What makes a great name?
What should you call your animated series or film? As I've been developing cartoons my whole career, this subject haunts and inspires me. Here are a few ideas I have. I don't think every title hits every point. And sometime a good name breaks the rules. But, one thing's for sure.. When a title is good, everyone can feel it and no one can forget it.
Something familiar + Something surprising: Start with an idea, word, or word pattern that's simple, cliché even. Then, add something...Different. This can also mean a combination of two common words (or word stems) not commonly put together. It can also be reverse (something surprising + something familiar).
Steven Universe
Adventure Time
Afro Samurai
Slugterra
Ben 10
Simple + Infinite: Evoke the most basic irreducible idea, sometimes to the point of boredom. Then, (if possible) hint to its limitless possibilities. But always choose the former over the latter if you have to choose. Let the images and animation show the rest of the brand.
The Simpsons
South Park
Cold Space
Family Guy
Futurama
Market an idea or feeling that can't be reasonably confused with another idea or feeling. To me, the title should give you a pretty good idea for the genre and expectation. It should also not be so vague and clever that no one has any idea what it's about. This is easier to see with bad titles than with good ones. Here are some bad titles (IMO):
Edge of Tomorrow
John Carter
18if
RWBY
Rhythm matters. I have this crazy idea that a viral name (at least in English) should be some combination of 1, 2, or 3 syllables. So, something like: 1, 2, 3, or 1-2, 2-1, 3-2, 1-3, etc. I'm somehow convinced that the brain can remember these packets of patterns more easily. Maybe there's real science behind this? I don't know. I just make cartoons!
Rick & Morty (1-2)
Star Wars (1-1)
Phineas & Ferb (3-2)
Spongebob Squarepants (2-2)
Titles I think are too long or have 'bad' rhythm, even though they're great shows. The text in parentheses is how I would have re-named them:
Fosters: Home for Imaginary Friends (Foster's, 2)
Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go (Monkey Force Go, 3-1)
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (Jimmy Neutron, 2-2)
Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (Avengers Animated, 2-1)
Some Exceptions. Despite of everything above, some titles are just awesome because they're awesome. I don't know why, but I like these.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in the Dungeon?
Gurren Lagann
His and Her Circumstances
What do you guys think?
Design Technologist | Certified Digital Business Consultant | 25+ years working with browsers, the native web platform and Open Source Software
5 年Good read! Interesting take on packing syllables. Who knows? Might be something to it!??
Freelance screenwriter, storyteller and word mechanic.
7 年I gotta defend Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!, though. I think it's fun for kids to say, like a tongue twister. There's a sense of mastery involved. It DOES make promotion challenging, however.
Adjunct USC Expanded Animation & Chapman U. Dodge School/Co-Director L A Animation Fest
7 年Nice article. I agreed with a lot of the ideas and examples. That being said, some like Jimmy Neutron, find their own abbreviation. And Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends is an Awesome title. Fosters is a beer from Australia. By the way what did you think of my title for the Chinese show about a magic deer. The Chinese wanted to call it the Magic Deer. I came up with Valt, the Wonder Deer. (see IMDB for a link!) Keep writing the stuff, man. And by the way, The three Yuasa films and Virus Tropical at Animation is film were also AWESOME!
Creative Director @ Creative Conversations LLC | Content Creation and Influencer Marketing Specialist
7 年Love the article but not sure about "Is it Wrong to Pick up Girls in the Dungeon?" I've always felt the title was too long, albeit intriguing for fans of harem anime.
Executive Director, Chevy Chase Community Center Co-Owner, Business Manager at Rairigh-Bence Funeral Home & Crematory
7 年There was not, nor could there ever be anything wrong with Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends.