Name Your Thing

Coming up with a unique, appealing and memorable name is really, really, REALLY hard.

The perfect name for your brand, product, service or project might strike like a bolt of lightening, only for you to quickly discover it has been registered as a trademark or business name. More infuriating is learning that it’s registered and not being used. More infuriating again is finding it being used terribly.

In an effort to come up with a name that hasn’t already been snapped up, people explore abstract words and phrases, spelling variations and combinations of words thrown together like a stir fry of soon-to-be inedible vegetables from the bottom of the crisper. In some instances they create a delicious, memorable name and in others, a name that’s better off going straight in the compost bin.

Ideally, a name is short, simple and easy to spell, however this is more of a guide and not the rule – see Häagen-Dazs. It is also a good idea to come up with a name that is relevant to the business activity. Again, more of a guide – see Apple.

In the end your name can be anything but it can’t be everything (whoa…deep). Names develop meaning from what the businesses do and say, not what they are called. Obviously a good name can help, however as long as it fits in with the wider strategy and gels with the personality of the brand, you’re probably on the right track.