Oyo's rebranding: Founder Ritesh Agarwal seeks suggestions for new name

In an unprecedented move, hospitality startup founder Ritesh Agarwal has sought suggestions from people to rename the company's parent firm Oravel Stays.

Oyo, which started over a decade ago, is bracing for something bigger, Agarwal said. He added, "it needs a name".

According to a report by PTI news agency, the selected brand name may end up being the name of the premium hotels app that Oyo has been working to launch in the near future.

In a social media post Agarwal wrote, "OYO started over a decade ago with a simple idea of upgrading quality living space across and driving standardization. Since then, we’ve grown from a single room in India to a network of travel, living, work, and hospitality solutions across 35+ countries. Today, over 100 million people interact with our 15+ brands — from holiday homes in Europe to studios in the US, from wedding venues to hospitality tech. But now, we’re building something bigger — and it needs a name".

How often does a global company ask the world to name it?
That’s exactly what we’re doing.

OYO started over a decade ago with a simple idea of upgrading quality living space across and drive standardisation. Since then, we’ve grown from a single room in India to a network of… pic.twitter.com/qFAU3WsZ3G

— Ritesh Agarwal (@riteshagar) May 29, 2025

Agarwal underscored that Oyo will be renaming the corporate brand as it is not just limited to a hotel chain or a consumer product. "We want the name to come from the community that helped build it," he emphasized.

The entrepreneur has invited suggestions from brand thinkers, creatives, entrepreneurs, and curious minds.

Agarwal outlined the requirements for the new brand name, which include-- 'one-word corporate name', 'Global in feel, not tied to one culture or language,', 'Tech-forward, sharp, but also human and memorable,' 'Preferably with a .com domain available,' 'Could be a real word or something totally new,' and 'name that can grow beyond hospitality'.

Agarwal will award Rs 3,00,000 to the individual whose suggestion for Oyo's new name is selected and implemented.

According to Agarwal, "It’s a rare opportunity to shape the identity of a company that’s quietly redefining how people experience spaces — and doing it on a global scale".