this post was submitted on 12 Feb 2026
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Anyone who tried to bring GIMP into nonprofits and schools dealt with this problem. I cannot explain how many uncomfortable conversations I had with non-technical people.
And the defenders will continue to say GIMP's name is fine and still be shocked of the low adoption rate.
That has to be a US thing there's no way anyone else is like that.
I work for a pretty button-down organisation and frankly they're ridiculously obsessive about corporate stuff but even they wouldn't blink at Gimp.
Maybe in America? I can tell you in most of the world, nobody would even think to give a fuck about the name, it doesn't mean anything. The word "gimp" isn't even popular enough.
This sounds like some weird copium: surely the app would take off and replace Photoshop long ago, if they just changed that damn name! There was one fork that thought that, with a different name, died shortly after creation. Because in reality nobody cares about the name.
I'm literally explaining to you the challenges I've had.
In many schools, I brought libre office and ubuntu into the classroom. I taught a whole generation of kids about open source.
Rather than recognizing that maybe there's something off here, you shrug and say nobody really cares.
You're part of the problem.
Well, did you know there was a fork of gimp called glimpse, that was created because of that name?
Well... its abandoned now... So... apparently the name didn't make it more popular.
[Edit: removed AI written articles about glimpse.]
https://web.archive.org/web/20191226042940/https://glimpse-editor.org/about/
https://web.archive.org/web/20230325235741/https://github.com/glimpse-editor
https://web.archive.org/web/20230325235732mp_/https://glimpse-editor.org/posts/a-project-on-hiatus/
So what's off there? What are the challenges you had? When one searches "gimp" in any search engine, they only get search results for the image editor. One has to really go out of their way to look into some dictionary to find out the supposed meanings, and even a dictionary does not mention that it's a slur or anything, unless it's Urban Dictionary. Which of the meanings is supposed to be the bad one that's brought up?
And in any case, what would you realistically expect the GIMP project to do? The software is known worldwide for the past 30 years and the name is not a problem in the slightest in any of the non-anglophone countries. Throwing off their name and branding could be a project suicide, the rebrands are risky and I'd say don't go too well that often.
I’m reading the comments here and still have no clue what’s offensive about the word
Edit. Why don’t you just come back with ”what suit?”
...in English-speaking countries.
I experienced no such problems recommending GIMP to people/organisations.
I'd say it says more about the listener in that situation. GIMP is a great name for a GNU Image Manipulation Program, just like Fanny Pack perfectly describes a bag worn around the waist but you'd be surprised the looks you get in the UK for not calling it a "Bum Bag" instead.
The people the immediately assume it must have to do with sexual fetishes (or make that connection) just aren't as familiar with what the rest of the world has been up to.
Honestly, how do they know the negative connotation of the word gimp?
Because if you go to the dictionary definition it is the most inoffensive word. At its worst it means weak, an insult barely worse than dweeb and dork. It's synonym with gumption, it comes from references to fabric, FFS. If you know what a gimpsuit is, or know gimp only as slang or an insult that's on you and your ignorant perversions.
It's GNU software. Fork it and name it however you want. That's the freedom that the G in GIMP offers.
Yes. That is a freedom.
It’s also a big reason why it’s not taken seriously. If you want to get into the orgs comment OP mentioned, your deployment solution can’t be “vendor this forever by creating a downstream build pipeline that only changes the name.” All of the documentation and internet coverage is also going to be using the wrong anyway. Comment OP is talking about adoption, not software freedom.