Some organisations and people are or were named Isis after an Ancient Egyptian goddess
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, often abbreviated as "ISIL" and pronounced as such — is a militant Islamist terrorist group. It is also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria or the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham, abbreviated as "ISIS"[a] or sometimes simplified as Islamic State (IS) only — which has caused name changes to distinguish other entities from the group.
Version 0.3 of Linux distribution elementary OS — originally to be named as Isis but was renamed as Freya after a Norse goddess.[1]
A mobile banking app previously known as ISIS changed its name to Softcard in 2014, stating "We have no desire to share a name with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and our hearts go out to those affected by this violence".[2]
Tufts University and University of Massachusetts Lowell renamed its online information system from the "Intercampus Student Information System" (ISIS) to the "Student Information System" (SIS) with only the initial letter "I" being omitted.[5]
In 2016, the University of Economics, Prague decided to rename its online information system from ISIS to InSIS (Integrovany Studijní Informa?ní Systém).[6]
Also in 2016, Cornell University's Isis2 Distributed Computing Library was renamed "Vsync" to eliminate any suggestion of connections to the Islamic terrorist group.[7]
In 2013, a Belgian chocolate manufacturer previously known as Italo Suisse changed its name to ISIS. But in 2014 — it changed the name again to Libeert after a decline in sales, mainly in the Anglophone world. The company was founded in 1923 and had only been called ISIS for a year.[12]
A British private equity firm changed its name from ISIS Equity Partners to Livingbridge to distance itself from the group.[13]
In 2014, a Chicago business owner renamed her store from ISIS to My Sister's Circus after people began taking pictures of her store's sign and harassing her sales staff.[14]
In Queens, New York, the owner of ISIS Nails renamed the salon Bess Nails and Spa because of harassment. The salon's revenue had declined by approximately 30 percent.[15]
In 2015, Isis Pharmaceuticals Inc. — a pharmaceutical company based in California, originally named after an Ancient Egyptian goddess. After observing relevant drop in stock and to avoid confusion, the company finally decided to change its name to Ionis Pharmaceuticals.[16]
Automobile performance part manufacturer ISIS Performance changed its name to ISR Performance after using it for six years to remove the negative connotation with its name. The change took place on November 17, 2015.[17][18]
The Danish dessert company ISIS changed their name to EASIS, citing the "political connotations"[19] of their name would have on primarily export markets.[19]
An Australian fit-out and refurbishment company changed its name to SHAPE, to coincide with the "best interests" of those involved with their business.[20]
In June 2016, Finnish translation agency Isis Translations changed its name to Pauhu Ltd. to avoid denial of service attacks and problems with bank and PayPal payments.[21]
In 2014, an organisation in Nova Scotia that aimed on assimilating immigrants — previously known as Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS), changed its name to Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS). Its main concern about the former name was its appropriateness towards clients from Iraq and Syria, where ISIL/ISIS particularly operative in Iraq and Syria.[22]
The Daughters of Isis, a black women's Masonic auxiliary, changed their name to the Imperial Court in 2014. The Egyptian goddess continues to be their symbol.[23]
A language school in Oxford — named Isis after the city's stretch of the River Thames, became the Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) in April 2015. Staff said that recruiting from the Middle East was made difficult by the name, and that people searching for their website may be put at risk.[24]
In 2016, an international non-profit organisation that responsible for online database of wild animals under human care — previously known as International Species Information System (ISIS), changed its name to Species360.[26]
The former ISISInterCity train of the Hungarian national railway company MáV-START — originally named after an Ancient Egyptian goddess — was renamed to ízisz on 31 August 2015, reflecting the Hungarian spelling of the same word.[27][28] The train was further renamed to Borostyánk? (lit. "amber" in Hungarian) on 13 December 2015, distancing it completely from its original name.[29]
The FX animated series Archer — first aired in 2009, revolves around the fictional International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS). In 2014, the sixth season of the show began with the characters being told that they now work for the CIA. Merchandise based on the fictional ISIS was withdrawn.[30]
A French rock band changed their name from Isis Child to Angel's Whisper as the attention on ISIL had overshadowed them on search engines.[31] An American band named Isis, which was disbanded in 2010, changed their Facebook name to "Isis the band" to avoid confusion. Some fans suggested that the band should change their name completely.[32]
In December 2015, the name of the spaceship browser in the online multiplayer video game EVE Online was changed from "Interbus Ship Identification System" (ISIS) to "Ship Tree".[33]
Japanese light novel, manga, anime series Infinite Stratos also sometimes sparked controversy[example needed] because its abbreviated name was "IS" — which sometimes confused with the Islamic State.
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An Australian woman who named her daughter Isis after the ancient Egyptian goddess stated it caused a rift in her family because the name is "now synonymous with terrorism and evil". An American woman named Isis initiated an online petition for the media to stop referring to ISIL as ISIS.[35]
The British television series Downton Abbey featured a dog named Isis after an Ancient Egyptian goddess, who became ill in the show around the same time as other entities sought to distance themselves from ISIL/ISIS. Actor Hugh Bonneville repudiated claims that the dog was being killed off due to its name, saying "Anyone who genuinely believes the series five storyline (1924) involving the animal was a reaction to recent world news is a complete berk."[37]ITV called the name an "unfortunate coincidence".[37]
^"SIS Desktop Settings"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2025-08-07. Retrieved 2025-08-07. 3.8 - Updated system name references from ISIS to SIS
^MáV-START Zrt. (2025-08-07). "2015-2016. évi menetrend"(PDF). MáV-csoport (in Hungarian). Archived(PDF) from the original on 2025-08-07. Retrieved 2025-08-07.
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