On Names and Naming: Name Styles
On Names and Naming: What To Do?
Today's question is, what makes a good brand name and how do I create a great name for my product or business? We deal with a good number of clients and for the most part they tell us that they'd like a name that is either (1) fun and catchy or (2) descriptive. Fair enough, let's think about these really broad name styles, where they are appropriate, and what to do.
Before you continue, be warned that after you read this, you may not have any better idea on which way to go or how to create a name for your business or product. It's not realistic to write an article named "How To Create Names, Guaranteed," because there are no easy answers, but for now, let's get back to the naming stuff.
Fun and catchy. Everyone wants to have the next "Snapfish" (maybe) and we agree, fun and catchy is good when appropriate, but it depends upon your product or business and your target market demographic. Fun and catchy names will works for some Web properties or a line of new funky colorful rollerskates, but obviously not for a casket maker. Fun and catchy also works for a fun and catchy demographic, those who upload photos on the Web versus a gaggle of serious CPAs, so we first need to consider our market.
The other consideration before you think about fun and catchy is whether or not you really want a lighthearted name or if you are just star struck by an existing brand that is already successful. It's the difference between a brand and a name, the brand is the whole feel of the offering, we already know that Apple and Google are cool, but it is not just because of the name, it's the product offering and the cultivation of an image or brand identity. The point here is that when you are considering a fun name make sure it will fit with your brand in the long run.
Let's say you decide you're going to go with the name PowerCow for a new line of fun dairy items, while that may be great for a new line of vitamin enhanced milk for young athletes (and has great logo/brand possibilities), will it fly in the long run? If you expand your line horizontally and get into gourmet cheeses will PowerCow still work? These may seem like obvious questions but you should give them some thought up front. What about the answering the phone test? "Good morning, PowerCow, how may I direct your call?"
While it's not always easy to create fun and catchy names, it may in some instances be easier than descriptive names, fun and catchy can involve more wild diverse word combinations or concepts so there may be a bit more creative latitude. In addition, non-descriptive names are normally less prone to confusion in the market, people tend to remember a PowerCow more than a DairyConcepts Inc., fun and catchy equals different and different is good in most cases.
There are some key words that you may be able to work with when considering a fun name, gadzooks, crackers, zoom, fly, that sort of thing. Think in terms of wacky and combine your thoughts with objects for example - think in terms of cartoons, fireworks, kids terms, names of toys, etc.
Next we tackle the dilemma of descriptive names. First off, descriptive names are often harder to find but that may be okay. Envelopes.com is not available, and even if it was, wouldn't it get confused with eEnvelopes.com or iEnvelopes.com? Descriptive names have a way of promoting massive brand name confusion. Let's think about some successful brands, Apple, Oracle, Amazon, Nike, Smuckers, Kraft. Any of 'em descriptive? How about products? Kindle, Nook, Jetta? Nope. Kodak? Nope. Windex? Okay, maybe you've got me there, but the point is that most successful brands do not use descriptive names. This is not to say that you will doom your product or business if you go with a descriptive name, but don't feel that it's 100% necessary to find one. Often they are a curse, they cause confusion in the marketplace, they're hard to find, and they're hard to register for trademarks.
If you do think that a descriptive name is the way to go you may want to consider your brand attributes and not your product, so if you are selling insurance in a new way, Progressive is a good descriptor, if you are going to pride yourself in next day delivery of widgets, maybe speed should work into your descriptive name - the attribute is the differentiator, everyone has insurance, but we are the progressive sellers of insurance. Bottom line, when creating descriptive names for your business or product, think of attributes that you want to flaunt as opposed to the product itself.
Here's the deal, Progressive Insurance works because the company was one of the first to market with a new way to sell or buy insurance, and you always see the word insurance with the Progressive brand. Same with FedEx, they still use FedEx Express so we're not too far out there, we kind of know what they do. Ideally, we might try to create a name that combines a differentiating aspect of your product or service, with something relating to the tangible good you are selling, but it's not always easy.
You may want to start your search for descriptive name ideas with a list of words that relate to your key attributes or that are synonyms for a feature or benefit of your product or business. There are some online sources, the FreeDictionary, Thesauarus.com and others. We like the old Rodale Synonym Finder (book) as a source. The other thing to consider when hunting down descriptive names is our (this is a cheap plug) NameBuilder Name Creation Software; for broad descriptive ideas it can help you with some initial ideas.
While the information above may have left you even more confused, fear not. Thinking about your target market, your brand personality, and what is appropriate for a name is the first step in the creative process. Even after all of that, you still have to like the name you decide to go with, and the reasons that a name either appeals to or doesn't appeal to a business owner or entrepreneur does not just depend upon what makes branding sense alone. A business or product name is a personal thing, you are a vital part of your brand, so it has to appeal to you. There are of course other considerations, especially if you're on a budget, finding a brand name that's available as a domain is likely a big concern, and that's not always easy. (This issue of availability deserves and entire article in itself.)
Regardless of the way you want to go, we may be able to help. At namexpress.com, we'll either create and find a name that makes sense, or will serve as an outside the box resource for naming and branding ideas.
Other stuff, articles on naming and names:
Stuck. Some free advice on naming your company or business.
Do I Need a .com or an Alternate Extension for My Business Name?
Will BP change their company name?
Hey Man, Is That A Portmanteau?
Some Methodologies for Naming Your Company or Product
Just for Ideas:
- Click here for the Wall Street Journal's innovation award winners from last year, this may give you some name ideas...
Some of our recent names:
- Paintastics (Elmers)
- Verado (Mercury Marine)
- Green Earth Cleaners
- Ignitra (Ignitra.com)
- LevelLife (Supplements)
- ComplyRight
- SilverStar (Osrum)
- Triton
- Trancore Inc.