This debate is now closed.
What’s in a name?
Chicago’s Sears Tower has been renamed the Willis Tower. Will the name catch on?
The famous skyscraper, which opened in 1973, is named after London-based Willis Group Holdings after they secured the naming rights as part of an agreement to lease space.
Other well-known buildings have undergone name changes – New York’s Pan Am Building became the MetLife Building, London’s NatWest Tower became Tower 42. While 30 St Mary Axe in London is more affectionately known as The Gherkin.
How important is it for a building to have a name? Why do some names stick in the public consciousness whilst others don’t? What buildings would you rename? What you call them?
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Published:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 10:19 GMT
11:19 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 21:44 GMT
22:44 UK
It is all a bit silly and simply shows the shallowness of the Willis Group. It's the 'Sears Tower' and always will be.
Garthwaite Watts
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 21:33 GMT
22:33 UK
I think the Tower should have been named "The White Elephant" after Sears could no longer afford it.
Dwayne Chastain, West Jefferson, United States
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 20:58 GMT
21:58 UK
There is only one way that the Willis Group could get respect in Chicago: Let them commission and build their own building! If they really want respect here, then let it be the tallest building in Chicago, if not the world.
We are a traditionally blue collar, working class town. To us, you can't purchase another man's glory and accomplishments with your checkbook alone! Working class people everywhere know what I mean, even in the UK. Not everything can be bought and sold in this world.
leslie Farkas
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 17:30 GMT
18:30 UK
Personally I don't like the idea of renaming things, (especially pubs!) as it usually only works for people who did not know it by its old name. For instance the Post Office Tower was renamed years ago, but to most in my generation it is still the Post Office Tower, and I guess this will be the same for the Sears Tower.
Tony Shaw, Langdale
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 17:13 GMT
18:13 UK
It'll always becalled the Sears Tower. However, who cares and does it really matter? I think not.
Sonny, Chicago USA
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 17:08 GMT
18:08 UK
I and many other Chicagoans wonder: where will the "Willis Group" be 2 years from now? How do we know they won't go bankrupt or themselves be bought out? How many owners will this building have in the next 10 years? Corporate capitalism is transitory; allowing landmark name issues to follow board room shennigans leads to erasure of history and local custom.
Chicagoans are proud of that building, that it was the tallest in the world for a long time and it was in our city. We're a proud people!
leslie Farkas
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:52 GMT
17:52 UK
If someone tried to rename Big Ben McDonalds (or ANYTHING else), do we think it would EVER be McDonalds? Or anything but Big Ben? The Chicago Sears Tower will ALWAYS be the Sears Tower, no matter what the new owners try to call it.
Richard Savary, Pasadena, United States
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:51 GMT
17:51 UK
Presumably this is in advance of bruce filming die hard 12 or whatever number we are up to now and that will invlove some sort of robbery followed by him single handedly destroying a building that is now named after him ?
And that's just the way it is, Nottingham, England
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:44 GMT
17:44 UK
Just how much did it cost Norwich Union to change its name to Aviva, and just how many people would know who Aviva used to be.
[dynamicMaureen]
It has cost me an extra £50 per annum on my insurance for Norwich Union to change its name to Aviva. Which is why the unnecessarily renamed company will be one customer less.
Mountain Pine
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:43 GMT
17:43 UK
Who cares?
[GrumpyOldViking], Orkney
You're just miffed because they didn't name it Orkney Tower.
[MilwaukeeRay], United States
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:41 GMT
17:41 UK
"What if Canary Wharf was renamed Morgan Stanley Tower?
Londoners would go mad."
Not really as a) it's not really a particularly loved area, and b) Canary Wharf refers to the whole area, but the taller tower is know by several names - e.g Canary Wharf Tower or 1 Canada Square.
It's begging to have a decent name actually ...
Rufus McDufus, Twickenham, United Kingdom
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:37 GMT
17:37 UK
Absolutely fabulous to use such a great, well known and loved by all name "WILLIS" for such a building with such great heritage. This will go down in history! Perhaps it will lead to more important national and international structures being named WILLIS. Maybe all the greatest should share this name WILLIS. Yes ? OK ! I admit it ! My name is willis.
willis marshall, new bloomfield, United States
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:34 GMT
17:34 UK
Will the name catch on??
What if Canary Wharf was renamed Morgan Stanley Tower?
Londoners would go mad.
I think it's a bit insensitive to just trample over heritage in this respect.
And the Millennium Dome was renamed the O2 Arena without any fuss from us here, but who really cared about that white elephant?!
[negativebert], Stourbridge, United Kingdom
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:33 GMT
17:33 UK
Call it what you like...it'll still be a building full of accountants.
R Bali, Halle, Germany
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Added:
Friday, 17 July, 2009, 16:32 GMT
17:32 UK
I've heard of the Sears Tower, but where is this "Chicago" place?
Keith Hill, Bradford, United Kingdom
Spoken like a true Milwaukeean! I take my hat off to you, sir.
[MilwaukeeRay], United States
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DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 442
Published comments: 238
Rejected comments: 77
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