From PC week, March 22, 1999, p. 32, "Major Win 98 update due":

"Until recently, Microsoft said it planned to move directly from Windows
98 to an NT-kernel-based consumer operating system.  But sources said the
company already is readying another Windows9x-kernel-based update beyond
Second Edition, tentatively called Windows 2000 Personal Edition, which
it will likely release before 2003."