We all know how important a name is. You’ve probably read more than one article about curious names of different people. Names that seem like a joke once you learn the surnames that go with them, or that are almost impossible to pronounce.
If a name matters that much for people, how could naming not be important for companies? You could probably think of a brand with a completely ill-chosen name in under five minutes.
Or, even worse, how many brands have you forgotten shortly after coming across them? That is the result of names with no hook, names that are hard to remember.
“The process we know as “naming” aims to find the name or word that will represent your business, which is so fundamental to developing a brand.”
After all, changing your brand is very expensive financially speaking… how much material do you have with your brand printed on it? Not only that, it also costs you in terms of time, because users take a while to accept changes and an adaptation period is needed in which both names (the old one and the new one) coexist.
If you want to avoid going through all this, I encourage you to read and re-read this article, in which we’ll look at:
- What naming is and what it brings to a company, brand or product.
- Also, which elements influence how a brand is represented.
- What the characteristics of good naming are, what types there are and what the best inspiration techniques are for creating names.
What is naming and why is it so important?
Let’s start by defining what naming is, the process of creating names for companies or products, since it is the main element of any corporate identity.
“Naming refers both to the process and to the result of finding a name that represents a brand, company, product or service. It is the verbal identity of the element that needs to be represented.”
Each user will have their own impressions of the chosen name. They will judge it based on their life experiences, their expectations, their use of vocabulary, etc.
Even so, you should try to find the best name for a company or product so that you can reach a broad, mass target audience, without limiting the possibilities of future diversification.
Keep in mind that creating good naming will help your business in several ways:
- Gives you access to the “shortlist”: This is every company’s goal with regard to users: to be in their memory when they need one of your products or services.
- Drives consumers through the purchase decision process: A good brand is one that attracts users to become customers (and not the other way around).
- Gives a business or company opportunities to diversify: Good naming lets a business go as far as it wants, offering the chance to expand under the same umbrella of verbal identity.
- Makes a positive impression: Whether with the public, investors or competitors, the brand’s own strengths come across.
- Influences productivity: A good company name can help build an internal community that boosts the productivity of the in-house team or employees.
What other branding elements characterize brands?
We started by talking about names and their relationship with brands, but it is not the only element that represents them.
We normally find a company’s name written in one particular way, right? Of course, I’m talking about the logo.
A brand or product is represented through several elements that must work together to carve out a place in the user’s mind.
► Naming or name
The first element is, indeed, the naming, or name. It must work on every possible level (visual, sound and even written). That is, it may be easy to recognize when you read it, but… can anyone spell Yves Saint Laurent or Häagen-Dazs correctly without thinking at least twice?
When thinking about a brand name, you need to consider a series of questions that will make it more or less recognizable:
- Is it easy to remember?
- Will customers know how to pronounce it?
- Can it be read and written easily?
Besides these aspects, which have more to do with grammar, spelling and linguistics, there are other characteristics you should also weigh up when you get started on creating your brand or company name:
- Think about the audience you’re targeting and whether there are words that could cause confusion: Even if you work in your own language, if you plan to sell in other countries that also speak it, you must make sure you know how the language is used there.
- Consider getting an advisor who can guide you on possible negative connotations: A word that is completely normal in your country may have other meanings in other countries (where you may also operate).
Have you thought about how your brand’s naming works for the type of product or service you offer? Sometimes a good idea for a brand doesn’t work well with a product, since it can cause confusion or put consumers off; consider, for example, the Chilly intimate gel.
► Logo and other symbols
As I mentioned earlier, to represent the verbal identity, or naming, of a brand, you need to develop a logo or any of its variants (imagotype, isotype, isologo…).
Whatever you choose, the image must match the main value you want to represent in your company or its products.
For example, nobody would think of putting a logo with flames on a mouthwash, right? If you want to convey that its flavor is strong or that it cleans deeply, you’ll use mint or coolness. Either concept is better suited to oral health.
“If you choose a corporate identity design that doesn’t work in the same direction as the naming or other branding elements, it is very likely to cause rejection.”
