Playing the name game

How did Crédit Local de France and Crédit Communal de Belgique come to chose the name Dexia from over 100 suggestions, for their newly-merged banking group? “The name has been imagined by Bessis, which specializes in name conceptions,” explains a spokesman at Crédit Communal de Belgique/ Dexia.

But does it have any relevance to the two banks? Some commentators are more reminded of Dixan, the down-market Italian washing-powder.

But in Greek, Dexia means right hand and has a secondary meaning of treaty or promise of fidelity, making it suitable for a merger company.