Once the general public accepted a product, its name does not care anymore.
Porblem is cryptocoins have bad press, dark is associated with bad activities, private is associated with legitimity. That's the whole difference between Darkcoin and PrivateCoin (for example) in the ears of the global audience.

Why did you have a Darcoin Wallet? TO buy drug,weapons,porn?
Ho, you have an AnnonCoin Wallet because we fought for our freedom,autonomy,rights.
Of course in the 2 case, you do exactly the same with your coins, but the global audience did not think of you or the shop that will (or not because of that) accepted the coins (or juste feelings about the coin) the same. This is not a problem if the global audience is not the target of the coin, but in order to be accepted as main coin, and used on shops like tiger-direct, I think it could be a problem, and that a clone with darksen code will do better.

BUT I'm French and may be the word DARK is not feel the same in other language.

Exactly. I mean for fucks sakes. All the people here saying the name alludes to drug purchasing are really making me disappointed. Its not like news media will pick up this coin and immediately label it a coin for drug purchase. They will first state its feature of anonymity and if in a debate setting, will then talk about the POSSIBLE uses of the coin. At the end of the day, what legal tender has not been used for illegal motives? That is not a reflection on the coin but a reflection on the user. Darkcoin is a goddamn perfect name.

 That would be the most fabulous drug coin ever. Unicoin. A cryptographic tender of love. Dark is #20 on coinmarketcap btw.

OH, and Unicoin is a fabulous name. 

With regard to the name change. . .

In terms of branding, I first came to this coin BECAUSE of the name and design. It just looked cool. After spending some time with the Doge community (which is fun, light, and glib), the idea of something a little more "sober" attracted my attention. But looks are a terrible reason to buy altcoins, so I did some research, discovered it IS a serious coin, and bought in.

I believe the name and branding are just right. There's a little bit of mystery, a little bit of seriousness, and a whole lot of mathematical rigor. If Bitcoin is your father's Hyundai (staid, efficient, reliable), Darkcoin is a Tesla (cutting edge, futuristic, sexy). You cannot possibly hope to find a name that gives you a more enticing draw.

Change the name, even to some of the good coin names suggested in this thread, and you lose its most powerful draw (at least initially): this coin is DIFFERENT. Name it Freecoin or Seriouscoin, or something tame, and you've neutered its sex appeal.

If that was all the coin had going for it, then none of this would matter. But we know different. And in the end, the community will likely make the best case for its use, and we'll have to defend against accusations that its only purpose is for all things illegal. There is no question that, no matter what you name it, you'll have that issue because of the coin's transaction anonymity.

There are precedents for this. Pirate Bay, Bittorrent, Wikileaks, and, before them, cassette recorders, VHS players, and MP3 files, all have been accused of serving only one purpose: making illegal activities easier. But just like each of those tools have proven effective for numerous legal and beneficial purposes, we'll be able to point to positive uses for Darkcoin.

The name can't make the case for us. It can only draw people to the community. WE have to make the case for what it can do.

I can see your point. Anyways, Im happy either way, I just think it's a pitty to drop a good name like that. But I guess you're right, people do tend to misinterpret if they have the opportunity.

DRK P2Pool listed at http://p2pools.org

check http://p2pools.org/drk

 - public nodes scanner with map.

If it can be successfully marketed as digital cash, it might just be.

Mt. Gox coins 'disappeared'.