What Makes or Breaks A Business Name?
Colette Adwin
Creative Content Branding and Design ?? Brand development and design that turns heads | Postagrid? |
What should you consider when naming your business, product, or service? How important is the name? What makes or breaks a business name?
A name attracts initial attention and can help build brand recognition. It forms a core aspect of the business and brand identity. So, it can feel like a big deal.
But, in good news, a name doesn’t determine the success or failure of a business. Even so, it helps to have a name that feels good.
There are several ways to approach naming a business; let’s take a look at eight examples and balance the pros and cons of each name type.
Personal Names
Personal names are based on the names of the owners or founders of the company. Examples include:
Personal names can establish a trusting connection with customers; when a business adopts a founder’s name, it adds a sense of confidence — there is a sense of personal liability. However, a personal name may need additional time to become memorable to customers who do not know the owner.
Also, it is worth checking how discoverable the name is online. If a name is reasonably common, it can make discoverability all the more difficult.
Descriptive Names
Descriptive names describe the company’s activities or what it sells. For example:
Descriptive names are a popular choice for many businesses. They communicate what the company is about and attract customers looking for specific products or services; for example, a firm named “Auto Repair Shop” would be easily recognised by customers looking for car repair services.
Using a descriptive name can be great for SEO but not for competitive advantage — other companies will use similar language in their content. Using a straightforward name may also impact a company’s ability to build a distinctive brand identity.
Expressive Names
Expressive Names have no relationship to the business product or service; instead, they evoke an image, story, or feeling:
Expressive names evoke an emotional response or suggest a particular image or narrative. These names can be memorable and help establish a unique brand identity; however, they may not be as descriptive as other names and can be a source of confusion or uncertainty for prospective customers.
Choosing an expressive name is a powerful way to distinguish yourself from others in the industry. Still, it can take a while for people to associate the brand name with the products or services you offer.
Wordplay Names
Wordplay names have “clues” about the business. They are often a combination of two or more words or use a playful spelling:
Strong wordplay names effectively combine parts of words related to the business to form a new word. Alternatively, they may adopt a playful spelling of a familiar word or phrase. Wordplay names can be easy to remember but also easy to confuse. In the early days of building the brand, wordplay names are rarely SEO-friendly, and consumers generally don’t search for them.
However, they are memorable and distinctive while communicating information about the company.
But beware! Creating a wordplay name can send even the most pragmatic business owner into a lexical wormhole that is difficult to emerge from.
Acronymic Names
Acronymic names are created using the initial letter of a word or phrase to make a new word. Examples Include:
Using an Acronymic name can be a compelling way to build a brand identity. The acronym is typically based on a descriptive name but creates a memorable and unique word.
Acronyms give a business the best of both worlds in that they can be searchable and discoverable in their complete form yet memorable and distinct in their abbreviated versions. However, it is wise for a business to set up brand guidelines about how and when to use each version of the brand name.
Initialised Brand?Names
Initialised names use the first letter of each word to abbreviate a longer name. Examples Include:
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Initialised names are typically longer descriptive or personal names that are abbreviated to become snappy and easy to remember. Once a brand is established, abbreviated names can be highly distinctive and command authority. However, they do not communicate what a brand does, and a combination of random letters rarely appeals to consumers.
Using brand initials in a logo while maintaining the complete name elsewhere can be an effective way to build brand identity. As the brand grows, the consumer base may adopt the initials so that the full name can be dropped.
Geographical Brand?Names
Geographical names are based on the company’s location, such as:
Geographical names can be a good choice for businesses with a solid connection to a locality or where the area adds validity to the brand — such as a wine or cheese region.
In some cases, a geographical name may have little to do with the business location or products and services. Instead, it communicates an ideal or concept (such as Patagonia or Amazon). Geographical names can help establish brand recognition but may hinder expansion into new markets, particularly for localised names (such as a town or village).
Invented Brand?Names
Invented names are made-up words with no meaning, such as:
Invented names are appealing because they are unique and memorable; they establish a unique brand identity simply by being unique words. They indicate a creative flair and willingness to do things differently. However, it is essential to remember that the names have no relevance for consumers. It is up to the brand to generate meaning.
Like Wordplay names, invented names can be fun to create, and the story behind the name can be interesting to customers. Similarly, much time can be lost trying to create a word that captures the brand essence — particularly if the brand has not yet determined its purpose and promise.
How to Choose a?Name
Business owners can do a few things when choosing a name for new ventures.
Personality
The best place to start is with your brand — not how it looks and feels, but why it exists, where you want it to go, and what you want it to do. What does your brand stand for, and how do you want it to be recognised?
For example, if minimal stress and simple solutions are part of the brand’s core, then names with a descriptive element will help to communicate that. Using a playful or whimsical name will communicate something very different about your brand.
Spellability!
When playing with or creating “words (such as “spellability”), it’s essential to ensure consumers can spell and read the name.
For example, Ki Kass Kompyutaz might look and sound fun, but if your customers have to think hard when reading or writing it, the name might not stick.
It is also vital to check how the name might be perceived in a URL or when abbreviated. Abbreviating the example above to its initialised form could cause much misunderstanding and inadvertently perpetuate harm.
Pronunciation
Even with the world’s best branding and marketing strategies, growth will be more challenging if consumers can’t say your business name.
Imagine a florist named Anemones Garden (pronounced: uh·neh·muh·nee). When customers try to tell friends about the service, they say to visit “Annie Moan’s Garden”. No Google search will ever reveal how to locate the garden of Annie Moan.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule; look at Worcestershire Sauce.
Searchability
You are seriously hindering your brand if people can’t find your business when searching for it. Before settling on a name, do a quick search. What comes up? If there are many competing “hits”, it may be worth rethinking it.
Choosing a name that is easier to find on search engines and social media will give your business a healthy advantage.
Protectability
Protect your name even if you are not building a website or incorporating your business. When you settle on a name, buy the domain and trademark it. A domain name helps build brand recognition, and placing a little ? after the name can add validity to the business.
How Important is a Brand?Name?
A name does not determine business success, but a strong name offers memorability and searchability advantages. The name also impacts how a brand is perceived, so it is worth digging into your brand values and vision to align them.
Ultimately, brands are built on promises that are delivered. Ideally, the name reflects something about the business’s purpose, promise, or personality. Over time, as you build your brand, your name will become synonymous with what you deliver.