Netflix was not originally called $"$DVD $-$ by$-$ mail" flix because:

a$.$ It was a long name that customers had a hard time remembering.

b$.$ Reed had not thought well about this, and he regretted this name later on$.$

c$.$

Reed Hastings knew that the era of streaming bits over the internet was

d$.$ coming and that is where the future is going to be$.$

There is already a Netflix out there and Reed wanted to avoid duplicate names.