We decided to change the name because “GIVAS” was too hard to pronounce, and “Global Impact and Vulnerability Alert System” was too hard to remember. Also, it implied that we were creating a top-down system, when in fact we are bringing together innovative ideas from around the world to create a system that will allow leaders to hear the voices of the vulnerable and build resilience from the bottom up. 

We chose “Global Pulse” because we wanted to convey the vision of global real-time monitoring in crisis, and the pulse is the most basic indicator of human wellbeing.  It is a universal metaphor that people everywhere will understand in whatever language they speak.