► Slogan
It is nothing more and nothing less than your brand’s main message. The phrase with which you want to attract users and turn them into customers of your company.
Therefore, you must speak, in a few words, about your main feature or advantage. That is, your slogan should answer the question “why should users buy my products or services?”
Although you can approach it in different ways, the result will always answer that question. Here are some types:
- Descriptive: Slogans that speak directly about a quality of your brand (Wikipedia’s “The free encyclopedia”)
- Emotional: Appeals to the user’s feelings and is usually associated with aspirational products (Coca-Cola’s “Open happiness”)
- Direct: They speak frankly about the product or service on offer (Banco Santander’s “We want to be your bank”).
► Fonts and colors
The fonts and colors you use to design your logo must also work, just like the naming, to represent the values of your brand and your products.
There’s no point in looking for a name that conveys calm and peace if you then design an image in reds or oranges. That’s why you need to find tools that help the message come across in all branding elements.
For example, if it’s a brand that sells products, packaging design must also be taken into account. Think of it as the wrapping of your product, and what users will see at the point of sale, so it must be distinctive and easily identifiable (while also representing what’s inside).
Visual identity and brand voice
Visual identity and brand voice are fundamental aspects that, together with naming, make up a brand’s complete personality.
These elements must work in harmony to create a cohesive and memorable brand identity. Let’s see how these components fit together:
► Visual identity:
A brand’s visual identity includes its logo, color palette, typefaces and other graphic elements.
These must be aligned with the naming to reinforce the brand’s image.
For example, a modern, minimalist name goes well with a graphic design that follows the same aesthetic line.
Visual consistency helps create a strong, recognizable image in the consumer’s mind.
► Brand voice:
Brand voice refers to the style and tone of the company’s written and spoken communication.
This voice must reflect the values and personality that the naming suggests.
If the name conveys seriousness and professionalism, the brand voice should be formal and direct.
If the name is more playful or innovative, the voice can be more informal or creative.
► Integration with naming:
A brand’s name is often the first thing a customer notices, and it sets expectations about what comes next.
Therefore, there must be synergy between the name and the brand’s visual and verbal elements.
This integration ensures that all interactions with the brand – from the logo to marketing content – convey a consistent message and strengthen the overall perception of the brand.
Creating a cohesive brand identity is a process that requires thought and creativity.
The name, visual identity and brand voice must be intertwined to tell a compelling story that resonates with the target audience and stands out in the market.
How to create the best naming for your brand?
Achieving good naming is not an easy task, but you’ve already seen that it has a big impact on all kinds of businesses, as well as on their corporate identity.
When starting this process, we’ve seen the importance of considering different aspects such as consistency with the values or philosophy of the business, avoiding names with negative connotations, etc…
Moving on to practice, I’d like to offer a short guide of tips and techniques to help you create the perfect name for your company, brand or product.
► Characteristics of a good brand or product name
The first thing you need to understand are the characteristics that make a brand or product name a real hit:
- They are legible and pronounceable: I mentioned this earlier, but I’m stressing it here because the name must work on every level.
- They are memorable: If we want to make it onto the “shortlist”, users must be able to remember your brand name easily.
- They are enduring: They shouldn’t follow passing fads, but be valid for that brand today and 100 years from now. That doesn’t mean you won’t evolve (you may have to make a change in the future), but this shouldn’t be dictated by a name with an expiry date.
- They are simple and understandable: You need to avoid them being confused with other words or, worse, with other brands.
- They are attractive: Names must have a personality of their own and stand out from the competition.
Besides all this, don’t forget that good naming always conveys the brand values and works consistently with the rest of the brand’s elements.
► Types of naming
Just as we’ve seen the classification of slogan types, a name, or naming, can also be of different types.
Depending on what you want to convey with your brand, you’ll need to work with one type or another. We have names that are:
- Descriptive: This is the type of naming that describes the product or service it refers to. They are usually simple, easy names; for example, “Zumosol” refers to a drink that is 100% fruit juice.
- Emotional: As with slogans, names also appeal to users’ feelings.
- Invented: Words that don’t exist and suddenly stand for a brand, such as “Bershka”.
