“What’s in a name?” Juliet asked Romeo in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (Act II, Scene II). Things didn’t work out for the star-crossed lovers, who couldn’t alter their ties to rival families in Verona, Italy. In business, it’s different. Companies can and do change their names and identities—for any number of reasons. Some may want to assume a fresh image or clarify what they do. These moves often generate positive results. Examples include Pepsi-Cola, which started out as “Brad’s Drink,” named after its inventor. Google began life as “BackRub” (who knew?). And Blue Ribbon Sports swapped its name for that ...