The Firefox web browser has had a few names since the release of the first experimental build back in 2002. First known as Phoenix, a name Mozilla had to drop because of a trademark dispute with Phoenix Technologies, and then known as Firebird, another name that Mozilla decided to drop because of the database server Firebird, Firefox was the third and final name of the web browser for a long time.

The release of Firefox 57 brought another change to the name; better, an addendum to the name as Mozilla called the browser Firefox Quantum with that release.

The name Quantum was selected because it was an effort to push new technologies in the browser to improve all aspects of Firefox and reverse the downwards trend user-wise.

Firefox users who open the About page of the web browser right now will notice that Firefox Quantum is still used as the name of the browser.

Starting with Firefox 70, another name is displayed when users open the About page. The new name is Firefox Browser. The stable version will just display Firefox Browser whereas development versions will add the channel name underneath it, e.g. Nightly or Developer.

Firefox Nightly displays the new name of the browser already on the about page. Firefox users may notice that the logo changed as well. Mozilla selected a new logo for the Firefox browser and that new logo will be shown on the about page, on Mozilla's website, and other places.

Why Firefox Browser and not Firefox Quantum or just Firefox? It was clear from the get-go that Firefox Quantum was just a temporary name to highlight the major changes in the new versions of the browser.

Plain Firefox would not make much sense anymore either because of other projects that carry the Firefox brand. Mozilla launched plenty including Firefox Monitor, Firefox Send or Firefox Lockwise in recent years and plans to launch even more, e.g. Firefox Proxy, in the future.

To better distinguish the browser, Mozilla had to add something to the Firefox name; browser is the obvious choice and Mozilla decided to select it for the name.

Mozilla plans to roll out the changes when Firefox Stable hits version 70; Mozilla aims for a October 23, 2019 release according to the release schedule.

Closing Words

Firefox Browser is without doubt a better name than Firefox Quantum as it describes exactly what Firefox is. It does not come as a surprise that Mozilla picked Firefox as the name for all the products that it creates and not Mozilla as the brand awareness is much higher.

Now You: What is your take on the name change and new logo? (via Sören)

Summary Article Name Goodbye Firefox Quantum, Hello Firefox Browser Description Mozilla plans to change the name of the Firefox web browser from Firefox Quantum to Firefox Browser when Firefox 70 is released. Author Martin Brinkmann Publisher Ghacks Technology News Logo

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