There are three kinds of name
Descriptive
Image-based*
Abstract
*Other namers often call these ‘suggestive’ names, but that sounds a bit ick to us.
Descriptive names
These are names that tell you what the business or product is all about.
- Hotels.com
- Whole Foods Market
- WebMD
Why choose this kind of name?
People will know what you do right off the bat.
Who should choose them?
Brands with a limited marketing budget.
You’ll also need to have no plans to expand, ever. Franco Manca could start selling burgers, but could Pizza Express?
Can I get the trademark?
Not for the name alone – but you might be able to find a workaround (like registering the name as part of a logo).
Image-based names
These are names that paint a picture that’s related to the brand.
- Amazon
- Peloton
- Tesla
Why choose this kind of name?
It lets you balance clarity and interestingness.
Who should choose them?
Anyone who likes the idea of a descriptive name but wants something a bit more distinctive, memorable and flexible.
Can I get the trademark?
You can try, but pretty much everything obvious is already taken. So you might need to make one up. More on that in a mo…
Abstract names
These are names that don’t really tell you anything about the brand in question.
- Zara
- Monzo
Why choose this kind of name?
They’re super-flexible and super-distinctive.
Who should choose them?
Anyone with a big enough marketing budget to turn an empty vessel into
something meaningful.
Can I get the trademark?
Not necessarily, but it’s easier.
What about made-up names?
Lots of brands have names that didn’t exist before they came along, ranging from a bit more descriptive (Fitbit, Zipcar, Nutella) to more abstract (Häagen-Dazs, Klarna, Roku).
And it’s a clever way to give yourself a better shot at the trademark.
Golden Rule #1
There’s no perfect approach
Whole Foods Market is fully descriptive, Iceland is image-based, and Waitrose is abstract. But they’re all doing pretty well for themselves.
It all depends on your appetite for risk, your marketing budget and what feels right for the brand.
Golden Rule #2
There’s no perfect name either
If it’s easy to spell, easy to say, and doesn’t mean something egregious in another language, then it’s a viable name.
But it’ll only start to feel real once someone’s designed the logo, written the strapline, crafted the ‘about us’ story and figured out your visual identity.
(Obligatory sales message: we can do all these things.)
Golden Rule #3
It doesn’t have to (and can’t) say everything
A name can get across one or two messages. And that’s fine – you’ve got copy, UX, visuals and more to tell the whole story.
Golden Rule #4
Everything is already taken
Seriously. Everything.
No matter how creative you think you’re being, someone else has already registered the name of that obscure Greek god.
So either avoid the trademark jungle entirely with a descriptive name, or give yourself a better chance with an abstract or made-up name.
Golden Rule #5
Don’t look for THE answer, look for lots of answers
If you pin all your hopes on one name, chances are it’ll get ruled out because either someone else already has it or your boss just doesn’t like it.
So don’t go name-fishing with a rod. Go with a net.
Golden Rule #6
You can’t test names like you test other things
Google, Apple and Nike would have all tested terribly, because in focus groups people tend to like descriptive names most.
To get useful results, you’ve got to come up with some devious way of beating observer’s paradox.
Choosing a brand name?
We can help (and we can do that devious research for you too).
Get in touch
Written by Nick Padmore, Head of Language at Definition.