Yes, exactly. They've been advertising it the 'Wii' way (for so far they actually advertised). It's the 'U' that should've been on the foreground.

WiiHD

I agree that sales would've been a little, but not much, better for WiiU if the name would have been different though, but because of 'casual'-stamp that goes with the 'Wii' name. If they feel people are confused they should make it clear.

It wouldn't have made as big a difference as a lot of people like to think. They like to believe there's only one problem with the situation when there are really several.

Think of it this way. Even if a lot of people think it's just an add-on for the Wii, they're still not buying it. Anyone who's interested enough to buy it knows what it is, so having a different name with less confusion wouldn't push more people to buy it when they weren't interested in the first place. No one goes, "Oh, wait, it's a whole new system, and not just an add-on? Well then I'm going to the store to buy one right now!" They still don't care.

I've talked to quite a few people, especially casuals, have a confused ideas about the WiiU.
Most seemed to think it was a peripheral for the Wii and had no idea what it could do. I've had to explain over and over that the WiiU was a brand new system.

I think Wii2 would have been a better name at least it conveys a new generation of the console. As time goes on the misconceptions are starting fade, but it is never good for people to not know excatly what you are selling.

It wouldn't have made a difference what the name was. I'm just hoping they choose a different name for their next console.

While there may have been a difference by reducing some "confusion", I'll be honest about it: the name wasn't the problem; it was the way the system was marketed and portrayed.

It's not the name, it was the "appearance", and the lack of proper emphasis on being a successor, and the lack of proper emphasis on using "buzz" words like "next", and "all new"/"brand new"/"latest from Nintendo", and "system" instead of "Gamepad" all the time...

A few ansswers:

1 - not just the name, but the whole concept is confusing, and that's a problem.

With the wii, you see a guy making movement in front of a TV, everything is clear, movement replace buttons, even your grand mother can play it. And people want to buy it. What ever would be unclear, they'd ask to the store some information when coming to buy it.

For the Wii U, what is exacty the concept ? You could have a central board game, extended functionalities, or nothing, case by case depending of the game, is very big controller OK, can you still use your wiimote, is it just an add on as the console seems the same...  That's the question people would have if they had any interest in the overall concept. They don't, and it doesn't have any connection with the console name.

2 - then you explain the concept if any, and people just not run to the store buying it, right ? Because even if it was an add-on as some thought it was... the add-on just didn't make them search on the internet, ask friends, go to the store to buy it or for information. If the add-on is not appealing, why would a console bundling it appeal ?

3 - if the problem was just a bout U versus 2 (I still agree Wii 2 would have been better, but marginally), only saying "The new console by Nintendo" would be enough. It's not.

4 - I don't know for other places, but in Japan they market games like donkey kong like a wii game, you see just a wiimote, not the console or wii pad. Clearly the try to connect back to their past success, even if it could add confusion. And again it's not because of the name.

Nailed it.  Nothing wrong with the launch games, but when you couple the single longest game drought ever for a Nintendo console (and that's saying something) with the highest price ever for a Nintendo console, it's no surprise why the WiiU tracked well below the Gamecube.

It should've been Wii, and I say that because look at the Iphone, you see that it's Iphone 1, 2 ,3 and so on. With a completely new name nintendo alienated the old folks and kids who think it's just a accesory, but with the number 2 they would've known it's the next version. That's my theory... :D