How-to Guide for Naming a Brand or Business
Naming is more than a fun part of my job. It’s a lifelong passion. I grew up snagging free paint chips from the hardware store and giving the colors more creative names, if I do say so myself. My best friend and I played many games of pretend that were basically elaborate excuses to name things—restaurants with Cheesecake-Factory-sized menus, spy agencies where we assumed multiple aliases to protect our identities, radio stations with ad jingles for made up businesses. Naming is my jam. But I know not everyone feels that way. In a business context, a name can be under a lot of pressure. It needs to do some heavy lifting. I want to help relieve some of the tension in the naming process so you can arrive at a name you love with as little stress as possible.
Why Naming Your Brand or Business Matters
Beyond the obvious fact that every brand or business needs a name, it’s worth pointing out that the right name provides you with many benefits. Your name can work as hard for you as your location, structure, and business plan do.
Your name is your first impression. It’s a chance to wow potential clients right off the bat.
Your name conveys your brand’s personality. It is a central element of your brand voice.
Your name can help your brand stand out in a crowd.
Your name can help people find you, geographically and online.
Your name attracts your ideal audience. It helps the right folks see themselves and their needs in your brand.
Your name can inform visual elements of your brand identity, like logos, fonts, color palettes, and materials.
Your name can protect your company legally, with a registered trademark. A name is an important piece of intellectual property.
How to Get Started Naming Your Brand or Business
Step 1: Gather your writing tools.
Bust out the pens, markers, crayons, whatever writing utensil is going to give you the most creative freedom. Mix in some digital tools if you wish (voice memos, notes app, etc.) but I highly recommend starting low tech. This part of the process relies on some magic, and writing by hand is part of the magic, in my experience. Now, grab some non-precious paper—post-its, index cards, loose-leaf notebook paper, scrap paper that you won’t mistake as trash. Okay, you’re ready to start making word lists.
Step 2: Make a list of words. This first list is literal.
What products or services do you offer?
Where do you provide them?
What items are part of your everyday business? What tools and accessories are frequently used?
Step 3: Make another word list. This list is evocative.
What are the benefits of your product or service?
What does it feel like for clients to interact with your brand?
In one word, what is the vibe of your business?
If your brand was a vacation destination, what would guests rave about?
Who is associated with your business? Did anyone inspire it, collaborate on it, or invest in it?
What inspired you to start your business? Where do you continue to find inspiration?
What’s your brand’s history? When was it founded? Does it have deep roots in the community? Does its location have history?
Who is your brand for? Who should feel most seen and reflected by it?
Pro tip: Brainstorming is not the time to edit. You’ll have time for that later. Whatever comes to mind, write it down.
Step 4: Crash your lists together.
Once you’re satisfied that you have enough list items to work with, write individual words from your lists on post-its or scraps of paper. Lay them all out in front of you. Then, move them around magnetic-poetry style and see what words look and sound good together. Play around with the order you put them in. Can any words be combined or abbreviated? Do you see any words you want to eliminate? From all the combinations you make, write down your top five or ten names. Try not to get attached to any of them just yet. You’ll want to make sure they pass the gauntlet of good name criteria.
How to Evaluate Your List of Brand or Business Names
Successful brand names vary in many ways, but they often share certain characteristics. They are:
Short
Memorable
Adaptable
Available
Easy to spell
Easy to say
Step 1: Consider your top names one by one. Ask yourself:
Is the name original, or is it already out there?
Is the name crystal clear? Can it be interpreted in more than one way? If so, do both meanings make sense for your brand?
Does the name pass the 7th grader test? Could anything about it make a middle schooler teehee?
Does the name have emotional resonance? Does it have positive, brand-appropriate associations?
Can the name grow with your business? Does it have staying power as your brand evolves? Is it adaptable?
Does the name have any potential to insult or alienate consumers?
Do you have any names that made it through those questions with flying colors? Great!
Step 2: Do some important searches to be sure your name is in the clear.
Trademark Search - Make sure your potential name isn’t already registered as a trademark by someone else. In the U.S., you can do this search with the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). In other countries, search “(Your Country’s Name) Trademark Search” into your search browser. Make sure you search for the name you want and any similar names. Your registration could be denied if the name is too similar to a registered name.
Domain Search - Check that a website domain is available for your potential name. It’s okay to try variations, but they should be intuitive to anyone who might search for you online.
Keyword Research - Type your potential name into your browser’s search bar. Top-ranking results will come up first. If your business name is highlighted in another company’s title and description, it’s a good chance that’s one of their keywords and you probably won’t be able to rank. Next, search your potential name into a keyword planner. What does the search volume look like? The lower the volume, the better chance you have at ranking well.
