diff --git a/IPython/frontend/consoleapp.py b/IPython/frontend/consoleapp.py
index 2776eef..ab1beb7 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/consoleapp.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/consoleapp.py
@@ -140,8 +140,6 @@ class IPythonConsoleApp(Configurable):
     frontend_flags = Any(app_flags)
     frontend_aliases = Any(app_aliases)
 
-    pure = CBool(False, config=True,
-        help="Use a pure Python kernel instead of an IPython kernel.")
     # create requested profiles by default, if they don't exist:
     auto_create = CBool(True)
     # connection info:
@@ -330,7 +328,6 @@ class IPythonConsoleApp(Configurable):
         )
         # start the kernel
         if not self.existing:
-            kwargs = dict(ipython=not self.pure)
             kwargs['extra_arguments'] = self.kernel_argv
             self.kernel_manager.start_kernel(**kwargs)
         elif self.sshserver:
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
index 89f0aa8..80ccbd8 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/qtconsoleapp.py
@@ -101,9 +101,7 @@ ipython qtconsole --pylab=inline  # start with pylab in inline plotting mode
 # start with copy of flags
 flags = dict(flags)
 qt_flags = {
-    'pure' : ({'IPythonQtConsoleApp' : {'pure' : True}},
-            "Use a pure Python kernel instead of an IPython kernel."),
-    'plain' : ({'ConsoleWidget' : {'kind' : 'plain'}},
+    'plain' : ({'IPythonQtConsoleApp' : {'plain' : True}},
             "Disable rich text support."),
 }
 qt_flags.update(boolean_flag(
@@ -180,18 +178,14 @@ class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication, IPythonConsoleApp):
     plain = CBool(False, config=True,
         help="Use a plaintext widget instead of rich text (plain can't print/save).")
 
-    def _pure_changed(self, name, old, new):
-        kind = 'plain' if self.plain else 'rich'
+    def _plain_changed(self, name, old, new):
+        kind = 'plain' if new else 'rich'
         self.config.ConsoleWidget.kind = kind
-        if self.pure:
-            self.widget_factory = FrontendWidget
-        elif self.plain:
+        if new:
             self.widget_factory = IPythonWidget
         else:
             self.widget_factory = RichIPythonWidget
 
-    _plain_changed = _pure_changed
-
     # the factory for creating a widget
     widget_factory = Any(RichIPythonWidget)
 
@@ -210,7 +204,7 @@ class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication, IPythonConsoleApp):
                                 config=self.config,
         )
         # start the kernel
-        kwargs = dict(ipython=not self.pure)
+        kwargs = dict()
         kwargs['extra_arguments'] = self.kernel_argv
         kernel_manager.start_kernel(**kwargs)
         kernel_manager.start_channels()
@@ -273,17 +267,13 @@ class IPythonQtConsoleApp(BaseIPythonApplication, IPythonConsoleApp):
         self.window.add_tab_with_frontend(self.widget)
         self.window.init_menu_bar()
 
-        self.window.setWindowTitle('Python' if self.pure else 'IPython')
+        self.window.setWindowTitle('IPython')
 
     def init_colors(self, widget):
         """Configure the coloring of the widget"""
         # Note: This will be dramatically simplified when colors
         # are removed from the backend.
 
-        if self.pure:
-            # only IPythonWidget supports styling
-            return
-
         # parse the colors arg down to current known labels
         try:
             colors = self.config.ZMQInteractiveShell.colors
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/kernelapp.py b/IPython/zmq/kernelapp.py
index c3b60a3..50968a0 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/kernelapp.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/kernelapp.py
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ kernel_flags.update(session_flags)
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 class KernelApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
-    name='pykernel'
+    name='ipkernel'
     aliases = Dict(kernel_aliases)
     flags = Dict(kernel_flags)
     classes = [Session]
     # the kernel class, as an importstring
-    kernel_class = DottedObjectName('IPython.zmq.pykernel.Kernel')
+    kernel_class = DottedObjectName('IPython.zmq.ipkernel.Kernel')
     kernel = Any()
     poller = Any() # don't restrict this even though current pollers are all Threads
     heartbeat = Instance(Heartbeat)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
index a350866..b175af5 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/kernelmanager.py
@@ -781,9 +781,6 @@ class KernelManager(HasTraits):
 
         Parameters:
         -----------
-        ipython : bool, optional (default True)
-             Whether to use an IPython kernel instead of a plain Python kernel.
-
         launcher : callable, optional (default None)
              A custom function for launching the kernel process (generally a
              wrapper around ``entry_point.base_launch_kernel``). In most cases,
@@ -805,10 +802,7 @@ class KernelManager(HasTraits):
         self._launch_args = kw.copy()
         launch_kernel = kw.pop('launcher', None)
         if launch_kernel is None:
-            if kw.pop('ipython', True):
-                from ipkernel import launch_kernel
-            else:
-                from pykernel import launch_kernel
+            from ipkernel import launch_kernel
         self.kernel = launch_kernel(fname=self.connection_file, **kw)
 
     def shutdown_kernel(self, restart=False):