Why Active Rain? What's in a name?

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Why Active Rain? What's in a name?

I often wonder, as I comment to posts, and create new blogs on this system referred to as the Real Estate Network, how they came up with the name Active Rain? Was it because someone wanted to remain Active while it was raining? Is this a site that is more like an adult myspace? Was somebody sitting around bored in the rain and doing domain searches looking for a name on the interenet when all of a sudden they peered out the window and came up with activerain.com? If you know the answer, I'd love to hear it. If you don't know the answer, humor me. Don't get me wrong, I think this is one of the most powerful networking tools on the net. Just curious how the name came about.

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Posted by Brad Andersohn on 02/28/2007 07:16 AM

Comments (51)

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51 Comments on Why Active Rain? What's in a name?

FEB

2007

It has to do with the RainMakers of the business. RainMakers are always building their business and creating business for themsevles. These are the Active people in the real estate business. Therefore, Active RainMakers was shortened to Active Rain.

Purple Rain was already taken?

It's because ActiveRain was started in Washington State and all it does is rain here. :P

Actually, I am pretty sure that Jonathan based the name on the concept of a rainmaker as it relates to business. A rainmaker is someone that creates additional business. Let's see if we can get him to weigh in on this one and get a little more precise. It is only 5:20 in the morning here on the west coast and Jon is one of those stay up till 3 or 4 in the morning working guys, so he won't be up for a bit.

Bob

Rob: rotfl!

I've always wondered about this myself. I just figured Matt had to much time on his hands and too many brain cells, so he sat around making up names! His hobby is looking at fosilized bugs ya know. LOL

Painting by James Sebor. Pretty slick, eh? Called Rain Maker.

Inverted art... makes it fool proof for the dude that hangs paintings in the gallery

They should have picked Acid Rain...

I like that name better

Yeah Luke, but it gives me "flashbacks".

Follow up question:

Why are all the secuirty words for the system Fruits and Veggies?

well, let me think..umm, Condi says it is because fruits and vegetables need rain to grow.

........and rain is...ummm, active.

(love the Prez pic Michele)

What's kind of amusing is I've had a company Rain48 (48th parallel) for a few years. Then I went and worked for ActiveRain. I also run a server RubyOnRain ... so yah - I think the rain here in WA just naturally pops into your head when thinking of names for things.

Because brazil nut and macadamia and cashew would make them look like nuts

Hey Ben, the spell checker doesn't have macadamia in it. Did I spell it right?

PS - The new main page looks great this morning!

Brian: I made all the security words fruits because I thought it'd be quirky. I was looking for a set of words to use and had been working on http://www.usapears.com/delicious/produceguide.asp for another client.

The President scritching at his head! HAHAHAHA

Fruits and veggies...because they were hungry???

Purple Rain was taken?.....HAHAHAHAHA

Acid Rain flashbacks...this is too much!

Thank you for the giggles!!! Ohhh, pomegranate, my favorite!

I'm still trying to figure out what a gooseberry is - I think I've seen quite a few of them on the golf courses around here and they're usually not very welcomed.

What's a gooseberry? Are you kiddin'? We all know it's Division, Class, Order and Family. Didn't you learn that in 5th grade?

Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Saxifragales
Family:	Grossulariaceae

(Make note to myself - these could be great scrabble words)

I've wondered the same thing myself. It's not a name I would have picked. To me it brings nothing to mind. But then you have to call it something and it sure is hard to find a good two word dot com name. I guess it's open enough to accomodate future changes.

The same reason we drive on a Parkway and park on a Driveway. No one knows for sure.

Well, I am glad that you asked the question, cause I was also wondering where the name came from.

Gary

Wow, my forth day on Active rain, and to my surprise this morning, I was the 4th blog on the main blog page. Guess that means go forth my friend, go forth! In all seriousness, I was so stoked to see my post on Activerains main page, I woke up all the kids and wife to show them cause I wasn't sure how long it would be there and I wanted to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Thanks all for getting me up and on the top.

Still looking for the real reason they called it Activerain? Guess I should go back in and read each of the comments and see if it's here. I was so excited, I may have swung and missed it! (LOL) Will the real Activerain please stand up!

Brad, my guess is they named it "Active Rain" because all the good information just keeps pouring on us continuously!

LOL @ Brad

We all feel that way on the first one!

The only thing left is to introduce you to an AR Hijacking!

