Indeed. Originally it was "GAIM" (due to the original purpose being a GTK+ AOL Instant Messenger client), which AOL wasn't thrilled about. We changed it to "Gaim", which I think they had less of a problem with, or at least we had hoped they would.

Internally at least, we called it "Gaim's An Instant Messenger". I'm not sure if we formalized that or not. It's been too long.

And then to fully move away from that branding situation, it was renamed to Pidgin. This was mid-2000s, after I moved away from the project, so I don't have any insight into the name change beyond the history.

Good times for sure!

As my fuzzier-with-every-passing-year memory recalls, there were a wide variety of interpretations of what "GAIM" meant, with "GTK+ AOL Instant Messenger" being the least offensive one. Mark Spencer, the original author, was always a bit cagey about it--amusingly so to my mind!

Hi chipx86! I remember "Gaim's An Instant Messenger" used to be on the old website but either google or my memory is failing me.

Hi! Yep, I think you're right :) That sparks a memory.

Dang it's not on the copy of the old site that we keep online at https://gaim.pidgin.im

Interesting, I did not remember that it was once called Gaim.

it was for sure called gaim. one of the only usable aim clients that worked on linux in the 90s.

You can pretend it's the 90's and 00's if you like at https://gaim.pidgin.im/

Bluecurve theme and Lucida fonts. Nostalgia kicked me hard.

Nowadays I use Zukitre, Tango and Go fonts to make something close-ish.