A Search Engine By Any Other Name

In a April Fool’s shoutout to one of the many cities hoping to woo its high speed fiber-optics, Google (temporarily) changed its name to Topeka.

In the past several months, Topeka, KS and several other cities have changed their own names in hopes of gaining Google’s attention and a spot as a test site for the Internet giant’s fiber-optics business. In addition to super-fast Internet access, the cities expect Google’s test fibers will create new jobs and attract new business.

Topeka may have been one of the first, but other cities have tried the same flattery. Rancho Cucamonga, CA changed its name to Rancho Googlemonga. And just up the road from us, Hickory, NC has named the section of U.S. Highway 321 between Hickory and Lenoir Google Holler, NC.

Google says plans to announce the winner or winners of the fiber-optic test sites by the end of the year.