It is short and memorable. Like many successful brands, the meaning is what they infuse it with. Reminds me a bit of Monster.com.

Having said that, from an internet marketing perspective, the domain kayak.com is clearly sub-optimal.

For example, they rank #1 on Google for the term “kayak” — even above Wikipedia and KayakOnline.com, which is a site *about* kayaks. However, ranking #1 for “kayak” probably doesn’t buy them a whole lot. If someone knows the company name, they could easily just type in the domain.

Further, one of their key phrases is “Cheap Flights” (it’s in their page title). However, they rank #2 on Google for this important term. Who ranks #1? Coincidentally, CheapFlights.com. This is despite the fact that Kayak.com seems to have more SEO authority than CheapFlights.com.

The net result is that they’re likely going to have higher customer acquisition costs on the web which may or may not be a big deal.

It’s a terrible name.

Trying to read into your last commment…
It would perhaps make more sense if kayak.com was more well known as a travel broker. Perhaps if they had some type of iconic marketing. For example, I barely watch TV but I know the travelocity gnome and captain kirk’s pitch for priceline.

When I first heard about Travel O’ City I thought it was an Irish company. Now, I think “travel velocity” minus the “vel”… Still, they should buy up travelgnome.com or something too, lol.

Names can be argued in both directions, for/against kayak.com as a kayak reseller vs. a travel discounter destination site. Personally, I’d think that they’d be best off keeping the other domains ups or redirecting but…. They should have a few specialty sections that focus on specific areas. With the name they could certainly support a specialty area with specialty trips/connections/whatever for camping and other destinations/trips that other brokers normally wouldn’t touch.

For example I could sites similar to realtor.com, rent.com, executivesuites.us, etc. joining as one umbrella company and sharing some data but mainly marketing to niches.

Amazon is a great name for an everything store, or even a book store as books cover the world. EVERYONE in the English speaking world associates “amazon” with big. Amazon.com is a good name for a book store.

Kayak.com is a great name for a ….. kayak store. Or maybe an outdoor adventure racer destination site (for people who kayak). Or something that plays on the palindromic nature of the word “KayaK”, perhaps. But a travel site? Single travel, maybe. Adventure travel. Kayak travel, for sure. But discount travel? I don’t get it.