An interesting post by Inc.com on the worst things you can call (or refer) yourself on Linkedin and out of the 12 words you can use the authors says that two of the words are also new gTLD’s.
“There are so many terrible words people use to make themselves sound exciting on LinkedIn.”
Guru and Ninja both make the list.
If these words are bad to refer to yourself on linked in by the same logic if you buy it they would also be bad to use as your domain name.
Anyway here is what the Inc.com has to say about Guru and Ninja:
Ninja. I remember the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They were anthropomorphic. Which certainly describes one or two senior businesspeople I know. However, ninjas were experts in Ninjutsu, a specialized form of guerrilla warfare with 18 disciplines. Why anyone compares business to war escapes me. No one dies. If you’re in banking, you don’t even risk going to jail. But honestly, how many of these supposed business ninjas would be experts in, say, the discipline of Seishinteki kyy — spiritual refinement? How many would have any idea of Kenjutsu — sword techniques? The only one I can possible imagine any of these LinkedIn ninjas mastering is Bojutsu. This involves stick and staff techniques.
Guru. In its original Sanskrit, this words means “teacher” or “master.” So it gives me pause — and a certain level of bile movement — when I see someone call themselves, for example, a Social Media Guru. A guru is supposed to possess transcendental knowledge. You might argue that a Social Media Guru might possess a transcendental level of bulldung. But that’s about it, surely.
If you’re interested here are the other 10 words the author says you should not refer to yourself as (that are not also new gTLD’s)
Visionary, Inspirational Leader, Successful, Thought Leader, Conceptual Thinker, Purpose-Driven, Maven, Transformational Executive, Results-Oriented, Pioneer.
You can read part 1 of the article here, and part 2 here.
anyone who toots their horn too loud is usually full of it. look professional, not corny and limit the self praising.
I think there is no big deal in using .guru or .ninja for a domain name.
I’m surprised to see that these criticisms of “ninja” and “guru” are so weak and irrelevant. Yes, we all know those words have literal meanings in other cultures. So? That’s entirely the wrong context. As used, these are whimsical terms and suggest ideas only tenuously related to those historical meanings. Words travel. They mean different things to different people in different places.
I can think of some legitimate criticisms to be leveled against these buzzwords. But what the author has actually said misses the point by a mile.