Branding -Creating the perfect name for your brand is one vital decision you’ll make as a business owner. Your chosen name will serve as an integral part of your company’s identity and must be memorable, unique, and aligned with your core values.
That said, here are some tips on how to create the ideal name that captures all these elements – so you can stand out in a highly-competitive marketplace.
Four Strategies for Finding a Crafting a Solid Name for Crafting an Iconic Identity
To get the perfect name for crafting your brand identity, start by:
Aligning Your Name With Your Brand Positioning
Before beginning the naming process, it is essential that you have clear objectives regarding what type of positioning you want to achieve with your brand.
Consider attributes like whether you want to appear innovative or traditional; creative or serious; classic or modern; fun or functional. And then use this information when crafting potential names.
Once you determine which direction aligns best with your mission and goals, choose words and phrases that embody those ideals. This will ensure that whatever name you select matches up perfectly with the overall essence of your brand.
Consider Metaphors, Visual Imagery & Emotions
When creating potential names for consideration, explore metaphors and visual imagery related to your industry sector as well as emotions associated with your brand.
Metaphors are powerful storytelling tools that can help evoke a specific emotion or image in the minds of your audience, and incorporating these into your name will make it more memorable.
For example, Amazon uses references to nature with strong connotations of speed and efficiency (“Earth’s Most Customer-Centric Company”), while Apple emphasizes simplicity and ease of use (“Think Differently”).
Brainstorming Names
Once you have established what type of positioning is most appropriate for your company, brainstorm as many ideas as possible by exploring relevant words or phrases related to those ideals.
Consider getting exciting domains on sale from or using crowdsourcing options like visiting a naming platform and holding naming contests or enlisting the assistance of friends and family members who can provide fresh perspectives on potential names.
When coming up with possibilities, keep in mind that simpler is better; try to avoid anything too obscure or difficult to pronounce so that customers remember it easily.
Here are some examples of how companies used metaphors and visual imagery when crafting their names:
- YouTube: An easy-to-remember play on “you tube,” which implies watching videos online without downloading them first.
- Nike: Nike was named after the Greek goddess of victory; this name evokes images of power and strength.
- Dropbox: This cloud storage company uses an analogy to describe the act of saving files online (dropping them into a box).
- Hulu: A reference to both “Hulu” (Hawaiian for ‘gathering’) and the Chinese phrase “hu lu,” which translates to “embrace abundance.”
Here’s a List of the Top Ten Brands and Why Their Names Work
Once you have established your brand positioning and begun coming up with potential names, it can be helpful to review what other brands in your sector are doing. Here is a list of ten iconic brands, along with brief explanations of their naming strategies:
- Apple: Simple and distinctive, this name evokes images of knowledge, creativity, technology, and progress.
- Coca-Cola: The name was derived from a combination of coca leaves and kola nuts, which are the core ingredients in Coca-Cola’s original recipe; these words also evoke energy and refreshment when combined together.
- McDonald’s: Shortened version of founder Richard McDonald’s name; this seemingly simple name conveys a strong sense of familiarity and trust.
- Amazon: A reference to the vastness of nature, this name implies speed, efficiency, and customer service.
- Walmart: Named after founder Sam Walton’s last name, this word conveys an image of affordability while also being easy to pronounce.
- Twitter: Inspired by “twittering” birds, this seemingly simple name has come to represent quick updates in a digital landscape.
Validate Your Names With Trademark Research
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of possible names, it is essential that you validate these with trademark research before making any decisions about using them commercially.
Make sure that no other similarly named companies exist or are already in use within your industry sector, as this could lead to costly cease and desist letters in the future.
Keep in mind that trademarks also extend beyond company names, so do your due diligence with logos and other branding elements as well.
Use Audience Testing Before Making Your Final Decision
Before settling on a final name for your brand, it is essential to use audience testing to ensure that you’re making the right choice.
However, be careful what questions you ask – instead of asking which name customers prefer, focus more on how each option makes them feel or which one draws their attention and inspires action.
This way, you can determine whether potential names resonate with your target market before investing too much time in any idea.
Creating the ideal name for your brand requires thoughtfulness and consideration. Still, if done correctly, it should result in an iconic identity that captures all aspects of your mission and goals.
By aligning your chosen name with your overall positioning objectives, considering metaphors and emotions associated with those ideals when brainstorming ideas, validating all possibilities through trademark research before deciding upon a definitive answer, and using audience testing to validate its resonance within the marketplace—you will be sure to craft something memorable that accurately reflects who you are as a business entity!
