A real estate speculator bought a property, right off a freeway ramp, that had storage units for rent. There was a very visible sign saying "Private Storage."
The units had little business. One day, a customer stopped in, and asked "Would you consider renting to the public?"
Aha! Name changed to "Public Storage" ... and a chain was born.
The moral of the story is: what counts is the meaning the name has to the customer.