If you’re about to start a company or launch a product of your own, you might be feeling pretty intimidated by the prospect of having to name it. We’ve all seen those long lists of “must-haves” for every brand name — they’re intense. But in reality, the name you choose shouldn’t just check off the boxes. After all, even the most successful brand names — Apple, Twitter, Kodak — rarely meet all the criteria.
Instead, the brand name you select should strike a balance between being strategic, creative, and technical. Here are some guidelines to consider when creating or evaluating potential names for your brand or business.
#Be Strategic
When you set out to name your brand, you should always start with a naming brief — even if it’s an informal one — that defines the strategy behind the company, product, or service being named. In your brief, make sure to include a description of what’s being named, ideas you’re hoping to convey via the name, a description of your target audience, and the names of your competitors. This will help guide you as you consider your various options.
# Be Creative
Creativity is hard to quantify, but it matters when it comes to naming your business or product. The most effective names are often unexpected, catchy, or buzzworthy — characteristics that creativity can help deliver.
# Be Technical
One of the hardest parts of naming a brand is ensuring that your ideas are technically viable, legally available, and that they avoid linguistic, spelling, or pronunciation challenges. Names that work from a technical standpoint will help you avoid worst-case scenarios, like having to recall a product with an offensive name or rebrand your company due to legal action from a competitor.
"Ultimately, creating a good brand name is about balancing the qualities across all three areas in a way that makes sense for the project at hand. If you’re careful to consider these three broad areas — strategic, creative, and technical — you’ll be well on your way to a strong brand name."
Building a brand name is not an accidental process. It is a conscious and directed process which requires knowledge of the business, the audience, the industry and marketing. Employing the right creative agency is vital to this process, to keep your business ahead of the game.