Andersen Consulting was ordered to change its name by January 1, 2001, due to a separation from parent company Anderson Consulting. Landor Associates had 80 days to create a new corporate identity, involving 65,000 employees in a naming contest dubbed “brandstorming.”

Over 550 names were vetted by attorneys, with 51 passing legal screening. These names underwent global market research and linguistic testing in 65 languages. In a pivotal moment, 2,500 senior partners voted for the new name, with “Accenture” emerging as the clear winner.

The name “Accenture” was strategically chosen, offering familiarity and a forward-looking approach. Over 25 years, Accenture has seen significant growth, with employees increasing from 65,000 to 779,000 and revenue soaring from $11.44 billion to $69.67 billion, marking the success of the renaming project.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: The 25th-anniversary story of Accenture’s name, from the professional namer who led the project