After months of fervent speculation, on Wednesday the rumors became fact when Apple officially introduced its new tablet computer. But no sooner did the excitement and “I told you so’s” quiet down than you could almost hear a collective “Huh?” over the name of the device.

Meet the iPad, Apple’s most absorbent product yet.

I’m not alone in making the leap from tech gadget to feminine hygiene product. (And lest you think it’s a Venus vs. Mars thing, the guys at work went there right away too.)

Still, I think the snickering will wear off once this thing hits the street. At least I hope this product will manage to transcend its bungled marketing.

The iPad got me thinking about the Apple products that haven’t quite made it. There’s a nifty tour of iFlops at mainstreet.com.

It also got me thinking about how tremendously difficult it is to name something—especially a product. In fewer than three syllables, you have to convey what the product does and elicit an emotional response.

From that perspective, I guess “iPad” really isn’t so bad. At least they didn’t go for a nonsense name, like the morphemes that are so in vogue. Care to buy an iVaaze, Hatnox, or Certh, anyone?