Branding: Finding the Perfect Name

A large part of design is marketing, and therefore branding. So one huge problem every designer may come across is thinking of a name for a brand. A brand name needs to be strong and support the brand’s purpose. A good name is important for defining a brand and building it’s reputation. The name is most often the first thing a client will see, so it has to be good enough to make the client want more.  Here are some tips to help you find that perfect name.

What Makes a Good Name?

Communicate a Feeling – A brand name shouldn’t just be words, it needs to communicate an image and feeling of what the brand is. Put emotion into the brand name.

Relevance – A brand name must be relevant to the brand. It shouldn’t say what the brand is word-for-word, but it should connect to the brand one way or another.

Short and Simple – A good brand name is short, simple, and easy to remember. Try to keep your name to two words at most. The best names are only one word, but are still strong and leave a positive image on a customer or client.

Domain Name – Keep in mind that you are going to need a name that has an available domain name to go along with it. Your domain name doesn’t have to be exactly the same as the brand name, though. You can add or remove words, but make sure the “base” of the name is in the domain.

Original – Probably the most important aspect of a good identity is originality and memorability. Try to avoid making your name even remotely close to another brand’s name. Also, don’t use obvious words. Look for words that connect instead of directly relating. Watch out for words that are trademarked too. Being original makes getting a trademark much easier.

A Name You Can Be Confident With – If you plan to be successful with your brand, then your going to be using the brand name all the time. Therefore, pick a name that you can say with confidence and that you feel good about.

How to Find That Name

Brainstorm Relevant Words on Paper – When you start a new project, a good place to start is by sketching. So why not apply this to brainstorming a name? Write down a large list of keywords that apply to your brand. Think of the brands purpose, style, feel, etc. Also consider what you want the name to represent. Once you have a strong list, go over it. Pick out a few that you really like and research them. Find all the meanings of that word, check to see if there is a domain name, and see if it is trademarked by someone else.

Also try to think of all the possible synonyms you can to go along with those words to expand your list.

Combine/Make Up Words – Another good tactic for finding a name is making up or combining words. This is becoming more and more popular, because there aren’t enough words in the world to keep up with all the brands. Take a look at your list of keywords, and try putting two words together. Try putting letters together to form a completely new word that still carries the feel of the brand. If you have a good name, you can mix it up even further by playing around with the spelling.

Work in Reverse – If you’re really stuck, try doing things differently. Instead of making the name then building the brand, work in reverse. Try designing the website and the logo before you even have a set name.

Let it Come to You – One mistake people often make is thinking to hard. Instead of trying to find the name, let it come to you. Take a break from all the brainstorming, and move on to something new. Who knows, something may pop into your head.

Think of Random Words – It is important to try to make the name somehow connected to your brand, but sometimes that just doesn’t work. Instead of limiting yourself, try expanding your thinking.

Get Inspired – As always, the best way to generate ideas is by looking at others. Think about brands you see everyday, like Google and Apple. Also, logo galleries can be an excellent source of brand name inspiration.

What’s Your Strategy?

Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject.

Tagged as: branding, business, tips