What’s in a Name?
It turns out there’s a whole lot!
Beyond designating people, places, and things, names strengthen identity.
Several scientists have demonstrated that names “can influence [the] choice of profession, where we live, whom we marry, the grades we earn, the stocks we invest in, whether we’re accepted to a school or hired for a particular job, and the quality of our work in a group setting.”1
If entrepreneurs want to make a lasting impact, they need professional branding. Color palettes, fonts, and visuals are essential, but a quality name is the cornerstone. A foundation always comes first.
Consumers hear before they see.
If your immediate circle of trusted friends recommends a popular restaurant in town, there are two possibilities:
A) If the title is too long, complex, or difficult to pronounce, you may forget it in minutes.
B) The name is original. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard and leaves you wanting more. At home, you search for the restaurant. Its streamlined website—complete with a clever logo and colorful graphics—reels you in. After reviewing the menu, you book a reservation for Friday!
Clearly, option B is the ideal result. When prospective customers remember a name, they’re more likely to take action.
Case Studies
Many words possess positive connotations. Ambitious, brave, compassionate, dazzling, empowering, and generous are key examples.
The talent agency Innovative Artists speaks for itself. While representing household names, they also take pride in advancing the careers of rising artists. Betting on unknown actors, writers, and filmmakers may be risky, but it can also be rewarding—as the name suggests!
Some businesses reject and reinvent “negative” stereotypes.
Smuggler—a multimedia production company representing award-winning directors—serves as proof. The definition of “smuggle” is “to import or export [goods] secretly contrary to the law and especially without paying duties imposed by law.”2 Throughout history, this term was associated with rowdy pirates. It takes on a different meaning in terms of filmmaking. Instead of stealing treasures, Smuggler’s team collects priceless stories and cultural artifacts.
The branding agency Unusual forces you to look twice. Their tagline is “Nobody cares about you.” If you scroll to the next line, they provide additional context: “The average person encounters 6,000 to 10,000 ads a day. You have to be unusual to stand out. And unusual is kinda our thing.” Now, that’s quite the opener! It accomplishes two goals: stop viewers in their tracks and hold their attention.
Find Your Name
Before we dive in, take a moment to reflect.
What problem(s) do you/your company solve?
Who are your ideal clients/consumers?
What action do you want them to take?
If you can answer these questions, you understand your audience and end goal. With an effective marketing campaign, you can turn passive onlookers into active participants.
Here are some reliable name-brainstorming techniques that deliver results:
WORD DUMP
There’s no science to this method. In fact, it’s probably the easiest to start with!
Open up your notebook to a blank page.
Locate your prized pen.
Think about your next endeavor.
Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes.
Pen to paper, write all the words and phrases that come to your mind!
There’s no right or wrong answer. Just begin.
Upon reviewing the list in your free time, you may want to laugh, cry, or both. No matter how you react, don’t throw away the first draft!
I value this technique because it’s free, simple, and intuitive. It opens a door to your unconscious mind without judgment.
SPELL YOUR WAY
What if you already have a name in mind, but it’s taken? Try an unconventional spelling!
Some companies…
Remove all or some vowels.
Examples: Flickr, Tumblr, Scribd, Unbxd, or Srsly (Chocolate)
Repurpose slang.
Examples: Reddit, Digg, Fiverr, or Netflix
Add, subtract, or swap letters.
Examples: Krispy Kreme, Froot Loops, Lite Brite, Play-Doh, or Lyft
This is the time to have fun and break every spelling rule.
BROWSE A THESAURUS
When someone asks how you are, there are many possible responses.
You could exclaim, “I am happy!” Variations of the adjective include joyful, elated, content, cheerful, or even buoyant.
Or you might state, “I am hungry.” How else would you describe the need for food? Ravenous, starving, famished, or peckish are some alternatives.
When you open up a thesaurus, you enter a world of possibility.
If one of your competitors already has the most popular version of your chosen brand name, don’t give up hope. Browse lists of synonyms!
STUDY FIGURES OF SPEECH
As a young student, you learned about simile, metaphor, personification, synecdoche, and metonymy. They still hold value in adulthood.
For this newsletter, we’ll focus on the less familiar in the group: synecdoche and metonymy.
