diff --git a/app/app.go b/app/app.go
index d257627b..317a931e 100644
--- a/app/app.go
+++ b/app/app.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ var (
 )
 
 // Extended ABCI application
-type GaiaApp struct {
+type App struct {
 	*bam.BaseApp
 	cdc *codec.Codec
 
@@ -71,17 +71,17 @@ type GaiaApp struct {
 	paramsKeeper        params.Keeper
 }
 
-// NewGaiaApp returns a reference to an initialized GaiaApp.
-func NewGaiaApp(logger log.Logger, db dbm.DB, traceStore io.Writer, loadLatest bool,
+// NewApp returns a reference to an initialized App.
+func NewApp(logger log.Logger, db dbm.DB, traceStore io.Writer, loadLatest bool,
 	invCheckPeriod uint,
-	baseAppOptions ...func(*bam.BaseApp)) *GaiaApp {
+	baseAppOptions ...func(*bam.BaseApp)) *App {
 
 	cdc := MakeCodec()
 
 	bApp := bam.NewBaseApp(appName, logger, db, auth.DefaultTxDecoder(cdc), baseAppOptions...)
 	bApp.SetCommitMultiStoreTracer(traceStore)
 
-	var app = &GaiaApp{
+	var app = &App{
 		BaseApp:          bApp,
 		cdc:              cdc,
 		invCheckPeriod:   invCheckPeriod,
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ func MakeCodec() *codec.Codec {
 }
 
 // application updates every end block
-func (app *GaiaApp) BeginBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestBeginBlock) abci.ResponseBeginBlock {
+func (app *App) BeginBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestBeginBlock) abci.ResponseBeginBlock {
 	// mint new tokens for the previous block
 	mint.BeginBlocker(ctx, app.mintKeeper)
 
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) BeginBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestBeginBlock) ab
 
 // application updates every end block
 // nolint: unparam
-func (app *GaiaApp) EndBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestEndBlock) abci.ResponseEndBlock {
+func (app *App) EndBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestEndBlock) abci.ResponseEndBlock {
 	tags := gov.EndBlocker(ctx, app.govKeeper)
 	validatorUpdates, endBlockerTags := staking.EndBlocker(ctx, app.stakingKeeper)
 	tags = append(tags, endBlockerTags...)
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) EndBlocker(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestEndBlock) abci.R
 }
 
 // initialize store from a genesis state
-func (app *GaiaApp) initFromGenesisState(ctx sdk.Context, genesisState GenesisState) []abci.ValidatorUpdate {
+func (app *App) initFromGenesisState(ctx sdk.Context, genesisState GenesisState) []abci.ValidatorUpdate {
 	genesisState.Sanitize()
 
 	// load the accounts
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) initFromGenesisState(ctx sdk.Context, genesisState GenesisSt
 }
 
 // custom logic for gaia initialization
-func (app *GaiaApp) initChainer(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestInitChain) abci.ResponseInitChain {
+func (app *App) initChainer(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestInitChain) abci.ResponseInitChain {
 	stateJSON := req.AppStateBytes
 	// TODO is this now the whole genesis file?
 
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) initChainer(ctx sdk.Context, req abci.RequestInitChain) abci
 }
 
 // load a particular height
-func (app *GaiaApp) LoadHeight(height int64) error {
+func (app *App) LoadHeight(height int64) error {
 	return app.LoadVersion(height, app.keyMain)
 }
 
diff --git a/app/app_test.go b/app/app_test.go
index 95fa0211..9694fcbb 100644
--- a/app/app_test.go
+++ b/app/app_test.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import (
 	abci "github.com/tendermint/tendermint/abci/types"
 )
 
-func setGenesis(gapp *GaiaApp, accs ...*auth.BaseAccount) error {
+func setGenesis(gapp *App, accs ...*auth.BaseAccount) error {
 	genaccs := make([]GenesisAccount, len(accs))
 	for i, acc := range accs {
 		genaccs[i] = NewGenesisAccount(acc)
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@ func setGenesis(gapp *GaiaApp, accs ...*auth.BaseAccount) error {
 
 func TestGaiadExport(t *testing.T) {
 	db := db.NewMemDB()
-	gapp := NewGaiaApp(log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)), db, nil, true, 0)
+	gapp := NewApp(log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)), db, nil, true, 0)
 	setGenesis(gapp)
 
 	// Making a new app object with the db, so that initchain hasn't been called
-	newGapp := NewGaiaApp(log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)), db, nil, true, 0)
+	newGapp := NewApp(log.NewTMLogger(log.NewSyncWriter(os.Stdout)), db, nil, true, 0)
 	_, _, err := newGapp.ExportAppStateAndValidators(false, []string{})
 	require.NoError(t, err, "ExportAppStateAndValidators should not have an error")
 }
diff --git a/app/export.go b/app/export.go
index 2cb110bf..d8db72e4 100644
--- a/app/export.go
+++ b/app/export.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 // export the state of gaia for a genesis file
-func (app *GaiaApp) ExportAppStateAndValidators(forZeroHeight bool, jailWhiteList []string) (
+func (app *App) ExportAppStateAndValidators(forZeroHeight bool, jailWhiteList []string) (
 	appState json.RawMessage, validators []tmtypes.GenesisValidator, err error) {
 
