Brand naming is more important than you think

Have you ever wondered how names like Google or Nike came to be? How did their creators come up with them? Which creative process the followed, if any at all, to reach such successful brand naming?

We all want them to share the secret of a successful naming, but the truth is that every naming process is one of a kind. There are only so many words and letters that sound good, after all, so how can they be used to create a memorable brand?

Choosing a good name is not an easy task, it’s a crucial and unrepeatable decision that requires creativity, time and prior planning. If you think the naming process is not relevant, you ought to know that there are specialized branding experts that follow several steps before arriving at the perfect naming.

Your brand’s name is the first contact between clients and products or services. Even if they don’t have knowledge of its existence, the name ought to stay in their minds if it’s result-friendly or interesting for the consumers. 

Naming may seem like pure inspiration or good luck, but it’s actually part of a complicated and rewarding creative process.

Why is it so important?

One of the main reasons to have great naming is differentiation. When establishing your identity, your audience will see a unique personality before they ever engage with your brand.

It also represents a competitive advantage over all those who have a poor naming and are not strong enough to compete on the market. 

Common mistakes in the naming process stem mostly from creators who don’t consciously name their brand. For instance: misspelling, unfortunate associations, too similar to the competition or straight-up plagiarism.

If you’re not sure how to develop the right name for your target audience, speak to brand naming experts for counseling.

Naming process 

We prepared an all-star naming process guide to boost the potential of your brand! 

Brief

Figure out what your company stands for, and what you’re trying to achieve. Self-reflection is the key to starting a successful naming process.

When you hire a branding agency, they create a brief that outlines the objectives to accomplish with the brand, following information reviews, including features and history of the brand. The naming department will be in charge of highlighting your brand values through a name.

Benchmark

Compare your brand to your direct competitors in terms of design, colors, naming, strategies and the way they communicate to consumers. This will give you a better perspective about how market behaves and help you find a way to differentiate yourself.

Concept & Value

Knowing your main advantage or attribute will be helpful when creating the name of your brand and the composition of it. 

When creating a name, it must be rational. You must be able to explain how and where it comes from. It must have an emotional meaning to make it powerful and connecting.

The idea of starting a naming process may sound exciting and fun, especially when you want to go wild with all the names flying in your head. We recommend starting from here:

• Write down all the features that describe your brand 
• Describe what you want your consumers to feel when they think about your company
• Think of words associated or related to your business
• Find inspiration from other sources

Now you’re ready to develop a comprehensive creative plan.

Naming tips

A new brand name should follow these basic rules and strive to be:

• Simple and memorable: Try to choose a powerful name that evokes meaning and trust. Sometimes less is more. Don’t try to exaggerate with a complicated name. 
• Pronunciable: Keep it short. Build the right combination of letters and words.
• Original and creative: The name should reflect the brand’s personality. Don’t try to sound like others unless you want to be one of the rest.
• Careful with meaning: Be very careful when translations into other languages: meaning and sound may not be what you think.
• Meaningful: Tell your brand story and connect with customers..
• Trademarkable: Own your name as soon as possible. Drop untrademarkable names, as good as they may be.

Successful naming cases

Consider the following success stories as great cases of brand naming.

• Chupa Chups: This name is fun to pronounce, as well as easy to remember and associate with the brand. 
• FedEx: Fedex is the abbreviation of the company’s full name, Federal Express Company. This name works great because it works in synergy with its logo by creating a small arrow through negative space, allowing the brand identity and naming to create meaning together.
• Airbnb: based on the English expression to define small lodging, Bed and Breakfast or BnB, this brand created a new, digital native interpretation of a classic concept.

Words are powerful. Choose your brand’s carefully and you’ll be on the road to success.