- Associative: They are associated with a feeling, a quality or a property of their product. This is the case of the beer “Poker”.
► Creativity techniques to inspire you
When it’s time to get down to creating your naming, there are different processes you can use to get good results.
For example, it’s a good idea to start by making a list of all the characteristics of your company, your products, the type of work, etc. Try to sum up each characteristic in a single word, or as few as possible.
Then, you can brainstorm everything that characteristic suggests to you. Repeat it with all those that are important for representing your business.
On the other hand, you can enlist the help of outsiders or, even better, children. They tend to see life in a much simpler way than we do, so they will give you the keys to the essence of your project.
It also works very well to research the roots of your products or business. Where does it all come from? Does it have a past in another country? Are there words in another language used to represent that product? All this information will give you very good ideas.
Legal considerations and domain availability
Once you have a potential name for your brand or product, it’s crucial to carry out two key checks: legal and online.
Legal check:
It’s essential to make sure the name you’ve chosen isn’t already registered or protected by copyright or trademarks.
Ignoring this check can lead to legal disputes and require a costly name change that harms the brand.
It’s advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property to carry out an exhaustive search of trademark databases.
Domain availability:
Having an internet domain that matches your brand name is essential.
Check domain availability across different extensions (.com, .org, .net, etc.) to make sure you can build a strong online presence.
A domain that is easy to remember and matches your brand increases your business’s visibility and accessibility on the internet.
Market testing and feedback
Once you have a name that is legally viable and available online, the next step is to validate this choice with your target audience.
Surveys and focus groups:
Run surveys or focus groups to get direct feedback from your target market.
Ask them what the name suggests to them, how they perceive it and whether they associate it with your brand’s values and offering.
A/B testing on digital platforms:
Use A/B testing on digital platforms to evaluate different name options.
This can include testing different names in ads, emails or landing pages to see which generates a better response.
Feedback from internal stakeholders:
Don’t underestimate the importance of feedback from your team and other internal stakeholders.
They can often offer valuable perspectives based on their intimate knowledge of the brand and the market.
Validating your naming choice with market testing and feedback will help you make sure the name resonates with your audience and supports your brand’s long-term goals.
Analysis of successful brand names
The success of many world-renowned brands is due, in part, to strategic, well-thought-out naming.
For example, consider “Apple”.
This name, simple yet powerful, stands out in an industry where many competitors opt for technical names or acronyms.
The choice of “Apple” reflects a fresh, approachable take on technology, something that has resonated deeply with consumers.
Another interesting case is “Google”.
This unique, memorable name has become synonymous with searching the internet, showing how a creative name can influence how consumers perceive and use the product.
These examples show how well-chosen naming can help a brand stand out, be memorable and convey a desired image.
Lessons learned from bad naming practices
On the other hand, some brand names have not been as successful and serve as valuable lessons.
A notorious example is the car “Chevy Nova”, which, when introduced in Spanish-speaking markets, didn’t resonate well, since “no va” in Spanish suggests that “it doesn’t work”.
This case underscores the importance of considering linguistic and cultural implications in naming, especially for brands seeking a global presence.
Another lesson comes from brands that have chosen names that are too generic or descriptive, which can make it harder to legally protect the brand and make the name less distinctive and memorable.
These examples illustrate the importance of careful analysis and a thoughtful strategy in the naming process, avoiding mistakes that could have long-term implications for the brand’s perception and success.
Conclusion
Getting the naming right is not a simple task. There are many aspects to take into account and, at times, very relevant considerations can be overlooked.
Even so, there are some trends this process is moving towards that determine what users like and what works.
You only have to look at big brands to realize that simple names are increasingly used, the greatest possible expressiveness is sought, and there is an ever-greater fixation on everything related to technology and innovation.
A good analysis of the competition will help you see which paths brands take and what your target audience likes and doesn’t like.
Do you already have a brand name or are you planning to launch a new product on the market?
What other advice would you give to people who have never had to tackle naming before?
A good name also lays the groundwork for future pieces of branded content consistent with your brand identity.
