When they went to name the car it was originally going to be called the Chrysler Cross. But DCX thought it might be too heavy of a name to bear. Since they still wanted to include "Cross" in the name due to the design cues, they started looking for a name including that word.

Chrysler Crossdresser was an early favorite of the California designers but it wasn't tame enough for conservative middle-America. Before the spoiler was added, a prototype went wildly out of control on a test track in breezy conditions. The test driver insisted on calling it the "Crosswind". Next German DCX management suggested calling it the "Crossbred" which would be appropriate since it was a joint effort. However, it was later learned that crossbreds were considered inferior to inbreds in some parts of the U.S. With the emphasis on safety, "Crossbones" and "Crosscheck" were also nixed.

Finally, a lowly first year Chrysler line worker suggested opening up naming the car to all Chrysler employees and their families in a contest in which the winner would get one of the first production Crosswhatevers. One designer had a vision, or lack thereof, and suggested "Crosseye". The receptionist picked "Crosstalk". An habitually inebriated employee with a suspended driver's license liked "Crisscross." The family of a deceased employee even sent in a suggestion: "Crossover". Then you had recently retired grandma Mabel and "Cross-stitch."

Seeing that this contest was going nowhere and that it was actually causing productivity to fall, the lowly line worker was called into the boss's office where he was told, "you're FIREd". There was silence as the perfect name became immediately obvious. A few weeks later the boss took delivery of a new Crossfire.