Business Naming Basics

Quite often, parents name a child without considering the consequences.

My personal example: my parents, being of Dutch decent, named me Martin It was my grandfather’s name. Plus it meant “warlike” and came from the root, Mars.

So almost immediately upon entering grade school, the recess bullies began calling me “Fartin’ Martin”.

I hated my name. And once I got to high school, students and teachers alike wanted to shorten Martin to Marty. I hated Marty more than I hated Martin. Today, I like Martin very well, but Marty still alienates me.

Be careful what you name your child

And quite often, the name chosen by an entrepreneur will suffer the same fate at the hands of unthinking and uncaring stakeholders.

They’ll mispronounce, misspell and generally mess with it. If there’s a way to make it more “friendly” or informal, they will find it.

You will also note that people will want to shorten your name, particularly if that name contains three multisyllabic words. They’ll do that mostly by resorting to initials. Employees and even executives of companies with a long-worded name will resort to initials internally, and then those initials will begin to be used publically.

The shortening phenomenon is detrimental if you are trying to build a brand around the extended name.

Several companies have just gone with the flow and adopted shorter versions. The most significant and successful at this was Federal Express. They’re now just FedEx – and that works. But some have gone that way and the results, at least from a branding point of view, haven’t faired as well. Remember when Washington Mutual became WaMu?

The moral: Think like a seven-year-old bully

Think how a bully might contort your prized name – the one you’ll invest a pot of money and energy promoting. Think about how people will try to twist the name into a shorter, more irrelevant and irreverent nick name. How will they – including employees – want to make it easier to write or say as time goes by? Then ask others to find ways to mess withr your prime name candidates.

Make this part of your name evaluation checklist. Then perhaps chose a name that’s less likely to be corrupted.

Tags: Name Development by MartinJ
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Using place names as business names can be advantageous in some instances and almost suicidal in others.

But first, just what are geographic (aka place) names? Most obviously we’re talking about the names of cities, regions, counties, states and countries. We’re also alluding to geographic features such as the names of mountains, deserts, rivers, lakes, and oceans. On a more local level, we find the names of streets, neighborhoods and subdivisions are adopted for business names as well. And on a universal level, adopting the names of planets, stars and galaxies fall into this naming bucket as well. And, place names can have originated in myth and fiction, too

Your Atlas may be a fruitful souce of name candidates

This business naming post has to do with the pros and cons of using these names, and avoiding the pitfalls.

The pros of geographic names

Many geographic place names have established images in the minds of prospects because of their history, location or physical characteristics. These images can be transferred to the company or product named. If relevant, names evoking the old West, or exotic destinations can benefit from those existing images. They usually have stories connected to them – Casablanca, Cheyenne, Rushmore and Atlantis, for instance.

Note, too, that many place names were originally the names of people, so there is often a story connected to those people who were admired enough to have a place named after them. There are the usual suspects like Washington, Lincoln and Jackson, and there are the more obscure like Pontiac, Denver and Raleigh.

Also, many two-part geographical names will have as the second part a type of geographic feature – Lake, Park, Hill, Glen, Brook are examples. These are often combined with personal names as well.

It is also possible to “invent” new words that sound like place names. These will sound and feel familiar even though they are unique. And as long as they are just quirky enough to stand out, they can be memorable as well.

So, geographic business names can be associated with images or stories that conjure good feelings, that feel familiar and that are usually easy to remember, pronounce and spell.

The cons of place names

Have you ever looked for a business in the white pages of a telephone directory? If the name is common to the area, you may have a devil of a time finding the one you want. Fir instance, here in Denver, CO, businesses whose “first name” is Denver occupy 12 columns. Those beginning with Rocky Mountain take up 11 columns. Using the name of geographical places and features local to your business will lead to confusion and certainly doesn’t differentiate your firm. You’re lost in a sea of sameness.

There’s another reason for not naming your business by using local geography. What if you want to expand? That’s what happened to a laser clinic founded 60 miles north of Denver named Poudre Valley Laser. When they opened two Denver area offices, they felt they needed to change their name. They changed it to Colorado Laser Clinic. Sure hope they don’t open offices is Cheyenne or Provo any time soon.

Many entrepreneurs who have no plans of expanding believe a local name will endear them to local people, but I’ve found no reason to think people need to have a business named after their town to be convinced the business is local.

