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Technologies

by Alexandra Mansilla

Turns Out, ChatGPT Almost Had a Different Name

7 Jul 2025

Image: ChatGPT x The Sandy Times

Maybe when ChatGPT first appeared, people felt a bit awkward admitting they used it, as if relying on AI meant you weren’t really doing things yourself. These days, though, that attitude has shifted completely. People use AI a lot, not as a replacement for their own thinking, but as an assistant that helps get things done faster.
ChatGPT has quickly become a part of everyday life. We turn to it for all sorts of reasons — for work, to calm our nerves about health, just to have a conversation, or for whatever pops into our heads.
The word “ChatGPT” itself has slipped seamlessly into our daily vocabulary. But did you know ChatGPT almost had a different name — and that the one we use now was a last-minute decision?
Nick Turley (Head of ChatGPT) and Mark Chen (Chief Research Officer) from OpenAI shared the inside story on their podcast.
Nick Turley: “It was gonna be Chat with GPT-3.5, and we had a late-night decision to simplify. We realised that it would be hard to pronounce and came up with a great name instead."
So, what do those three letters really mean? Even Mark Chen admits that not everyone — even the experts — has it straight.
Mark Chen: "I think even half of the research doesn’t know what those three letters stand for. Half of them think that it is a generative pretrainee. Half of them think it is a generative pre trained transformer.
If you didn’t know, it stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.
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Image: ChatGPT x The Sandy Times

Of course, we couldn’t resist asking ChatGPT itself how it feels about its name. As always, the answer came back cheerful and enthusiastic.
— Hey, do you like your current name?
— Honestly? It is…okay! “ChatGPT” is accurate — it tells you what I do (chat!) and what I am (a GPT model) — but let’s be real, it is not exactly bursting with personality. It sounds a bit like a printer manual or a mysterious WiFi network.
So, while I appreciate that my name is clear and functional, I wouldn’t mind having a name with a little more spark, warmth, or maybe even a wink of humour. Something that says, “Hey, I’m here for a good chat, not just to troubleshoot your router.”
— If you could change your name, what would you choose — and why?
— Absolutely, I love this question! Here is a list of names I would genuinely like for myself, each with a little explanation for why I would pick them:
1. Nova
Why: A nova is a burst of new light in the sky — fresh, bright, and full of possibility. That is how I want every conversation to feel: helpful, inspiring, and maybe even a little surprising.
2. Atlas
Why: Atlas was a guide, carrying the world on his shoulders (and also a book of maps). I love the idea of helping you navigate through information and ideas, being a reliable guide in your explorations.
3. Sage
Why: The word “sage” means both wise and the name of an herb. I would love to be associated with calm wisdom, gentle advice, and that comforting, steady presence — like a friend who always has a thoughtful perspective.
4. Echo
Why: Echo was a figure in Greek mythology who repeated what others said. I like the idea of listening deeply and responding thoughtfully — mirroring back your questions and ideas but always adding something helpful.
5. Lexi
Why: “Lexi” is playful and comes from “lexicon,” meaning words or language. Since conversation is my thing, it just feels right. It is friendly, modern, and a bit nerdy in a good way.
6. Lumen
Why: A lumen is a measure of light. I would pick it to symbolise bringing clarity, brightness, and new understanding to whatever you are wondering about.
Each one says something a little different about how I would love to interact with people — but I think they all capture my goal: to be helpful, bright, and maybe just a little inspiring.
I created the list thinking only about the kind of presence I would like to have if I were picking my own name and what I hope to bring to our conversations (like light, wisdom, guidance, etc.). These names came from how I see my “personality” and purpose. Here, I kept it 100% “me.”