www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi all - I'd really appreciate your feedback on this one.

The name 'UK Butterflies' does not reflect the geographical scope that the website covers ... since it also covers all of Ireland (not just Northern Ireland). Just to be clear on some terms:

UK = England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
Britain / GB = England, Scotland, Wales
Ireland = Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland

The website therefore covers Britain and Ireland and I've had several comments over the years, especially from those based in Ireland, that the name of the website is a misnomer - and I agree!

The website was originally given the name 'UK Butterflies' to pay homage to the brilliant 'UK Moths' which, funnily enough, characterises itself as 'Guide to the moths of Great Britain and Ireland'.

My thinking (at this point) is to retain the domain name, Twitter handle etc. as 'ukbutterflies' (since we have quite a web presence using these names, which are linked to etc.), but to recharacterise the website as something like 'Butterflies of Britain & Ireland'.

So ... thoughts please

Cheers,

- Pete

A Rose by any other name ....
I think it is wise to keep the same domain name. After that, i don't feel strongly about it. I suspect many of us simply refer to it as UKB. I also suspect that European and other overseas butterflies probably get as much coverage as irish ones in the forums. The site is managed from the UK so why not continue using the same name?

Just to add to the three terms you defined, Pete, the expression 'the British Isles' covers the intended area exactly, I think. I'm not necessarily proposing this as part of a new name, just adding it to the thought pot.

Guy

Padfield wrote:Just to add to the three terms you defined, Pete, the expression 'the British Isles' covers the intended area exactly, I think. I'm not necessarily proposing this as part of a new name, just adding it to the thought pot.

Guy

I believe Guy is right but I also think this term is not popular in Ireland for obvious reasons. Personally I don't really mind if the name is changed or not.

if it ain't broke don't fix it....

Thank you Mike, Guy, Paul and Charles.

I think the most sensible thing to do is to keep the moniker (since 'UK Butterflies' as a website, and 'brand', is so well known), but make it crystal clear that the website covers Ireland in its entirety. Much like UK Moths has done. I already have some thoughts on how this could be achieved.

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Pete
I think you could achieve this via an addition to the strapline.
BWs, Neil

Neil Hulme wrote:Hi Pete
I think you could achieve this via an addition to the strapline.
BWs, Neil

Thanks Neil - I'll add that to the pot

Cheers,

- Pete

UKB does trip easily off the tongue but then 'BIB' (Butterflies of Ireland and Britain) has a certain je ne sais quois ? Perhaps you could go for the best of both worlds and have UKB for the domain name etc and BIB for the strapline? To be Devils Advocate - where would you draw the line as there are members with PDs that post from Europe and beyond, people regularly post holiday and trip reports from foreign parts and there are numerous trip reports from the excursions ran by the sponsors which aren't UK based? Perhaps keeping things the same is the best option?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

How about 'British Isles Butterflies'?

That covers all bases, doesn't it?

Thanks Wurzel! Members can post anything, but the focus of the website will always be Britain and Ireland.

David M wrote:How about 'British Isles Butterflies'?

That covers all bases, doesn't it?

Thanks David. It does, but does not go down well in Ireland - I've asked I even had an Irish lady complain on Twitter that she thought that saying 'Britain and Ireland' rather than 'Ireland and Britain' struck her as colonialism ... even after I pointed out that the convention is to go from largest to smallest

Cheers,

- Pete

Of course with all the current political shenanigans such as Scottish demands for independence, potential for a united Ireland, etc, UK as such will doubtless cease to exist for much longer. As has been suggested elsewhere, it might be called the “Former UK” or “FUK”.

So plan for the future Pete: fuk-b trips off the tongue rather well.

Jack

UK and Ireland Butterflies?

There's no ambiguity in that.

UK and Ireland Butterflies? There's no ambiguity in that.

What happens if / when Scotland leaves the UK? (I'm not saying I necessarily support that). And an independent Wales perhaps Dafydd?

The terminology "Butterflies of the British Isles" would overcome these problems. But haven't I heard that title before somewhere?

Jack

Thx Jack and David. I've been 'prototyping' a few possibilities, and the following looks unambiguous (I think!) while retaining the UK Butterflies name.
Cheers,

- Pete

Looks great and ticks all the boxes Pete

Have a goodun

Wurzel

The prototype looks good to me

Nothing wrong with that, Pete.

It's right that Ireland is mentioned but the overwhelming majority of focus is on butterflies in the UK. No reason, in my opinion, to do anything that might compromise that.