There is an exception to local naming. If the name is chosen because it represents the actual location of the business, the name then serves to give people directions to the firm. And if there aren’t too many people naming their companies with the same location, the name is somewhat unique. Again using Denver as an example, there’s a smart little mini-community occupying several blocks along Pearl Street, so the Pearl Street Café, or Pearl Street Fashions identifies both location and business type. If expansion is not a problem, those names make sense. (But if a lease is lost and the business must move, yes, there is a problem.

That reminds me of a true story, though I don’t know all the particulars. There used to be an annual conference and trade show named the Pittsburg Conference. But for many years it was held in Cleveland. I don’t know the reason they had to move from Pittsburg, but their solution – thought up by engineers no doubt – saved them money while giving participants something to laugh about.

What would INC500 companies do?

As you may know, I’ve analyzed the names of INC500’s Fastest Growing Companies over the past 12 years. I looked at the trends of geographic business names. Over that entire period, only four-percent of all names studied were geographic, and in the last year, just three-percent. Most of those had adopted a local geographical name. Just goes to show you that there’s more to success in business that a successful name.

Anyway, using your locale as part of your name is not a good idea. It exhibits no personality – in reality it’s just a generic name.

On the other hand, by adopting a non-local geographic name with some rich imagery, some rhythm, some psychological trigger, or some romantic story, you may have exactly what you want: a unique, memorable, emotion-evoking name.

Since so few companies have not adapted this naming practice, it may well be a fruitful approach to naming a business today. So get yourself an American Atlas, a World Atlas and an Atlas of the Ancient World.

Mind travel: That’s the ticket.

Tags: Name Development by MartinJ
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Business naming and linguistics – plosives

Business naming can be as easy as having an “aha” moment, or as complicated as introducing the science of linguistics to the naming process and to name evaluation.

Linguistics is a study of language based upon how words are physically formed by vocal cords-lungs-pallet-tongue-lips. It has its own array of distinct definitions for various sounds and how they’re made. There are those who advocate a linguistic approach to naming a company of product, and particularly encourage the use of certain consonants labeled “plosives”.

Plosives burst from the mouth

Plosives are letters that when verbalized require three vocal actions (as described in Wikipedia):

Catch: The airway closes so that no air can escape through the mouth.
Hold or occlusion: The airway stays closed, causing a pressure difference to build.
Release or burst: The closure is opened. In the case of plosives, the released airflow produces a sudden impulse causing an audible sound (hence the name plosive).

The letters from English that meet those characteristics are: B, hard C, D, hard G, K, P and T.

Why are plosives encouraged?

First, they dominate other letters in the words in which they appear. They demand our attention when pronounced. This is particularly so when a plosive begins a word. So several naming companies suggest one criteria of a good name is whether it begins with a plosive. Two names are usually cited as good examples of strong brand names using plosives: Kodak and Coke. Other obvious examples: Die-Hard, Texaco, Pepsi, Brillo and Glade.

Plosive usage by INC 500 companies.

But among the fastest growing U.S. companies, as measured by the Inc 500, business names beginning with a plosive are only slightly more popular than those beginning with other letters. (Recall that I’ve analyzed the names contained in those INC 500 lists for the past 12 years, and that I’m reporting some of the conclusions I’ve reached in this blog.)

In analyzing the first letter of the names, the most significant conclusion about plosive usage among INC 500 is that it appears to be almost random. True, two plosives (C and P) are also top-five first-letters, but P declined in popularity since 2001 and not all C’s used in naming are hard C’s. On average, the use of those seven first-character plosive names has remained stable over the 12-year span, and represents 35% of all company names. In contrast, the use of any seven random characters is 27% on average.

I suggest it’s worth investigating the use of plosives as first-characters in names, but only as a secondary factor. There are certainly other factors more important in name creation and evaluation.

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If you’ve followed my blog postings concerning business naming, you’ll know I emphasize going for quantity first.

By getting as many word combinations and approaches to naming as you can – not stopping until you have at least a couple of hundred name candidates – you’ll enjoy two advantages. The first, at least a dozen or so candidates that will work as your company name. The second, and probably most important, are the directions that some of the candidates will lead you. They become catalysts for fresh naming ideas that are relevant but novel, the very characteristics I look for in a business name.

One method of creating that long list of candidates involves building a “mind map” of synonyms and associated words. You begin with a characteristic you’d like your name to possess. In the example below, it’s a “sexy name”.

