How to find a great brand name without losing your mind
Naming is challenging. It can be very subjective. And emotional. So much so, that it may be difficult to question a suggestion from an executive in your organization who is passionate about a name.
I often wondered if anyone had voiced concern when Mr. Brown decided to name his orchard with the family surname. There is something rather off-putting thinking about what kind of fruit comes from Brown Orchard.
You probably think I just made that up. I didn't. It was a real place near me. It's no longer there.
You need a method to the madness
Over the years, I have been involved in a number of naming projects. From companies to products. I even helped name a building. (It still makes me smile every time I go by it.)
If there is one thing I've learned, it's this. Because of the subjective and emotional nature of naming, it can quickly devolve into a muddled mess. In order to turn a naming exercise into something with a rewarding outcome, you need one of two things: a methodology or a lot of alcohol.
I'd recommend starting with a methodology. Here is one I've developed over the years.
1. Craft a strategy
Detail the intent of the name. And get input and buy-in from the key stakeholders. Make sure not to overlook someone who may be a major influencer but not necessarily in the room during discussions. I once had a CEO's wife cause all kinds of chaos in our process. Who knew the CEO would go home and bounce ideas off of her? If you start seeing this, adjust to include the opinion of the influencer. Because fighting it is futile.
Gather as much background as you can on the needs and desires the name must address. This means digging in and doing your research. But it may also require doing interviews with key stakeholders.
2. Create naming categories
These are major themes that emerge from your research. I recommend choosing 5. And ensuring they represent naming categories that cover a spectrum from rational on one end to emotional on the other end.
3. Generate names under each category
Start populating each category with names. There are lots of different ways to look at names. I'm going to keep it simple and give you three categories of names
Descriptive - these names describe what the company/offering does. They are rational and direct. Think "Dial-A-Nurse". It tells you exactly what you can do.
Abstract - these are names that are meant to evoke an idea or feeling. They are not words found in the English language. Rather they are invented. Like "Trulia". For an abundance of invented names, check out all the pharma advertising drug names.
Blended - these are names that are somewhere in-between Descriptive names and Abstract names. Many times they are altered spellings like "Lyft".
Here is a pro tip. As you are identifying name candidates, do a quick trademark search (check out the United States Patent and Trademark Office site) and do a domain name search to see if you can own the web address (here is a good service to use).
4. Narrow the list
When you're crafting your strategy at the beginning, it's a good idea to develop a list of naming criteria. This can include things like, "The name needs to feel technical" or "It must be easy to pronounce". This criteria will come into play as you gather your key stakeholders to evaluate the choices. Also, don't forget to flag any names that may have trademark and domain ownership challenges. As you consider these factors, you should be able to come to a consensus on name options that fill your needs without subjectivity taking over the entire process.
5. Send it to legal
After you have your shortlist of options, get a legal opinion. The cursory trademark search is good, but having a legal expert give you the green light is worth the investment considering this name will be deployed across a wide variety of executions.
A great name can be game-changing. It can make you unforgettable. It can add multiple levels of meaning. It can imbue your offering with valued traits like trust, honesty, security, wellbeing, and more. Getting to that name can be trickier than most realize. It takes more than an informal poll around the water cooler (are there water coolers anymore?) Putting a method in place is paramount. It can bring some much-needed sanity to an endeavor that can too easily turn into a cat-herding exercise. And require a large quantity of that alcohol I mentioned before.