SHOULD MILLENNIUM-THEMED COMPANIES CHANGE THEIR NAMES?

With 2000 just around the corner, a select number of Southern California companies with a 20th century monikers are faced with a perplexing decision: Do they change their names to reflect the new millennium?

It's a quandary that has no easy answer. Some are choosing to stay in this century. Others, like 20th Century Insurance Co., are taking the great leap forward.

20th Century Insurance, headquartered in Woodland Hills, will introduce its new moniker to the world on a 55-foot-long float at the 111th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

The company's float, called "Visions of Wisdom and Imagination," will have the name 21St Century Insurance Group boldly emblazoned along the side.

"We decided to change our name in keeping with the company's updated technology system and our modern structure for doing business," said spokesman Ric Hill. "Our customers are very pleased with the idea. We actually did surveys on a name change on a number of occasions going back to the mid1980s. Most of the customers said they liked the company and it's more important that we remain a low-price, quality business rather than changing our name. But they said if you're going to change it, change it to 21st century."

That is exactly what companies should be doing, said marketing consultant Mike Marsak.

"The real answer to the problem is that you go to your customers and ask them if it is important to change your name to 21st century or is it unimportant. And then ask them if you kept the name with 20th century in it, would they recommend you to other customers," said Marsak, president of Effective Marketing Strategies Inc. in Marina del Rey. "I would venture that for the next couple of years, keeping the 20th century name will be fine."

Film studio giant 20th Century Fox will stay the way it is. "At this time, we have no plans to change the name of the company," said spokeswoman Florence Grace. However, the studio has applied for a trademark for the name 21st Century Fox.

Another movie-industry company, 20th Century Props in North Hollywood, will hold onto this century for a little while longer, too.

"It's such a great hook, 20th Century Props," said owner Harvey Schwartz, whose establishment has 57,000 props, including the chandeliers used in the movie "Titanic." "With our name, people think of 20th Century Fox and think we're bigger than we are."

Rudy Ordubegian, president of 20th Century Mortgage in Glendale, is also sticking with the tried and true, opting to hang onto the name his company has had for 13 years.

"The thought of changing the name had crossed my mind, but we are going to leave it because our customers already know the name. I don't think it makes too much difference," he said.

In Woodland Hills, 20th Century Construction will stay in the 20th century as well, said owner David Siegel.

There a few companies that have been ahead of the times for a while now. L.A.-based 21st Century Paint Contractors has had the same name since it was founded six years ago, owner Norman Clarke said.

At first, his customers were a tad perplexed, but they have adjusted. "It's kind of funny. They think that you don't know it's the 20th century," he said. "They think you should stay right where you are and don't understand that you have to be thinking of the future."

Some are taking an altogether different tack. 20th Century Plastics Inc. in Orange County is changing its name, but not to 21st Century. The office supply manufacturer will now be known as Centis Inc.