Then think of the obvious words that convey sexy: romance, passion, spicy, etc. Make each one a branch from the sexy name root. Then for each of these sub-branches, list their synonyms. Just take them directly from a good thesaurus like Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus. (I particularly like this one because of the cross references to concepts, i.e. associated words which I can also add.)

You might also add some sub-branches for animals, flowers, colors, scents, etc. that you think convey sexy.

Now begin combining words from one branch with words from a second branch, then a third, etc. It won’t take but 10 to 20 minutes until you have a large list of candidates, each that might be a name or a path to one.

Tags: Name Development, Name Management, Product Naming by MartinJ
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As part of the name development process, I suggested creating a naming brief prior to creating any name candidates, and that part of the brief be a set of name evaluation criteria.

So how do you select the criteria with which to evaluate your name candidates?

First, there are two types of naming criteria you will want to incorporate. The first has to do with general naming “best practices”. The second set are company-related, having to do with goals you have asked your new name to fulfill.

Another aspect of setting name evaluation criteria is to assign priorities to evaluation factors. The best way to do this is to establish a rating scale: a 1-to-5 scale with “good to have” being “1” and “absolutely vital” being “5”.

Set up your name evaluation criteria and their ratings prior to creating name candidates. Otherwise, some of the created candidates might influence your selection of criteria and their ratings.

Here are some suggested criteria. Keep in mind that you will have to select and rate criteria, and that there may be others you will want to add for your particular project.

Best Practices Naming Criteria.

These are the more generic criteria, the ones that can apply to naming any company, product or service.

Unique – not like any competitor’s name
Short – no more than five syllables
Memorable – has a ”rhythm” to it
Appropriate –sets the right “tone”
Suggests a benefit or a pleasant association
Easy to pronounce and pleasing to the ear
Not restrictive – doesn’t limit your growth potential

Company-related Naming Criteria.

These are specifically goal-based elements that address your entity’s situation and goals. You can certainly add additional factors – the ones below are idea starters for the most part.

Aligns with mission and vision statements
Conveys something of the brand story
Imparts the desired characteristics of the brand
Reflects the brand’s desired personality
Resonates with priority stakeholders
Aligns with other company brands
Fulfills other specific attributes assigned to the name

A final note: I would limit the number of name evaluation elements to 12 at most. Otherwise, the job becomes too complex, and no name will emerge as a leader. And remember to prioritize the critical factors.

Provide these criteria to those who will be creating name candidates as part of the naming brief I discussed in yesterday’s post.

The result will be focused, appropriate and relevant name candidates, and plenty of them.

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Name development starts by determining what’s important in the business name you chose.

It also needs to provide information about what you’re naming and your thoughts about . This is vital if you are using outside sources – freelancers, ad agency, employees and even family – to help you name your company or product. The document for this effort is called a Naming Brief.

So I’ve outlined below the elements of a generic brief you could use for your new company name.

Business Overview/Background

1) Describe the business entity, its purpose/mission/vision/reason for being

2) What is the entity’s structure? (sole corporation, subsidiary, franchisor, joint venture, etc.)

3) What products/services does the entity provide? Will these products/services be branded separately from the entity brand or will they “reside” under the entity brand?

4) What market(s) does the entity compete in?

5) Who are the competitors? Provide the name of their products/services, too.

6) Within each served market, describe the major buying influences. Include demographics & life styles for consumers, corporate functions & levels for B2B markets. Include customer motivations, habits and “hot buttons” if known.

7) What are the key features and characteristics that differentiate this entity from its competitors?

Identify and rank the stakeholders as to their importance.

Name Functions & Descriptors

1) Aside from identifying the entity itself, what additional functions might the name perform? (Note: the suggestions below have to do with positioning. Positioning can never be achieved through a name only, and in fact, is often better served through other branding elements.)

( a) Position the entity in its industry/product category.
( b) Position the entity in a specific market.
( c) Position the entity with a specific type of buying influence.
( d) Position the entity with a specific application.
( e) Position the entity with a strategic differentiator.
( f) Position the entity with its heritage/tradition.
( g) Position the entity as a new market entrant.
( h) Position the entity as a market/industry leader.
( i) Position the entity as the premier provider of a specific attribute or characteristic.

Now for each positioning arena checked above, describe the desired position.
Example: “first-to-market with Internet-based solutions”

2) List the characteristics and attributes you wish prospects and customers might use to describe an entity, and to which the entity might aspire. Below are some examples that might apply.

