"Sansar", Second Life 2's Now-Confirmed Official Working Name, is So Bad, Let's Just Keep Calling It Second Life 2

Linden Lab just publicly confirmed that the official working name for its Oculus Rift-compatible successor to Second Life, often called Second Life 2, is actually called... Sansar:

It's true: #ProjectSansar is the codename/project name of our new virtual experience platform. Final name to be revealed in the future. #VR

— Linden Lab (@LindenLab) May 5, 2015

... and so sorry, Sansar seems such a silly name, I'm personally inclined to keep calling it Second Life 2 for now. Though I am curious where the name "Sansar' came from. I have two theories:

Sansara is the oldest and most complex of all mainland continents in Second Life. Just as notable, "Sensarra" was Philip Rosedale's original proposed name for Second Life before it was dubbed Second Life. I discussed this in my book, in a passage I hope Linden Lab reads when they finally land on the official name for Second Life 2, whatever it ultimately is:

“A lot the game worlds were verbs which described what you’d be doing,” as [business developer Hunter Walk] recalls it now. “You know… ever-questing! Or place names—Ultima, but online!” Linden was working with a branding agency to create the world’s eye-in-hand logo, but remained stymied on what to actually call the place. Ever the Californian fabulist, Rosedale wanted a named that suggested a mystical dreamworld—Sensarra, for example.

Walk balked. “Using the world was already so unapproachable and was gonna be for so long, why put up another barrier, a strange name that people didn’t understand? And secondarily, because of everyone bringing their different idea to it, I wanted the name to be a vessel that people could fill themselves, that would be evocative of the promise of the world, and then put that responsibility upon the user to fill the promise. So I didn’t want to describe what they would find when they got there. I wanted to describe what it could be to them.”

Just this time, please, no name that lends itself to a joke like, "You use Second Life because you don't have a first life!" 

Update, 3:35PM: Strawberry Singh has some linguistic background on "Sansar":

Sansar means 'World' in Sanskrit. Good choice @LindenLab http://t.co/TN5Sd9BvlK https://t.co/6XrwQBn8l2

— Strawberry Singh (@strawberrysingh) May 6, 2015

... and Sanskrit is cool, no question about that -- but the name is also easy to twist around in snarky ways, such as:

@slhamlet @LindenLab @hunterwalk Bad idea. A year from now, the new platform will be unofficially dubbed as Sexsar. "The Grid" = better idea

— laben core (@labencore) May 6, 2015

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Comments

[Fuzzball Ortega]

Working titles are supposed to be bad. It serves multiple purposes. Sometimes, so somebody doesn't come up and say, "Hey, you can't use that title. I came up with that title."

I also know that they'll be inviting people into the early alpha stages. Starting with people who are skilled at using Maya, then they'll broaden it from there. (Sent a tweet asking how one would get invited....and I've no Maya skills).

But, I'm sure a lot of us will be calling it Second Life II

[Ever Afterr]

I wish I could cop to having a knowledge of Sanskrit and/or awareness of the fascinating history of SL mainland continents, but I can't look at the word Sansar without thinking of Sansa Stark. Not that having ones mind consumed with a foxy redhead is ever a bad thing, but as a Game of Thrones geek, I gotta keep it real! ;)

[Damien Fate]

Working title or not, I like Sansar and don't see why it's so horrid.

[Issa Heckroth]

Could have been a lot worse. Sounds far less cheese than "Second Life 2", which is just stupid. Any suggestions for what YOU would call it, hammy?

[Adeon Writer]

Sanasr is turkish for Ferret. It's also some term for reincarnation. So reincarnated ferrets. And since the most important question to ask in a virtual world is "Can you be a ferret?" I think the name is perfect.

[Eddi Haskell]

Linden Lab cannot name the new virtual world Second Life 2.0 since the entire point of building the new virtual world is to escape the creepy negative associations with Second Life -- we residents are still thought of as weirdos by many in the the outside world. My first reaction is that Sansar is not ideal because it sounds like a science fiction MM0 and not like a virtual world platform, but I might be able to live with it. Why not hold a competition (I am not joking) and offer $10,000 real world cash for the winning name?

[Tesla Miles]

I absolutely LOVE the name Sansar, better than naming it after some ancient god or goddess. I hope they get rid of the eye in the hand logo too while they're at it.

[Guni]

Why not call it Kamasutra? :)

[zz bottom]

http://www.spiegel.tv/#/filme/virtualize-it-virtuelle-welten/

For those that still think that all besides Wasp's sees SL as a game for perverts!

[Son of Man]

@Damien Fate

You have done a lot to help second life from helping other creators to helping build the grid in the early years,understanding the name issue
you would not because your a big nerd who is very successful in second life,the lab has been good to you & your partner,

your a master 3D modeler and your admiration for second life has lead you to even name your real life child part of the name.you have been a community asset & a pillar but my point is when it comes to linden lab choosing the right name it should not be counted on those who would not tell the king that he has no clothing on.

[Son of Man]

I agree with hamlet, my thoughts the new name must inspire dreams & opportunists and the first wall encountered will be the name followed by the website if the wrong choices are deployed.

Name> what it will mean to those who discover it

'Beyond Life " the highly successfully follow up to the hugely successful MMO "Second Life" by Linden Lab

Beyond Life Universe (BLU) was voted by PCGamer as MMO of the year 2019

After trying Second Life i was really bored after a few years,then a friend invited me to to try BLU .now i own a club with a new girlfriend
Thanks Blu! ~Unknown Resident

[UCMO]

The Matrix

[Ajax Manatiso]

It probably should be called "the Void" since oldbies will stick with original Second Life and newbies consider the whole concept dull and never return after a first look. (Forsee jokes:"What is the most popular drink in Second Life 2? New Coke of course!)

[bonesy]

Please call it "Memory Lane"!

[Graham Mills]

"The Void" is taken apparently https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cML814JD09g

[Metacam Oh]

Anything is better than Second Life 2, let's not kid ourselves Hamlet. Second Life is a place for people without a first life. At least the name Sansar doesn't bring any immediate preconceived notions into the mix before you give a try.

[shardh]

Sansar is an Hindu/Sanskrit word for "World". Most of SecondLife grids are named after Hindu gods "Agni", "Siva", "Durga" etc.. so "Sansar" sort of.. kind of makes sense :)

[EhrmanDigfoot]

The consensus so far actually seems positive. I like Sansar, too. It's simple, unique, meaningful.