Sometimes when I start working on a project, I just can’t think of a good name, or think of a good name that isn’t already taken. As a result, I’ll end up picking some sort of code name for the project.
My question is, how do you handle name changes in your source code once you find a real name for your project? Should you continue to refer to the code name in your source tree, namespaces, binaries, etc?
In my experience, it is extremely common that the name used to market a product is completely different from the name used internally for that product by the developers. Most often, because marketing has not decided on a name yet when development starts.
Whenever a project or product name is used in the internal documentation, file hierarchy, etc., it has been the practice to keep using the internal code-name, even after marketing has decided on the official product name. Only in documentation that is meant for the end-users is the product referred to with its official marketing name.
Usually, there is significant cost and no benefit in renaming everything.