3) This list contains “personality” descriptors. “Check the three or four most appropriate descriptors that honestly reflect the entity, its vision and culture, while also imparting the “image” most appropriate in attracting target market(s). Add any others not listed in the space below the list.

Note: you might find little difference in “characteristics” and “personality”. That’s OK, just go through both lists anyway as a measure of your clarity about the direction your naming activities will take.

4) List any preferences and prejudices that might mitigate a particular direction for exploring name candidates. Examples: “Make sure the name candidates are no longer than two words”, or “Don’t incorporate the generic product category label in name candidates because of future expansion plans”.

5) Provide examples of business names you find compelling, and also list those that come to mind you find repelling.

There is one additional piece that should be developed before getting the creative juices flowing. That’s identifying and prioritizing your naming criteria. I’ll cover them in an upcoming post.

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The name process is usually entered into long before it should be.

In fact, many entrepreneurs will have chosen a name even before they’ve written their business plan.

Naming a business or a product is strategic in nature, and should logically follow the adoption of a business model, target markets and competitor identification and the exposition of certain business beliefs and conducts as stated in written mission, vision and value statements.

Ideally, at least two major brand foundations should be in place before considering a name: your brand story and a brand platform.

The accompanying chart outlines the steps that I suggest any start-up company, no matter how small, should follow if it wishes a strong, integrated brand led by a relevant name that resonates with prospects and conveys the essence – and the differentiators – of the brand.

Sequencing the naming process within the branding process is important if your want a name that will endure and endear.

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A company name must fit the business, yet be unique. That’s why name development should begin by determining the purpose of the name. It’s a strategic activity.

photo by escargotte

Now this may sound rudimentary at first blush. But, just as there are names for boys and names for girls (and some that are androgynous), business names should fit the business model.

So begin by stating the purpose of the name

Naming for Position

Aside from identifying the business itself, will there be additional functions you wish the name to perform? (Note: the suggestions below have to do with positioning. Positioning can never be achieved through a name only, and in fact, is often better served through other branding elements. Yet, considering the desired position when developing a name can make the name and the brand stronger and more integrated.)

Position the entity in its industry/product category.
Position the entity in a specific market.
Position the entity with a specific type of buying influence.
Position the entity with a specific application.
Position the entity with a strategic differentiator.
Position the entity with its heritage/tradition.
Position the entity as a new market entrant.
Position the entity as a market/industry leader.
Position the entity as the exemplar of a specific attribute.

Master Brand or Just Corporate Identity?

In addition, a very basic strategic decision needs to be made as to the role of the corporate name in the naming and branding of subsequent product and services. Will you make the corporate name a master brand attached and associated to all products and services? Or will you want the company name to be secondary to product/service brands?

Other factors, especially if an existing company is being re-named, must also be considered, and I will do so in future blog posts.

Name Development is Strategic

The point here is that name development is a strategic activity that can affect the long-term success of the corporate brand. It must receive almost the amount of concentration as you would expend developing your business model.

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Business naming is probably the most important single element of a brand.

Given that, it’s also the most difficult and frustrating branding activity. That’s because, as some will proclaim, “all the good names are taken”.

I say “poppycock”.

Good company names can be created if you know how.

I know because I’ve created many of them, for companies large and small.

So in this blog I’ll share with you many of the tricks and techniques I’ve developed or adopted from other naming pros over the course of a 50-year career. That’s right, 50 years. I graduated from the University of Florida in 1958 with a degree in advertising and sought my fortune along Madison Avenue. My first job was in the traffic department of BBDO, New York.

I’ll touch on all aspects of business naming: strategies, issues, criteria, ideation, evaluation, registration, re-naming and associated topics. I’ll discuss preparation: what to do before generating name candidates. I’ll share resources and ideas in order to generate a load of name candidates. I’m of the opinion that you never have enough candidates: that even after you’ve decided upon a name (but before you register it) continue to generate them because great names tend to come forth only after the obvious have been reviewed.

And I’ll discuss name candidate evaluation and the importance of setting criteria even before you begin name development.

Anyway, if you have an need to name a company, whether as its owner or as an adviser to management, I hope you’ll find this blog of interest. And even valuable.

So that I might better be of service, please leave comments below if you have and particular issue or topic you’d like me to discuss. I hope this site will become interactive and that you will contribute your experiences with naming a business.

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