed firsthand how names can hold power. Many students and alumni prefer to use the shortened version, resisting the full title, “Sewanee: The University of the South,” due to the painful history it represents for the institution.

Whether it’s a city like Rocky Top or a prestigious university like Sewanee, names have a way of sticking with us and shaping our perceptions. It’s a reminder that behind every name, there’s a story and a deep sense of identity.