If you’re still talking about ‘DirSync’ or ‘Active Directory’ instead of ‘Entra’, and need to explain why, this is the site for you
If you’re struggling to stay up to date with Redmond’s regular product re-branding exercises, here’s the site for you: The Microsoft Rebrand Registry.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Loryan Strant created the site because he thinks it’s a valuable resource, and also in the hope it makes visitors “chuckle.”
Readers may remember that Strant has also created the site Let Me Correct That For You, which lists the exact names of Microsoft products – an effort he told The Register he thinks is useful because Microsoft in its wisdom uses Camel Case for names like PowerPoint but went with conventional capitalization for Copilot.
Another of his sites immortalizes Microsoft cloud product logos. He’s also created HumbledandHonored.com, a site that generates social media posts MVPs can use to announce they have earned or retained Microsoft’s awards.
Strant told The Register that the Rebrand Registry came about after some banter between himself and other MVPs, during which the topic of Microsoft’s many product name changes came up. He decided to do something about it.
The site lists 72 Microsoft products and 158 names they’ve had over the years.
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It also includes some analysis of Microsoft’s branding, which sees a product’s name survive for an average of two years and eleven months.
The site lists eight products that have gone through three name changes:
· Azure AI Search
· Azure App Service
· Azure DevOps
· Azure SQL Database
· Foundry Tools
· Microsoft 365 Copilot app
· Microsoft Configuration Manager
· Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Strant has even had a go at predicting which Microsoft products are likely to get a new name soon, by considering the amount of time the current name has applied, prior names, and the frequency with which Microsoft changes names of products in the same family.
That methodology led him to suggest an “elevated” likelihood of name changes for the Azure App Service, Azure SQL Database, Azure DevOps, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service.
The site considers surviving products only, and Strant admits his analysis is therefore biased towards product Microsoft still publishes. He also pointed out that he’s not decided how to handle successor products, for example when Microsoft discontinued Skype for Business and put similar functions into Teams.
Strant said he created Let Me Correct That For You using WordPress, while his Microsoft logo library grew out of a OneDrive folder and relies on a GitHub repo.
For the Rebrand Registry, he used vibe coding tools.
“I have my own harness that lets me custom-build things,” he explained, adding that he rigorously validates data rather than relying on AI tools to get facts right.
Strant said most of the feedback he gets about his sites is positive, either on LinkedIn or during face-to-face meetings at events. He’s heard that Microsoft people appreciate his efforts because Redmond hasn’t preserved the same data his sites record.
“I hope that people find them useful, and get a chuckle,” he said. ®
