# Discourse META ... why?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776
**Category:** Site feedback
**Created:** [February 10, 2022, 11:27am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776 "2022-02-10T11:27:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dickhoning](https://meta.discourse.org/u/dickhoning)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 11:27am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/1 "2022-02-10T11:27:56Z")
Hi there, just wondering you use the name Dicourse META and why have meta. in front of your domain name?
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### Author:  [@merefield](https://meta.discourse.org/u/merefield)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/3 "2022-02-10T11:44:31Z")
> **[The Importance of Meta on Forums](https://blog.discourse.org/2013/03/the-importance-of-meta-on-forums/)**
>
> If I learned anything at Stack Overflow, it is the importance of meta to any healthy community.
Specifically:
### What is “Meta”?
"Meta means discussion _of the discussion itself_ instead of the actual topic of the discussion. That is, discussions about…
- The style of discussion.
- The participants in the discussion.
- The setting in which the discussion occurs.
- The relationship of the discussion to other discussions."
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### Author:  [@Decorbuz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Decorbuz)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/4 "2022-02-10T18:44:28Z")
And just to clear any possible confusion, it has nothing to do with (what was formerly) Facebook! 😉
> [@Meta is an outstanding community](https://meta.discourse.org/t/meta-is-an-outstanding-community/216674/5):
>
> We were here first, dag-nabbit!
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 7:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/5 "2022-02-10T19:27:37Z")
Discourse forums originally also all had a `meta` category, for site feedback. The term is a bit arcane so the default name for the site feedback category was changed to.. wait for it…
#Contribute > Site feedback
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### Author:  [@Canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Canapin)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 8:20pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/6 "2022-02-10T20:20:18Z")
I wonder how much people here know the actual meaning of the meta prefix.
I guess a fair proportion… But who knows?
Also, slightly related:
> [@What do you all call your Discourse forum?](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-do-you-all-call-your-discourse-forum/160991/5):
>
> And some modern forum engines won’t use “forum” as their community platform subdomain. Examples:
> [https://meta.discourse.org/](https://meta.discourse.org/)
> [https://community.nodebb.org/](https://community.nodebb.org/)
> [https://discuss.flarum.org/](https://discuss.flarum.org/)
[https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-do-you-all-call-your-discourse-forum/160991/5?u=canapin](https://meta.discourse.org/t/what-do-you-all-call-your-discourse-forum/160991/5)
> [@tobiaseigen](#):
>
> Discourse forums originally also all had a `meta` category, for site feedback.
Was the subdomain “meta” as well then?
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/7 "2022-02-10T20:45:50Z")
> [@Canapin](#):
>
> Was the subdomain “meta” as well then?
Yes it was! Very meta, to be sure.
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### Author:  [@JimPas](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JimPas)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/8 "2022-02-12T20:04:16Z")
Happy 🍰, Tobias! Thank you for all you’ve contributed to Discourse.
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### Author:  [@tobiaseigen](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tobiaseigen)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2022, 10:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-meta-why/217776/9 "2022-02-12T22:00:08Z")
Thanks! We’ve come a long way since 12 February, 2014! It’s been a privilege to be along for the ride, and now even to be working here as product manager for Discourse for teams! 🥰