Take Off Your Blinders Narrow-minded Naming Hurts Brand Potential

What makes a good name? Entrepreneurs & startups rack their brains for the perfect business name, because a great name makes a difference when it comes to profits. Related: How to come up with a brand name that tells a story The truth is, if you research what makes a good brand name, you are going to find many opinions. Everyone has their own idea as to what makes a business name brandable & strong. Most people also believe their way is the right way. Whose way or the highway? Even some of the biggest names in branding fall into the trap of believing there is one way every business should approach the naming process. Huge naming agencies tend to gravitate towards one-word intriguing names like Uber. They argue that these names draw attention because they're offbeat and modern. Many branding experts take the opposite stance and say the best kind of name is a descriptive one that states what your company does. They claim that this saves you money on marketing, because you don't have to waste time & resources explaining what your company does. Many people are zealous about intriguing names or descriptive names. Neither of these approaches is wrong by any means... but to claim these are only ways to go about brand naming is limiting and reductive. What we have found is that everyone needs something different. After analyzing millions of names and working on thousands of projects, it's abundantly clear that there needs to be a more relative approach in naming. With so many businesses having their own unique verticals, plans & needs, claiming there's one superior approach to naming is flat-out false. To truly find the right name for your business, consider your unique needs & positioning. The right name for your brand Coming up with the right name for your brand is not about fitting a singular, universal standard. That would be like holding sprinters & marathoners to the same standard of success when both athletes train for completely different races. Consider these aspects of your brand when determining what kind of brand name your business needs. First impressions When you think about your brand, you should think about how you want to come across to customers right off the bat. What kind of first impression do you want to make? Are you a fun, carefree helper? Are you a reliable, trustworthy pillar? After 20,000+ naming projects and analyzing hundreds of thousands of company name ideas, we've observed five categories of names. Classic brand names A classic name sets a business up as high-end or preeminent. Vanguard is a company that's seen great success with a powerful classic name. The name itself comes from Horatio Nelson's flagship at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. (I know, right?) It sets the brand up as secure, reliable and fortified. Here are a few additional examples of classic names: Barnes & Noble Berkshire Hathaway Blackstone Classic names can help a company fit into an industry, or they can help a business demonstrate values of stability & trust. Legal services, real estate, publishing and other established industries usually resonate well with classic names. Modern / intriguing brand names A modern brand name helps a business come across as cutting edge, innovative & fresh. Apple is an iconic example of a successful modern & intriguing name. The computer company stood out from the HPs and IBMs on the market with a bold, fresh take on naming. They positioned themselves as an everyday computer for everyday people by naming themselves after a fruit that everyone has a connection to. With modern names, you can also choose something abstract, visual and more. Here are some successful companies with modern business names: Hulu Amazon Nike Firefox Modern names can tie back to the values a company holds, like Nike being named after the goddess of victory. They can also connect to a metaphor the way Amazon does to the rainforest. Modern, intriguing names offer a variety of directions, and they're great for companies that don't want to be boxed in. Emotional brand names To appeal to people's emotions, use an emotional brand name. Triumph Motorcycles inspires a feeling of accomplishment & victory to provoke a positive response from customers & potential buyers. Appealing to emotions is a strong, powerful way to connect with an audience. These companies have also seen success with emotional names: Greenpeace Doctors Without Borders Salesforce Emotional names work well for charities, but they can be crafted for most businesses—especially ones that focus on the outcome of their product or service rather than the actual use or function of it. Clever brand names Clever brand names are playful, fun & approachable. They often use puns, rhymes or silly imagery to get a reaction. Squatty Potty is a clever rhyming name that helped the company talk playfully about a subject few people like to discuss: bathroom aids. Here are some other well-known clever brand names: Inner Peas Piggly Wiggly 7-Eleven While clever names aren't limited to casual food businesses or children's products, they're typically reserved for businesses that want to bring their playful side to the forefront of their brand. Pragmatic brand names A pragmatic name, or a descriptive name, states what a company does. PayPal is a great example of a pragmatic name. PayPal wanted to set itself up as a trustworthy & user-friendly payment system, and the name does a great job of explaining that. PayPal is literally a payment pal. Here are a few other pragmatic names that have been successful: The Art Institute of Chicago Dollar Shave Club LitMag Shake Weight Pragmatic names are great for companies that want to highlight what sets them apart. These names work especially well for companies that are doing something totally unique that might be hard to understand. The name, then, becomes an easy explanation. To come up with a strong descriptive name, make sure you have a clear value proposition to help you narrow your focus. Key takeaway Combining one of these styles with a few of your key differentiators, values, stories, or other branding elements can be a great starting point for brainstorming brand names. When wondering how to come up with a business name, pick a name that actively supports your goals. Consider what you want your brand to be when it grows up and go from there. Ready to start building your brand? Learn about the 10 assets you need to effectively manage a brand in our free ebook.