 	// as if they could withdraw from the start of the next block
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (app *GaiaApp) ExportAppStateAndValidators(forZeroHeight bool, jailWhiteLis
 }
 
 // prepare for fresh start at zero height
-func (app *GaiaApp) prepForZeroHeightGenesis(ctx sdk.Context, jailWhiteList []string) {
+func (app *App) prepForZeroHeightGenesis(ctx sdk.Context, jailWhiteList []string) {
 	applyWhiteList := false
 
 	//Check if there is a whitelist
diff --git a/app/genesis.go b/app/genesis.go
index 997cd131..886c76a2 100644
--- a/app/genesis.go
+++ b/app/genesis.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func (ga *GenesisAccount) ToAccount() auth.Account {
 
 // Create the core parameters for genesis initialization for gaia
 // note that the pubkey input is this machines pubkey
-func GaiaAppGenState(cdc *codec.Codec, genDoc tmtypes.GenesisDoc, appGenTxs []json.RawMessage) (
+func AppGenState(cdc *codec.Codec, genDoc tmtypes.GenesisDoc, appGenTxs []json.RawMessage) (
 	genesisState GenesisState, err error) {
 
 	if err = cdc.UnmarshalJSON(genDoc.AppState, &genesisState); err != nil {
@@ -292,11 +292,11 @@ func validateGenesisStateAccounts(accs []GenesisAccount) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// GaiaAppGenState but with JSON
-func GaiaAppGenStateJSON(cdc *codec.Codec, genDoc tmtypes.GenesisDoc, appGenTxs []json.RawMessage) (
+// AppGenState but with JSON
+func AppGenStateJSON(cdc *codec.Codec, genDoc tmtypes.GenesisDoc, appGenTxs []json.RawMessage) (
 	appState json.RawMessage, err error) {
 	// create the final app state
-	genesisState, err := GaiaAppGenState(cdc, genDoc, appGenTxs)
+	genesisState, err := AppGenState(cdc, genDoc, appGenTxs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/app/genesis_test.go b/app/genesis_test.go
index 300f4afc..2619f9ba 100644
--- a/app/genesis_test.go
+++ b/app/genesis_test.go
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestToAccount(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, vacc, acc.(*auth.ContinuousVestingAccount))
 }
 
-func TestGaiaAppGenTx(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAppGenTx(t *testing.T) {
 	cdc := MakeCodec()
 	_ = cdc
 
@@ -79,13 +79,13 @@ func TestGaiaAppGenTx(t *testing.T) {
 	//TODO test the account created has the correct pubkey
 }
 
-func TestGaiaAppGenState(t *testing.T) {
+func TestAppGenState(t *testing.T) {
 	cdc := MakeCodec()
 	_ = cdc
 	var genDoc tmtypes.GenesisDoc
 
 	// test unmarshalling error
-	_, err := GaiaAppGenState(cdc, genDoc, []json.RawMessage{})
+	_, err := AppGenState(cdc, genDoc, []json.RawMessage{})
 	require.Error(t, err)
 
 	appState := makeGenesisState(t, []auth.StdTx{})
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func TestGaiaAppGenState(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
 	// test validation error
-	_, err = GaiaAppGenState(cdc, genDoc, []json.RawMessage{})
+	_, err = AppGenState(cdc, genDoc, []json.RawMessage{})
 	require.Error(t, err)
 
 	// TODO test must provide at least genesis transaction
diff --git a/app/invariants.go b/app/invariants.go
index 899d6bdb..0365dc4d 100644
--- a/app/invariants.go
+++ b/app/invariants.go
@@ -9,12 +9,12 @@ import (
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 )
 
-func (app *GaiaApp) assertRuntimeInvariants() {
+func (app *App) assertRuntimeInvariants() {
 	ctx := app.NewContext(false, abci.Header{Height: app.LastBlockHeight() + 1})
 	app.assertRuntimeInvariantsOnContext(ctx)
 }
 
-func (app *GaiaApp) assertRuntimeInvariantsOnContext(ctx sdk.Context) {
+func (app *App) assertRuntimeInvariantsOnContext(ctx sdk.Context) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	invarRoutes := app.crisisKeeper.Routes()
 	for _, ir := range invarRoutes {
diff --git a/app/sim_test.go b/app/sim_test.go
index 28e94e4d..0aee7853 100644
--- a/app/sim_test.go
+++ b/app/sim_test.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 // helper function for populating input for SimulateFromSeed
-func getSimulateFromSeedInput(tb testing.TB, app *GaiaApp) (
+func getSimulateFromSeedInput(tb testing.TB, app *App) (
 	testing.TB, *baseapp.BaseApp, simulation.AppStateFn, int64,
 	simulation.WeightedOperations, sdk.Invariants, int, int, bool, bool) {
 
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ func appStateFn(r *rand.Rand, accs []simulation.Account, genesisTimestamp time.T
 	return appStateRandomizedFn(r, accs, genesisTimestamp)
 }
 
