Andersen Consulting showed the way to rivals and clients recently by grasping the nettle and agreeing a new name for itself after an independent arbitrator ordered it to shed its existing identity as part of a divorce settlement with its parent, Arthur Andersen.

More than most, Andersen Consulting executives might appreciate the irony of the situation where Landor Associates, which is leading the $170 million rebranding, put forward 2,000 possible names only to see the group choose one put forward by one of its partners.

Norwegian consultant Kim Petersen's reward is a trip to the World Matchplay golf championship in Melbourne, Australia next year. Seventy lawyers from 24 firms scoured 3,000 trademarks and countless Internet addresses to make sure the winner from the 5,000-plus entries would not embarrass the group. It also checked to ensure the winning name did not mean something rude in any of 60 languages.

So what precisely does the new name, Accenture, mean? Nothing really, but it stands for "a network of businesses that transcends the boundaries of traditional consulting and brings innovations that dramatically improve the way the world works and lives", according to Andersen Consulting chief executive Joe Forehand.

You can see why something that woolly would appeal to consultants.