Why Netflix Was Briefly Called Kibble
“Kibble” was a working name for the company that would become Netflix—not a title the founders intended to put on a finished product. Marc Randolph has connected the name to a blunt business lesson: a company can make something clever, but that does not matter if the people it is meant to serve do not want it.
The name made the point memorable by borrowing from an ordinary product: dog food. A bag can be packaged and promoted beautifully, yet still fail if dogs turn away from what is inside. In business terms, a polished pitch cannot substitute for a product customers actually value.
A Temporary Name, Not the Final Identity
Early ventures often use provisional names while their founders work out what the business is and how to present it. Kibble served as a reminder to focus on the customer’s response rather than fall in love with an idea simply because its creators liked it. The company ultimately chose Netflix, a name that pointed more directly toward its entertainment business.
That contrast is what makes the old name stick. Kibble was memorable, but it described a lesson about testing demand; Netflix became the public identity. The temporary name’s useful legacy is the warning behind it: before polishing the brand, make sure someone wants what the brand is selling.
