What’s in a name?

When a company decides it's time for rebranding, what exactly are they looking for in a new name that the old one didn't offer?

Are naming changes a convenient way to push a few skeletons further back in the closet or do they provide a fresh start?

Over the past six months about 15 Western Australian publicly-listed companies changed their name, with some interesting results.

Some companies kept the change rather safe, while others decided they would be a little more daring, raising more than a few eyebrows in their decision.

Sally Malay Mining Ltd took a conservative approach when it changed its name to Panoramic Resources Ltd in June, with the company stating two key reasons.

One was that the company, which was named after its principal nickel project (now known as Savannah), had court action launched against

it for using the name of a deceased Aboriginal stockman, something that is forbidden in Aboriginal culture.

The other reason was that the company had expanded, acquiring a second project called Lanfranchi, and wanted a name that would cover all its operations, not just one.

Advanced Nanotechnology Ltd changed its name Antaria Ltd this week, with executive chairman Bruce Cameron saying the old name was reflective of the company's roots, but rebranding was an opportunity to display the other sectors the company works in.

"We've got a business now where the primary commercialised product is a long way removed from its nanotechnology roots," Mr Cameron said.

"It's now a matter where the original name is deceptive, in a sense that it hides the breadth of the other activities that are going on."

Mr Cameron explained that the rebranding process was a challenge, taking well over 12 months, with a company employee coming up with Antaria.

"It's always a challenge because you think of names and then you go and look at the space that's available," Mr Cameron said.

Clinical Cell Culture Ltd changed its name to Avita Medical Ltd in June, following a merger in February with Visiomed Group.