Nameless

The Struggle, Setbacks, and Surprising Inspiration Behind Our Identity.

We thought we nailed our app’s name within minutes. After a long meeting filled with brainstorming and much thought, we were proud of what we had decided. Weave. It was perfect. It embodied the connection we wanted people to feel when engaging with their communities on our app. As with many things, though, it doesn’t always work out as planned.

Weave — the idea that thought it could but didn’t quite make it. We were at the beginning of the design phase and preparing to develop our branding for the app. We devised Weave, a simple but effective name for a community engagement app. From the developers to partners, we shared the story of the Weave app. That made it a harder lesson when we realized we would have to change our name.

It takes just one quick Google search to tell you that Weave is an already existing app — a pretty large app, actually — which is something we should have known. As we thought about our options, we realized that sometimes, even if your choice feels absolutely perfect, it’s better to let it go for the company’s future. So with that, our dreams of an app called “Weave” were dead.

“There’s nothing more disappointing than feeling like you’re back to the start, nameless.”

There is something special about a name. It drives your brand and how your customers perceive the product. It creates an impression of trust and comfort, filling you with excitement and wonder or, in the worst-case scenario, with disappointment like New Coke. We felt like we had found the perfect name that best described the app at this time, and now it was gone.

With the app moving into development and remaining nameless, we felt it had lost its identity, so we returned to the drawing board.

This time, we left no pebble unturned (get it?). We researched every corner of the internet. We tried name generators in hopes that they would inspire genius thoughts. We talked with other organizations, family, and friends. We even looked at other languages and different symbolisms, but nothing felt right. As a team, we were at odds, back and forth for hours, without making any decisions. At this moment, it felt impossible. It felt like a failure.

“Every name we tried felt either too corporate or too cutesy. Nothing stuck.”

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “Not too cutesy? Your mascot is a penguin, the epitome of adorable”. I know, I know, but we had not designed Pebblz the penguin yet. We focused entirely on the name as the source of our app’s identity. With Weave, we were lost. Not because the name was wrong but because we hadn’t yet understood what we were truly building. We were uncertain — about our product, our direction, and, if I’m being honest, about ourselves as founders. The name became a crutch, something to hide behind while we figured out the real work of creating something meaningful.

It is not a failure to let go of something and start again. We realized that our identity comes from our vision, execution, and commitment — not from a word on a page. Sometimes, finding yourself means being willing to reimagine who you are completely.

We took that lesson and shifted our focus from brainstorming names to really defining our app. What was it for the community, what could people gain from using our app, and how do we want people to feel while using it? We have always believed that small actions can make a big impact. If the app could allow people and organizations to take small actions, people would give back in their way. In contrast, organizations could be involved with the public beyond their usual programming. That is when we started talking about micro-actions.

In thinking about our name, we started with the word micro…what is something small that can create a big effect? Pebbles! Even the smallest pebble can create ripples; even the tiniest pebbles together make a path, creating something that spreads beyond its tiny size. That is our app. No challenge is too small, and there is no action too little. You can give back to and connect with your community one pebble at a time. Of course, we wanted to make it a bit unique, so we jazzed it up with that z at the end. With that, pebblz was born.

We were happy with a well-done job. As we began building the brand guide, our amazing designer asked us about the inspiration for the brand. We looked at pebbles and rocks, and it gave us yoga and counselling vibes: serene and calm, with a touch of a yawn — not the vibes we wanted for an engagement app.

Then, late one night, while doom-scrolling through TikTok, I came across a video about Gentoo penguins at the zoo. They had picked special pebbles for the penguins and brought them into the habitat. The Gentoo penguins would pick the best pebble and present it to their future partner. Gentoo penguins use those pebbles to build their community.

Watching that video, I thought, “What if a penguin could embody the spirit of giving and building community?”

Light-bulb! Pebblz the Penguin. The perfect and, yes, cutesy mascot that would represent pebblz! Honestly, we never thought about having a mascot. We didn’t want our app to feel “childish”. However, inspired by other apps, we realized that doing good doesn’t have to be boring. With the right amount of sass and encouragement, Pebblz embodies our mission, motivating users while adding a playful energy to community engagement. Penguins are collaborative and resilient — just like the changemakers we aim to support — so Pebblz is that friend who makes taking action fun and inspiring!

“Every time I see Pebblz the Penguin, I’m reminded that sometimes the best things come after the hardest journeys.”

From our dream name to nameless to pebblz, our search for identity ended with a sassy little penguin. We realized our true identity was not in a name but in who we are and what the app represented. Our mascot and name don’t just represent an app but us as a team. A small group determined to make a difference. And with a name and mascot like Pebblz, this little team is starting to make ripples.