Happyfeed is Becoming Orca

Happyfeed is getting a new name. It’s a small but meaningful update, and I want to start by assuring you that nothing you love about this little app is going away. Your memories, the design of the interface, the team, and the core mission will all stay the same.

As the app has grown over the past years, it’s been increasingly clear that it might be outgrowing the name – no longer just a place for “three good things” but a flexible space to hold your memories and share with close friends. Our new name, Orca, is grounded in meaningful metaphors and provides space to grow.

If you’re in shock, that’s OK! In the coming days, the app will be officially renamed and get a refreshed icon and light visual updates. My goal is to make this as minimally disruptive as possible, keeping the soul of the app very much unchanged.

Why the Rebrand?

The name Happyfeed does one thing very well. It perfectly describes what the app was originally designed to do – build a feed of happy things on your phone.

A descriptive, literal app name is great for starting out, but has had growing problems:

• First, Happyfeed is prescriptive: implying that you should be happy. But in reality, recording memories is messier than that.
• It can feel a bit corny and emotionally exposed. Seeing that you use an app called Happyfeed could lead to unwelcome judgement, “Why do you need to be happier?”
• Many features in Happyfeed have little to do with gratitude journaling. Not everyone who keeps a photo diary would want to call it their Happy Feed.

It’s also not the easiest name to say. You might have to repeat yourself in conversation:

“I use this app, Happyfeed.” “Happy Feet? Like the penguins?” “No, Happy Feed, like a happier newsfeed, but it’s a journal.” “How do you spell that?”

Not for Everyone

As far as I’m concerned, Happyfeed (now Orca) is the best gratitude journaling app out there, but that’s just one of many uses now. People might use the app exclusively for photo journaling, tracking their days, or sharing in a more private way. Positivity is a core piece; it’s just not the main thing for everyone.

So a name like Happyfeed feels mismatched for the photo journalers, travel trackers, and groups of college friends. By too strongly associating with a single idea, the name Happyfeed diminishes our ability to create a broader mission.

Why Orca?

The hard part is finding a new name that solves everything wrong with the old one. Orca comes awfully close. It’s rooted in concepts that have already been built into the app, presents a simple and memorable name you can share, and has a personal connection to the founder, me.

Building on a Metaphor

Orca encapsulates three parts of our story: Pods, Memories, and Waves. Orcas, like dolphins, travel in large pods, drawing a clear parallel to the app’s private groups by the same name. They are known to pass knowledge across generations – much like how the app is designed to connect you with your memories. And our recent launch of Waves, well, that speaks for itself.

Phrases like, “Join my Pod” or “Start a Wave” fit in perfectly with the new identity.

And of course, there’s a strong association between orcas and water. Water can be a source of life, a calming presence, and a seemingly endless depth. It’s free flowing and mysterious – inviting you to explore a bit further.

Ergonomics: Sharing and Sayability

Simply put, Orca is a beautiful word. Short, strong, and recognizable. It might not be clear what it does as an app by just the name, but it’s interesting enough to want to take a closer look.

"Join me on Orca."

Gut Feeling

At the end of the day, picking a new name as a solo founder is a personal choice. I’m incredibly biased toward the name Orca. It reminds me of the joy of traveling to islands from the Pacific Northwest (yes, Orcas Island) to Isle of Skye in Scotland. It reminds me of a rare, noble animal that is absolutely a force of nature.

And having grown up on the lakes in Michigan, a concept involving water feels like home to me. It reminds me of the feeling of calm and endless adventure while being out on a boat or canoe.

Of course, Orca means different things to different people though.

But …Killer Whales?

While my image of an orca is that of a graceful, rare sea mammal with life-long social ties, some of you will immediately think of the killer whale. That’s not an association I expect you to easily give up, but please consider other aspects of this poorly labeled species.

You probably don’t refer to lions as “killer cats” or eagles as “killer birds,” so I’ll ask you to give the majestic orca a little more grace.

And, on the other hand, if the name Orca makes you feel a bit more fierce or like your own Pods are not to be messed with, maybe you can hold on to a glimmer of the “killer” part.

Think more… “Free Willy”

Why all the changes lately?

Regardless of being incredibly well-rated and beloved by many (4.8 stars, 4k+ ratings), Happyfeed has yet to really live up to its potential. A name change won’t instantly change the direction of the company, but I hope it expands the way people think about it. Happyfeed was the perfect name for a simple gratitude journal that taught me countless lessons, but Orca is the next evolution of that: an app focused on deep reflection and mindful sharing.

This is all part of a plan to make bolder bets to turn Happyfeed (now Orca) into a sustainable business that you can trust with your private memories for decades to come

If it feels like thrash right now, please remember that a little discomfort is how we grow. The mission will never change and gratitude will always be at the core of everything we do.