> After achieving CNCF certification in Nov 2017[2], GCP began using the term 'Kubernetes' within the product name, rebranding it as 'Google Kubernetes Engine'.

After _creating_ the certification program: it was driven by GKE PM (and upcoming book author[1]) William Denniss. https://kubernetes.io/blog/2017/10/software-conformance-cert...

(At the time of GKE's launch, 'containers' were more well known than 'Kubernetes'. Google also owned the trademark, so it could have been called Kubernets Engine from the beginning.)

[1] https://www.manning.com/books/getting-started-with-kubernete...