Brand Naming Guidelines
Do it right once and reap the benefits lifelong!
Brand names determine the perception the brand commands. The brand name is mostly psychological in the customer’s mind and is like a rudder for the brand that steers the boat towards its finish line.
Here are a few guidelines to get the naming right -
Don’t pick names that can be a limiting factor as the brand grows. Ex - If you name your brand HealthyFoodCo, launching products that are not food would be a hard sell.
Choose names that accurately represent a feeling, group or thing the brand caters to. Ex - Licious, CultFit, Dunzo, Etc
Choose a memorable name and make sure there is some meaning to the name. Ex of a food brand - WickedGud (Meaning - Wicked Taste Good Ingredients)
Make sure the name can be spelt easily. Deviation from the original spelling will require higher brand marketing spending. ex - Purplle
Check if the domain name is available and try to stick to the standard domains.
Do a google search to check if there are any other brands with the same name. Lesser to no competition will make it easier to rank the keyword on google and also get your trademark for the name.
Controversial names are good, but there will always be people who hate this type of name. Ex - Virgin, Monster
Do check if the name means something bad/awkward in different languages. Ex: AssCompact - a German finance & insurance magazine
Use name generators to get a data dump of names from the target industry. Never know, you may just find the name! Check out Shopify’s name generator here.
Don’t rush. Choosing a good name takes time.
Last but not least, once you choose a name - make sure you seek feedback to understand what different people think about the name.
If there are any other pointers you think I have missed, please add them in the comments below. Until next time!