-func testAndRunTxs(app *GaiaApp) []simulation.WeightedOperation {
+func testAndRunTxs(app *App) []simulation.WeightedOperation {
 	return []simulation.WeightedOperation{
 		{5, authsim.SimulateDeductFee(app.accountKeeper, app.feeCollectionKeeper)},
 		{100, banksim.SimulateMsgSend(app.accountKeeper, app.bankKeeper)},
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ func testAndRunTxs(app *GaiaApp) []simulation.WeightedOperation {
 	}
 }
 
-func invariants(app *GaiaApp) []sdk.Invariant {
+func invariants(app *App) []sdk.Invariant {
 	return []sdk.Invariant{
 		simulation.PeriodicInvariant(bank.NonnegativeBalanceInvariant(app.accountKeeper), period, 0),
 		simulation.PeriodicInvariant(distr.AllInvariants(app.distrKeeper, app.stakingKeeper), period, 0),
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ func BenchmarkFullGaiaSimulation(b *testing.B) {
 		db.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	}()
-	app := NewGaiaApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0)
+	app := NewApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0)
 
 	// Run randomized simulation
 	// TODO parameterize numbers, save for a later PR
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ func TestFullGaiaSimulation(t *testing.T) {
 		db.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	}()
-	app := NewGaiaApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
+	app := NewApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
 	require.Equal(t, "GaiaApp", app.Name())
 
 	// Run randomized simulation
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ func TestGaiaImportExport(t *testing.T) {
 		db.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	}()
-	app := NewGaiaApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
+	app := NewApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
 	require.Equal(t, "GaiaApp", app.Name())
 
 	// Run randomized simulation
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ func TestGaiaImportExport(t *testing.T) {
 		newDB.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(newDir)
 	}()
-	newApp := NewGaiaApp(log.NewNopLogger(), newDB, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
+	newApp := NewApp(log.NewNopLogger(), newDB, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
 	require.Equal(t, "GaiaApp", newApp.Name())
 	var genesisState GenesisState
 	err = app.cdc.UnmarshalJSON(appState, &genesisState)
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ func TestGaiaSimulationAfterImport(t *testing.T) {
 		db.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	}()
-	app := NewGaiaApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
+	app := NewApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
 	require.Equal(t, "GaiaApp", app.Name())
 
 	// Run randomized simulation
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ func TestGaiaSimulationAfterImport(t *testing.T) {
 		newDB.Close()
 		os.RemoveAll(newDir)
 	}()
-	newApp := NewGaiaApp(log.NewNopLogger(), newDB, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
+	newApp := NewApp(log.NewNopLogger(), newDB, nil, true, 0, fauxMerkleModeOpt)
 	require.Equal(t, "GaiaApp", newApp.Name())
 	newApp.InitChain(abci.RequestInitChain{
 		AppStateBytes: appState,
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ func TestAppStateDeterminism(t *testing.T) {
 		for j := 0; j < numTimesToRunPerSeed; j++ {
 			logger := log.NewNopLogger()
 			db := dbm.NewMemDB()
-			app := NewGaiaApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0)
+			app := NewApp(logger, db, nil, true, 0)
 
 			// Run randomized simulation
 			simulation.SimulateFromSeed(
diff --git a/cmd/gaiad/main.go b/cmd/gaiad/main.go
index 228d6595..36fe1b24 100644
--- a/cmd/gaiad/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gaiad/main.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func newApp(logger log.Logger, db dbm.DB, traceStore io.Writer) abci.Application {
-	return app.NewGaiaApp(
+	return app.NewApp(
 		logger, db, traceStore, true, invCheckPeriod,
 		baseapp.SetPruning(store.NewPruningOptionsFromString(viper.GetString("pruning"))),
 		baseapp.SetMinGasPrices(viper.GetString(server.FlagMinGasPrices)),
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@ func exportAppStateAndTMValidators(
 ) (json.RawMessage, []tmtypes.GenesisValidator, error) {
 
 	if height != -1 {
-		gApp := app.NewGaiaApp(logger, db, traceStore, false, uint(1))
+		gApp := app.NewApp(logger, db, traceStore, false, uint(1))
 		err := gApp.LoadHeight(height)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, nil, err
 		}
 		return gApp.ExportAppStateAndValidators(forZeroHeight, jailWhiteList)
 	}
-	gApp := app.NewGaiaApp(logger, db, traceStore, true, uint(1))
+	gApp := app.NewApp(logger, db, traceStore, true, uint(1))
 	return gApp.ExportAppStateAndValidators(forZeroHeight, jailWhiteList)
 }
diff --git a/init/collect.go b/init/collect.go
index 7fadff8e..808b318a 100644
--- a/init/collect.go
+++ b/init/collect.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func genAppStateFromConfig(
 
 	cfg.WriteConfigFile(filepath.Join(config.RootDir, "config", "config.toml"), config)
 
-	appState, err = app.GaiaAppGenStateJSON(cdc, genDoc, genTxs)
+	appState, err = app.AppGenStateJSON(cdc, genDoc, genTxs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}