diff --git a/IPython/config/application.py b/IPython/config/application.py
index 73b157f..ccc1445 100644
--- a/IPython/config/application.py
+++ b/IPython/config/application.py
@@ -524,8 +524,11 @@ class Application(SingletonConfigurable):
         sys.exit(exit_status)
 
     @classmethod
-    def launch_new_instance(cls, argv=None, **kwargs):
-        """Launch a global instance of this Application"""
+    def launch_instance(cls, argv=None, **kwargs):
+        """Launch a global instance of this Application
+        
+        If a global instance already exists, this reinitializes and starts it
+        """
         app = cls.instance(**kwargs)
         app.initialize(argv)
         app.start()
diff --git a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
index 50e10bf..f0cf67d 100644
--- a/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
+++ b/IPython/html/notebookapp.py
@@ -745,5 +745,5 @@ class NotebookApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
 # Main entry point
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-launch_new_instance = NotebookApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = NotebookApp.launch_instance
 
diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py b/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
index 46008b4..38dabbd 100755
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
@@ -203,5 +203,5 @@ class NbConvertApp(Application):
 # Main entry point
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-launch_new_instance = NbConvertApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = NbConvertApp.launch_instance
 
diff --git a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipclusterapp.py b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipclusterapp.py
index 755fac3..8c416dc 100755
--- a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipclusterapp.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipclusterapp.py
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ class IPClusterApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
         else:
             return self.subapp.start()
 
-launch_new_instance = IPClusterApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = IPClusterApp.launch_instance
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     launch_new_instance()
diff --git a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipcontrollerapp.py b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipcontrollerapp.py
index b820569..f141b37 100755
--- a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipcontrollerapp.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipcontrollerapp.py
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ def launch_new_instance(*args, **kwargs):
         if p.name != 'MainProcess':
             # we are a subprocess, don't start another Controller!
             return
-    return IPControllerApp.launch_new_instance(*args, **kwargs)
+    return IPControllerApp.launch_instance(*args, **kwargs)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
index b937649..924aaaa 100755
--- a/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/apps/ipengineapp.py
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ class IPEngineApp(BaseParallelApplication):
             self.log.critical("Engine Interrupted, shutting down...\n")
 
 
-launch_new_instance = IPEngineApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = IPEngineApp.launch_instance
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/IPython/parallel/apps/iploggerapp.py b/IPython/parallel/apps/iploggerapp.py
index be1ab61..cd7f4cf 100755
--- a/IPython/parallel/apps/iploggerapp.py
+++ b/IPython/parallel/apps/iploggerapp.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class IPLoggerApp(BaseParallelApplication):
             self.log.critical("Logging Interrupted, shutting down...\n")
 
 
-launch_new_instance = IPLoggerApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = IPLoggerApp.launch_instance
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/IPython/terminal/console/app.py b/IPython/terminal/console/app.py
index 3ad504e..3439873 100644
--- a/IPython/terminal/console/app.py
+++ b/IPython/terminal/console/app.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ class ZMQTerminalIPythonApp(TerminalIPythonApp, IPythonConsoleApp):
         pass
 
 
-launch_new_instance = ZMQTerminalIPythonApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = ZMQTerminalIPythonApp.launch_instance
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
diff --git a/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py b/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
index 3bea16f..7c1bd47 100755
--- a/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
+++ b/IPython/terminal/ipapp.py
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ def load_default_config(ipython_dir=None):
     return config
 
 
-launch_new_instance = TerminalIPythonApp.launch_new_instance
+launch_new_instance = TerminalIPythonApp.launch_instance
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':