Gooseberry, I keep waiting to see Snozberry as one of the words.

No Dingles I hope.

Brad-

You are now a featured blogologist!

Woo Hoo!

Congrats.

Here's another image that may be of interest here...

You just can't control the direction of the comments. : )

I will confirm that our name does come from the term "Rainmaker" not the fact that it rains all the time in Washington State. The company was actually founded under that name about two years before we launched this real estate network. We built lead management systems for large brokerages so the name applied to that, they helped the brokerages bring in new business. But we felt the name worked well enough, that we also used it for this site.

Here I thought you named it Active Rain based off the book on being a Rainmaker. Rainmakers being the people who go the extra mile and provide customer service in sales and care about their customers. But I have heard that it rains all the time in Washington State. . .

Angela- never thought of that!

I heard about dingles, Rob you're having way too much fun here! (FunRain)

Rain Makers are the ones who are always working for new ideas and business. Deep down I always thought it was the Washington state thing though! LOL

Great post and great question. I'm sure you're not the only one who wondered the very same thing! Well thanks for sharing your thoughts to enlighten and entertain us!

LOL @ Rob Robinson...

Yeah Luke, but it gives me "flashbacks".

02/28/2007

by Rob Robinson

Rob...You are such a trip. Hmmm. That may have been a pun hun :)

Hey! Did someone mention Hijacking? SVW (smiling very wide) Let me know if you need my services :)

TLW...ROAR!

Glad I read the Post now I know what the name means.

By the way Brad now that we have seen each others picture, I guess we have met.....LOL

MAR

2007

Thanks Matt for clarifying the origin of the name "Activerain.com" I will sleep better at night knowing there was a method to the madness. I appreciate you taking the time as the co-founder of this AWESOME system to respond to me. I feel honored and appreciate it very much. This is my 5th day and I already have 35 agents in my area who have joined. I look forward to all the growth and prosperity this network will offer to all the members. You ROCK the internet world! Active rain WILL BE the largest Real Estate network in the world very soon.

MAR

2007

You know since I have been involved in real estate every where I look something has to do with rain. Rain makers, rain marketers, so I always thought rain meant business so active rain active "business." I am even hearing on the radio in some songs. What going on is this the new slang word for everything.

MAY

2007

Who's got the rain.... I've heard that in a song! LOL, great comment! Active rain is "Active Business", I couldn't agree more completely. Thanks Shauna :-)

SEP

2007

Glad I found this post. Good to know I wasn't the only one wondering about this.

SEP

2007

David and Kristin - you guys have commented on many of my earlier posts, some I had forgotten I even wrote. Thanks for bringing these back to life, it's fun to see what happens in the blogging world with these things. It's true, they do live on forever! I totally forgot about this one. Though it wasn't too long ago, seems like I have been on the "Rain" forever! You guys totally ROCK!! Thanks! B-)

Brad,
We have commented on some of your earlier post so that we can learn from you. Plus it's cool to track the evolution and changes in style!

SEP

2007

I guess it has been an evolution, thanks for tracking my growth. It's hard to find the time to look back and believe I wrote some of this stuff!! LOL!! :-)

JUN

2008

I can't believe I ever asked this question. See, we were all newbies once, this was my first post I think! haha!

NOV

2008

Finally, I know where the name comes from, I just need to really understand what is a rainmaker?

NOV

2008

Stephane - if you google search "rainmaker" you'll find all you need to know! :-))

NOV

2008

I will confirm that our name does come from the term "Rainmaker" not the fact that it rains all the time in Washington State.

Aha! After wandering around here for months, I finally found the answer. :)

JAN

2009

the search function works to answer questions, lol

Robert - another great Activerain discovery! lol~ :-)

AUG

2009

Wow... time travel. One of my specialties as a Pisces... Great little pre-history... thx.

Rene - hahahaha! Love the time travel comment, that was great, thanks. :-))

SEP

2009

There's a message in there somewhere :)

And just so no one gets the wrong idea...The message relates to AR :)

TLW...ROAR!

Well...

It's time for me to snore instead of Roar :)

TLW...ROAR!

DEC

2010

I'm glad that Matt came along to clarify the inspiration for the name. I had heard originally that it had something to do with the wet weather in Washington, and that the wife of one of the founders was a real estate agent, or something like that...

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Brad Andersohn

Fairfield, CA

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