What does Avaya mean?
Avaya joins many other recent communications and technology companies with exotic-sounding, made-up names (such as Teligent, Agilent, and Verizon), thanks to what was probably a hefty payment to a name-consultant company. According to Avaya's website, "The name has a certain flair to it that says action, that says we're new, we're different." Whatever -- as long as it doesn't mean anything bad in Spanish.
Among their customers, the most common explanation that I've heard is that it is an abbreviation for: Apply Vaseline Around Your A#!$. I believe this has something to do with price negotiation process.
When Avaya made the split from Lucent we were told that the name Avaya had no meaning as of yet and it was up to us as Avaya employees to give the name meaning. After I heard that I thought, "You know, I've been around too long and I'm getting too old for this bologna." I, along with a bunch of other techs, decided that when the next offer came to pension off with some extra cash as an incentive it was a good time to get out. I haven't looked back. I think sezwhat's definition is great!
This is a perfect example of either not doing homework, or of amazing coincidences, for the word avaya most certainly does have a meaning, which I discovered when the name change was announced. The word can be found in the Jain dictionary
When Avaya was getting spun off from Lucent, they had a contest for the employees to think up a new name, but they decided to use a California name search firm that 'Made up" the name, after searching around the world trying to avoid the "Nova' mistake that Chevy made years ago. "nova" in spanish means " no go". Or at least that is what I have read.
But anyway, Avaya was selected, but little did they know that it was the name for a Satan worship religion in Africa. But by the time they discovered this, it was too late.
Dandy Don Peterson, when they drove that new Chevy Astro Van onto the stage with Avaya on it, told everyone that it was an 'empty vessel' and it was the employees' job to make it mean something. It took a 40 year tech in Boston about a day to come up with Apply Vaseline Around Your A**hole.
Two out of three voices in my head said "Africa", the other one said Avaya was "how are ya" if were had a tongue ring. The Avaya Security guys didn't say anything about what Avaya meant, they just looked at me like they weren't getting paid enough to be performing such dangerous work.
I wonder what they carry in those trucks....everytime I had a tech come out, he never had the replacement part...whether it be a patch cable to rj11/45 jack. Wait...Im wrong, he did have new SAT terminal when mine "accidentally" fell on the floor...that was a very long time ago...before my anger management.
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