What will the smaller iPad be called?

Earlier this week I did a quick article on what Apple would name its next iPhone. Of the more than 4,000 readers who voted in our poll, 40 percent thought the next iPhone would be called "The New iPhone." Coming in second was "iPhone 5" with 34 percent of the vote.

If the rumors are true -- and there are plenty of indications they are -- Apple will not only be introducing a new iPhone in September, but a smaller iPad as well, despite Steve Jobs' apparent disdain for smaller tablets.

For a while, tech pundits, including me, have largely referred to that device as the iPad mini, though there's absolutely no evidence Apple will call it that. While the alleged shrunken down iPad will be smaller than the current 9.7-inch model, it's probably not going to be quite as mini as you might think. Apple is reportedly going with 7.85-inch display that has a 4x3 aspect ratio, like the iPad's.

As Brooke Crothers said in a recent article about the new iPad's display going into production in August, "While the downsized iPad is being characterized as a 7-inch tablet like the Google Nexus 7, a screen size falling between 7 and 8 inches -- such as 7.85 inches -- would likely make the Apple tablet closer to the larger 8.2-inch Motorola Xyboard."

It's highly doubtful Apple would go with a number in the name for the smaller iPad (iPad 7 seems like a nonstarter), so it's more likely to go with a word. "iPad mini" does sound logical enough, and there's some precedent for the name as Apple put out an iPod Mini circa 2005. Apple also has the iPod Nano, but Nano implies something really small, and, as I said, this new device really won't be that small.

Another option would be to have this iPad actually be part of the iPod Touch family and call it the iPod XL. It's possible but not likely.

I suspect Apple will keep it in the iPad family, but then again it could go with a different name altogether. One editor here half-jokingly suggested it could bring back the iBook brand since, well, the device will be about the size of a trade paperback. I wouldn't put any real money on that name, but it does have a good ring to it.

Of course, there are plenty of other options for Apple to choose from. iPad S would be short and sweet, though Apple would probably go with something like "The New iPad S" for exclamation.

I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine on this one. But I do know that if Apple brings this out at a starting price of $299 or less, it's certainly going to create some hurt for competitors, whatever it's called.