Synecdoche occurs “when the word for a [component] part of something is used to refer to the whole thing, or less commonly, the word for a whole is used to refer to a part.”3 Examples include:
“Wheels” ➡ “car”
“Waves” ➡ “ocean”
“Hands” ➡ “workers”
“Sails” ➡ “ships”
When a word associated with a person, place, or thing refers to the entity itself, metonymy is present. Examples include:
“Crown” ➡ “monarch”
“The White House” or “Oval Office” ➡ “president”
“Tongue” ➡ “language”
“Dish” ➡ “whole plate of food”
Both techniques substitute one word or phrase for another. So how does this help you name?
Instead of thinking and speaking about a literal product or service, you can prioritize its symbolic meaning.
One impressive example is Magnolia, the home and lifestyle brand, founded by Chip and Joanna Gaines. They plant fragrant “magnolia” trees at every property, but the word has become an emblem of their love and family traditions.
FIND FOREIGN WORDS
As of 2024, it’s estimated that up to 7,000 tongues are spoken across the globe. The most popular are Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and English.
Traveling and learning languages broadens your horizons.
If you want to set your brand apart, consider incorporating a term outside your dialect. (And verify the precise translation!)
In the beauty and fashion industries, foreign names exemplify refinement and decadence.
BVLGARI is the epitome of luxury. Founded in Rome, the designer’s name was inspired by Old and Classical Latin, which didn’t include the letters J, U, and W. Also, there was no distinction between uppercase and lowercase. That’s why BVLGARI is written in all caps and spelled with a “V.” Traditionally, the Latin “V” is pronounced with a soft “U” sound (“uh”), so buyers pronounce it like “Bulgari.”
Other companies adopt foreign words! One famous global transportation brand’s name is a German word that means “above.” If you guessed Uber, then you’re correct!
EXPLORE ETYMOLOGY
It’s no secret that the “Romance” languages—French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian—emerged from Latin. Ancient Greek roots are also embedded in our modern-day vocabulary.
Unlike English or other common tongues, “dead languages” never change. No wonder medical and scientific terminology derives from classical Latin and Greek. Even if the English language drastically evolves in fifty years, our descendants could still decipher past findings.
Have you ever traced a word’s origin? Besides learning about your native language, you could unravel many mysteries.
You might be familiar with these roots:
Latin: ambi (both), aqua (water), aud (to hear), bene (good), cent (one hundred), circum (around), contra (against), etc.
Greek: anthropo (man; human; humanity), auto (self), bio (life), chron (time), dyna (power), dys (bad; hard; unlucky), etc.
When I first investigated the history of “smolder,” the word became more personal. Upon a closer look, I realized that my last name “Smolen” is closely related. This coincidence motivated me to name my creative studio Smolder.
Countless organizations have delved deep into etymology. NIVEA, one of the world’s largest skincare brands, is named after the Latin word nivis, which means “snow.” Additionally, the electronics, gaming, and entertainment empire Sony based its title on sonus (“noise” or “sound”).
Besides the root, you can also examine a word’s prefix (beginning) and suffix (ending).
If you’re looking for a site dedicated to the etymology and history of first names, try Behind the Name.
CHANGE A COMPOUND WORD
Compound words combine two seemingly incongruent phrases. Some popular examples are “sunflower,” “pancake,” “wallflower,” or “honeycomb.”
But what happens when you substitute one part for another? You could coin an original word!
Instead of “newborn” (new + born), you could try “oldborn.” Or you could transform “spellbound” (spell + bound) into “inkbound.”
Many unique word combinations are waiting for you! Your imagination is the limit.
PRESS PLAY
Turn on to the radio. Blast your favorite playlist. Or throw a dance party!
Song and album titles are rife with meaning. I’m not advising you to call your start-up “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “Dancing Queen,” but music guides many artists and innovators into a productive flow state.
Listen closely to the lyrics from your go-to records. They might hold the answers!
GENERATE NAMES
Name generators exist for babies, pets, or even fictional characters.
GoDaddy, Wix, Canva, and many other sites offer this invaluable tool. Even if you don’t find your dream name, the process may spark an idea that paves the way.
If you’re feeling stuck, take a break from brainstorming. The best ideas usually arrive when you least expect them to! Drive around, walk in the park, take a yoga class, join a friend for lunch, or simply meditate with a cup of tea.
The best-case scenario? You experience your own “eureka moment.”
The worst-case scenario? Well, there is none! Resting and renewing your mind is always a benefit.
The answers you seek are out there! Keep exploring.
Your brand is like your home. When you’re expecting guests, you clean, organize, and decorate to create a lively atmosphere.
The same principle applies to business. Your clients should feel welcome!
Did you find a name using one of the brainstorming techniques? Let us know in the comments below!
