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This is technically correct, but it's also true that if a group of dedicated Python enthusiasts (led by Travis Oliphant) hadn't created a Python ecosystem before they had users, we can say with certainty that Python would not have taken off in the numerical computing space. In 2005, when I was looking for a new language, I really wanted to use Python but it was simply not an option.

> I believe that the overwhelming factor of why something does or does not become popular is simply chaotic luck.

This seems to me a bit like saying, "That color isn't cerulean, it's blue." Describing the specific instances of serendipity that have led to Python's continuing success doesn't imply that it wasn't dumb luck. It's just a way of saying, "Here's an interesting bit of dumb luck."

My theory is python is a cool sounding name for a programming language which contributed greatly to its success.

Agreed. Well put.