Why Does Google Say Topeka? Google Changes Its Name For April Fools' (PICTURE)

Are you wondering: Why does Google say Topeka?

We've got answers: the name change from Google to Topeka is an April Fools' prank.

Google replaced the multi-colored 'Google' logo on its homepage with the word 'Topeka,' a reference to Topeka, Kansas.

At the bidding of its mayor, Kansas' capitol city temporarily renamed itself 'Google, Kansas' as part of its effort to be chosen as one of the sites for Google's experimental, ultra-fast broadband network.

Google explained the prank on its official blog:

Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We've been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.

We didn't reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name. But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka's municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains.

Check out the April Fools' Google 'Topeka' logo below:

Comments

[GrumpyOldGeek]

02:02 PM on 04/01/2010

But the competition wins this part.

http://www.topeka.com

[GrumpyOldGeek]

02:16 PM on 04/01/2010

Rats. They fixed it. The first time I tried this, it went to Yahoo. Now it goes to Google, er, Topeka.