In this paper, the authors question the role and naming of ‘application profiles’ (APs). It is not a research paper but aims to initiate a discussion that the authors think is pertinent. Both have been involved in the development and use of application profiles for some considerable time. This paper does not provide answers but aims to raise issues for others’ consideration. Essentially, the issues show that communities can share work easily through the interchange of APs but suggests that greater precision in their naming would be useful, and they may not always be necessary given current technologies.