What’s with the Name?

Arcalus – pronounced AR-kuh-lus – is named after my great-great-great-grandfather, Arcalous Wyckoff. Born in 1816, Arcalous was an industrialist and inventor in Elmira, New York. He owned a factory that manufactured wooden water pipe and other products during the mid- and late-1800s. Arcalous held over a dozen patents on all sorts of wood-related devices, from hollow augers and paving blocks to barrel makers and pipe construction.

But where is the “o” from Arcalous? I thought it made a better business name without it. This is a good example of the Arcalus design philosophy – meaningful inspiration from the past, but open to creative and personal updates in the present.

And sure, I know it breaks the three cardinal rules of naming a business:
1. Make sure your customers can say your name.
2. Make sure your customers can spell your name.
3. Make sure your customers know what your name means.

But hey, the domain was available, and that’s saying something these days…

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