Business Naming Basics

Some business naming techniques have a long history, yet still manage to produce fresh name candidates.

The activity of “tacking” is one of them.

One form of tacking adds an appropriate but unexpected suffix to a descriptive root word. Ideatrics, Visioneering, Profitology, Travelocity and Webolution are examples of corporate names created by suffix tacking. For this technique to work effectively, the first word part should be familiar and connote the meaning or arena in which the company plays. The suffix must also “fit”, i.e., help reinforce the meaning, and add uniqueness.

For instance, Ideatrics is a good name for the company that adopted it – they help surgeons design and produce specialized surgical instruments. Thus, the “atrics” suffix (meaning medical treatment) puts the company in the medical field. And coupled with “idea” somewhat defines the business an unique and innovative. Each of the examples above follow this same pattern.

Note that tacking prefixes can perform the same duty but not usually with the panache as suffixes.

So use a definitive list of suffixes as you compile your list of name candidates. You can find such a list at this naming resource.

Related business naming posts:

1. Synthetic Company Naming Suffixes And Prefixes Almost all the suffixes and prefixes we use in English come from the Latin or Greek. But for business naming,...
2. Business Naming Using Common Roots Coined names which start from a root word that is relevant to the product, service or business being named can...
3. Try Naming a Business with Reverse English Business naming can be more productive when you have a great number of name candidates from which to choose. Here’s...
4. Adding a Personal Touch to Business Naming. For unique business names, there are naming customs that permeate certain cultures that can be adapted to non-name words to...
5. Business Naming Can Be Possessive A possessive name will connote a less formal, more friendly business – one delivering personal and responsive services. But it...

Tags: Naming Ideas // Add Comment »