Even at the best of times, naming is a contentious and
emotional business. Whether you’re naming your baby, your boat, or
your brand, the process can breed nearly endless deliberation. Keep
these principles in mind as you scout the perfect
name.
1 Make it memorable
The search engine has changed everything. Instead of worrying
about your spot in the phone book, you need a name that’s relevant
and truly compelling. The key to any name –simple or complex,
abstract or descriptive –is grabbing attention and staying
memorable.
Intriguing, irreverent, distinctly Australian: Yummy
Tummy Koalas instantly conveys the fun factor of this
brand.
2 Fill it with meaning
Choose a name that tells your brand’s story. Over time, you can
expand the meaning of your name and add layers of depth to make it
even more powerful –a visual identity, a color, a sound. The more
significance your name carries, the more work it will do for
you.
From a word that initially meant only a stamp on a passport,
Visa has surrounded its name with a host of associations –travel,
access, opportunities, identity, official status –that allow it to
tell the right story at the right time.
3 Say it out loud
The best names are the ones that people can’t wait to tell their
friends about. Names that roll off the tongue invite customers to
become your viral marketing agency. Say, shout, and even sing names
you’re considering to see which one will echo for years to
come.
Happy coincidence? In 1783, Johann Jacob Schweppe opted to
name his bubbly, effervescent soft drinks after himself. More than
200 years later, consumers still love calling out his
name.
4 Don’t wait to fall in love
Even the best name may not seem terrific the first time you hear
it. As your name evolves into a brand, it will acquire more and
richer associations. Give the names you’re considering a chance to
grow on you–and try to imagine what they might stand for five or
ten years down the road.
Originally a variant of googol, the numeral one followed by
100 zeros, Google has come to represent a playful and innovative
culture that delivers everything from email to operating
systems.
5 Listen to your fear
Great names grab your attention by breaking the rules–but a name
that defies your expectations may also appear scary. Look past the
fear and you’ll find energy and possibility. That buzz of surprise
could be telling you that you’ve found a name that stands out.
ProMail, an early name candidate for what we know today as
the BlackBerry, probably would have been an easier sell in RIM’s
executive suite. But once users got their hands on the perfectly
sized device, it became obvious which name was the perfect
fit.
6 Stand out in a crowd
If you are different, you want to sound different. Use your name
to focus on what makes your brand special. Look at your category
and where it’s headed. What do customers expect? How can your name
signal something new?
In a market dominated by the prosaic names of people and
places –Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Radisson –W had the nerve to
sound young, energetic, and stylish. Today, it’s the premier
destination for business travelers who want to balance style with
substance.
7 Too much is never enough
The first hundred names you think of are likely to be the same
ones your competitors tossed around. Use naming specialists to
develop thousands of alternatives. To arrive at a name that meets
all your objectives, you need a list that’s both broad and
deep.
Thousands of names were created, hundreds were screened, and
scores were considered. One name rose to the top, and now countless
conversations center around this brand’s “Accent on the
future.”
8 Expect its story to evolve
There are always reasons to dislike a name, but you can’t make
the right decision if you never make any decision at all. Remember
that names are just one part of your brand, and they’re elastic–you
can stretch them to mean what you want.
As a word, “virgin” brings to mind anything from wool and
olive oil to Mary and The Material Girl. But as a brand name,
Virgin has come to stand for a provocative attitude that can sell
everything from prepaid mobile phones to vacations in
orbit.
This article was first published in Fast Company (24 February 2012).
© 2012 Landor Associates. All rights reserved.