"The Facebook" Trends As People Speculate on Company Name Change Amid Metaverse Plans

Facebook is planning a massive rebrand next week, according to a new report, and speculation about any potential new name is rife across social media.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg intends to talk about the rebrand and his intention to build a "metaverse" at the company's annual meeting on October 28, The Verge reported on Tuesday, citing a source with knowledge of the move. A rebrand could come into effect before then, the report added.

Speculation about the rename led to "The Facebook" trending on Google. TheFacebook was the original name of the social media platform which launched on February 4, 2004.

The name reminded some Twitter users of the new Matt Reynolds' Batman adaptation, starring Robert Pattinson, titled The Batman. Journalist Matthew Frightbach joked that the company was rebranding in honor of the film, the trailer for which was released this week.

The Verge suggests the move is designed to reflect the company's aim to be seen as more than a social media provider, and speculates the rebrand will position the Facebook app as part of a range of products alongside Instagram, WhatsApp, and Occulus, under the umbrella of a parent company.

Kevin Fox, the experience designer who created the interface for Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Reader, and more, joked that the company could carry the "The" rebrand across its multiple platforms.

The rebrand of the social media giant could reflect Zuckerberg's desire to create a new computing "multiverse."

In a blog post published on Sunday, the company outlined a virtual world that uses augmented and virtual reality to deliver unique social and economic opportunities to users.

Technology and science editor for Flipboard, Ken Yeung, made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that this "metaverse" concept could be worked into the new Facebook moniker.

Newsweek previously reported that the introduction of the multiverse concept has led to the social media giant planning to hire an additional 10,000 workers in European Union over the coming five years.

In the blog post Nick Clegg, vice president of global affairs, and Javier Olivan, vice president of central products, wrote: "As we begin the journey of bringing the metaverse to life, the need for highly specialized engineers is one of Facebook's most pressing priorities."

The Associated Press (AP) reported on Monday that Facebook executives have been saying the metaverse could be the next big thing after the mobile internet. The company says that metaverse will be a massive virtual world that can be accessed in real-time by users who will be represented in the virtual space by their avatars.

The metaverse can then be used to hold virtual meetings or buy virtual land and clothing or other digital assets. Users will be able to pay for these things with cryptocurrencies.

Author Sarah Piper responded to Assistant News Director for KFDX/KJTL, Brittney Cottingham, reacting to The Verge article. She believes the metaverse concept would possibly be reflected in the new name for Facebook. Both were not keen on the rebrand.

Despite Facebook heavily prepping for the metaverse concept, no single company will control it. Epic Games that operators of the Fornite online game have raised $1 billion from investors to help develop the concept, APadded.

In September, Facebook announced that it would invest $50 million in researching the responsible development of products alongside civil rights groups, nonprofits, governments, and universities.

APadded that this has not offset fears that the metaverse will be monopolized by a handful of Silicon Valley companies, including Facebook.