Let’s Play the Name Game

Strategies for Naming Products & Businesses

When it comes to branding your product or service, the logical place to start is the name. But if you’re not a creative marketing professional, you might find yourself intimidated by the blank page staring back at you.

After all, the name is a big deal, so where do you even begin?

Here’s a simple checklist of what a name needs to do, as well as a few strategies for coming up with creative brand names:

• Make it memorable: That means simple to say, simple to spell and easy to lock away in your brain.
• Make it unique: Avoid generic terms. Not only are they hard to own, but they’re more than likely already in use.
• Make it positive: Choose words that create a positive emotional connection.
• Make it clear: A brand name should clearly communicate something – what you do, how you do it, what your values are, etc.
• Make it a URL: Believe it or not, making sure the .com URL is available is now a top consideration when it comes to naming.

Understanding naming best practices is one thing, but how can you start generating actual ideas? Here are a few common approaches used by creative marketers:

• Describe what it does: We are so used to seeing certain brand names that we forget what they are – descriptions of what the product does. Microsoft Internet Explorer is a good example, as is the slightly more creative Apple Safari.
• Be evocative or intriguing: Abstract words can become brands, but the product itself must be exceptional. Two good examples are Virgin and Blackberry.
• Merge words together: Compound terms are popular because they’re built from words we already know, like Photoshop, TurboTax and Pinterest (pin + interest).
• Make up a word: Lots of modern brands use made-up words because they’re unique (and the URL is usually available). The good ones also give you a sense of what they offer, like the audio company Sonos.
• Change the spelling of a word: Similar to making up a word, you can also take a real word and just change the spelling, like Lyft, Trix and Fatasktik.
• Name it for the founder: This is how many things are named, but it takes time to establish an eponymous brand. Ford, Kellog’s and Hilton and are all famous, but they’ve been building recognition for a century. This is harder for new brands, since a founder’s name doesn’t say anything about what the company does.

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About Brand Poets

Founded by Tana M. Llinás, Brand Poets is a collective of strategists, storytellers, and digital artisans crafting smart, poignant campaigns that command attention.

Instagram: @BrandPoets

This article was originally published in the Community Newspapers.

Tana M. Llinas - CEO & Chief Creative Officer (Author)

Tana M. Llinas is in charge of brand development, fractional CMO projects, and integrated marketing strategy at Brand Poets. She helps companies find their voice and turn their big-picture vision into measurable progress. She does this by creating bold stories and campaigns that speak directly to the people her clients want to reach.