Brand naming: How to come up with a company name

A name, like a logo, is an integral part of branding: it helps create the right associations with a product and gain a foothold in the marketplace. Good names are easy to remember, easy to pronounce and firmly associated with companies. Let’s understand what brand naming involves and what features are important to consider.

What is naming in simple words?

Naming is the process of developing a brand name. From the outside it may seem like a simple task. But in fact the search for a suitable word, which would reflect the activity of the company, would be memorable and euphonious – it is an art at the junction of creativity and legal expertise.

The name is part of marketing. It will significantly affect the first impression of consumers about the company and its recognition. In addition, the name is needed to register the brand. Therefore, it should be unique in your city.

In branding agencies, naming can be done by marketers and copywriters. And there are also specialists who are engaged exclusively in the development of names. However, good naming for successful brands is born in different ways. Many turn to agencies, studios, or freelancers, but some manage to come up with a name by their own team – says Геннадий Ягупов, founder of the branding agency.

Key Naming Rules

Before you think about your brand name, there are a few principles to follow.

1. Sounds good and succinct

A good name is easy to read, memorize and pronounce – it’s simple and pleasant to hear combinations of sounds. It is worth avoiding too long word combinations, as well as the accumulation of a large number of consonantal letters in a row. If the name is not one word, but an entire phrase, it is important to pay attention to the accents of the words to set the rhythm. If the phrase sounds like a line of a poem, that’s good.

2. Expressive

Brand naming should convey an emotional message, relevant to the company. Neutral, hackneyed, overused words should be avoided. The name should be creative, catchy and evoke an associative image in the mind of the consumer.

3. logic

The name doesn’t have to be clear about the exact field of activity of the company. But for the right naming you need to be, to trace a logical relationship. You can use in the name of some attributes of your field of activity, to refer to the competitive advantage, to emphasize the benefits received by the consumer. Different associations work well, but they should be simple and unambiguous, so that the name does not turn into a rebus. Website.

4. Ease of writing

An important function of a name is recognizability on the media. People will see the brand name on the logo and read it on signs on the street. Some phrases may sound nice, but be difficult to read – and that will become a problem.

The brevity of the names is also a definite plus; they are easy to read even at a cursory glance.

5. No negative associations with your target audience

It is a common situation when a global brand shows unexpectedly low sales in certain countries. Often the problem is related to naming. A word that in one language refers to positive feedback, in another language may be something negative, obscene, even abusive. If you are planning to promote your brand in different regions, you need to take into account the linguistic peculiarities of each region.

If you are only targeting the domestic market, the situation is easier – you don’t need a translator to check the name for bad associations. It is enough to think about the context in which your word or phrase is used in everyday life, what additional meanings it may have.

6. Individuality

As we’ve already noted, a trademark name needs to be registered. And if you find similar names in the registry in your region, the registration will be denied. But the uniqueness of naming is important not only for compliance with formalities, but also for promotion in the market – so that consumers do not confuse your brand with others. So it is worth taking a look at all your competitors, including the world’s, and trying to get away from them.

Naming techniques

The names of brands differ in what principle they are “designed”. And there are quite a few types of company naming. Let’s look at the main methods.

Associations

For a brand name, you can choose an existing word that will be associated with the activities or products of the company. It will not be unique in the language, but it does not matter – if it is rarely used in everyday life and accurately reflects the essence of the brand.

Abbreviations

This is a relatively simple way of naming – choose a few obvious associations and combine these words into one. You can connect syllables or just the first letters. But you can make abbreviations not only from words describing the company. For example, you can use the surnames of the founders. If an abbreviation makes up some memorable word – that’s a plus. But ordinary abbreviations are not very memorable.

First and Last Names

Another uncomplicated way of naming a firm is to take a first name or surname and use it without any abbreviations. This, for example, is often the name of premium clothing brands – by the designer’s name: Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton, Chanel. And sometimes the name or surname is in no way connected with the creators of the brand, but simply shows a collective image of the character who represents the brand.

A name with rhyme

Using rhyming phrases is a great solution to brand memorability. These names are often not easy to come up with, but they work well. The most famous example is Coca-Cola.