Why is a VISA card named so?

Question

As i understand it, Visa was a document which allowed persons to enter other countries (since 1920s, right?). Then Bank of America named their ( ? ATM-) cards ( wait, were there ATMs in 1976) as VISA cards because, I guess, of the name's popularity and being seen as a symbol of acceptance. Now doesn't it create a confusion between the 2 uses? I mean wasn't "Visa" trademarked by countries or something? Then tomorrow a company could call its ( debit / credit ) card as a "passport" without any problem, right? I understand that brands are always trying to create an allusion to something more than what the product aspires to be like, I guess, WINDOWS is for a PC (a window to a virtual world), but this is something different. I cant explain my confusion and chagrin quite neatly with that example, but... anyways have i got all these facts so far, right? And does anyone feel the same way about this ?

Answer 1

VISA is an acronym for Visa International Service Association

Answer 2

There were no ATM cards, but banks and stores did have "credit" programs. The Bank of America was the first to come up with the idea of having a simple, pre-approved card that you could carry with you and that could be used at multiple locations, with the transactions being reimbursed with cash by the Bank's Credit Card department.



As the word Visa represents something that will allow you to gain access to a place, it seemed like a good name. It was originally the BankAmericard, and was then renamed VISA when The Bank of America decided to spin the Credit Card division off into a separate "public" company.



I understand your "chagrin", however, have you thought of all of the other famous companies and products that are also named using a common word: APPLE, WINDOWS, BELL, ANDROID, CIRCUS-CIRCUS, VIRGIN, The BAY, (there is even a "DIRTY LAUNDRY" that makes Wine).

Answer 3

You are apparently conflating a generic or descriptive use of a common word and the distinctive use of the same word as a trademark to indicate source or quality of particular goods. The trademark "VISA" on a credit card is, in fact, suggestive of international credentials, making it a valuable trademark. Anyone can still use the word "visa" to refer to the actual international credentials and can use "VISA" when referring to the company's products and services under that name.



There are LOTS of different products that use the word "PASSPORT" as an enforceable trademark in their respective fields. It would NOT be allowed to use "VISA" or "PASSPORT" as trademarks for services related to actual visas or passports, although they would be allowed in combinations with other words, like "Joe's Passport Photo Expediters".

Answer 4

The "Visa" term comes from Latin. Charta visa means a "paper that has been seen" in Latin.

There's no connection with the actual credit card company.