How to choose the best name for a business

According to the brand namer Steve Cecil, a powerful name must instantly communicate what customers should expect to feel:

“The most important requirement of modern day naming is to rise above the level of what the company makes and does, pushing past the product functionality or mere service offering and transcending into the realm of what the brand experience is like-or as-to the user.”

Steve Cecil

But choosing the right brand name can be a daunting task; how do you find a name that works? A name that’s catchy? A name that looks great and is memorable?

The brand strategist Marty Neumeier says:

“The right name can be a brand’s most valuable asset, driving differentiation and speeding acceptance.”

Marty Neumeier, The Brand Gap

There are plenty of theories and a studies on what makes a good name. For example, a 2010 University of Alberta study found that: consumers have a more positive reaction to brands with repetitively structured names, such as Coca-Cola, Kit Kat, and Jelly Belly.

Choosing the best name for your business is both an art and a science that requires strategic rigour, creativity, and a lot of determination. It is worth investing the right amount of time and money in it. Remember, whilst brand communications come and go, and packaging is refreshed, a brand name is, ideally, for life.

While there is no magic formula, there are common traits that make a brand name easier for you to use and easier for other people to remember.

1. Differentiated
   It should stand out from competitors’ names, as well as from other words in a sentence.
2. Brief
   Four syllables or less. More than four, and people start to abbreviate the name in ways that could be detrimental to the brand.
3. Appropriate
   A strong brand name can give no clue as to its connection with the product, service, or company, yet still feels appropriate.
4. Easy to spell
   People can easily interpret it, say it, spell it, or Google it.
5. Satisfying to pronounce
   A good name that people like the way it sounds and, are therefore more willing to use it.
6. Applicable
   The best names lend themselves to great storytelling, graphics, PR, advertising, and other communications.
7. Legally defensible
   You can trademark it, get the domain, and own it. A good name keeps legal fees to a minimum.

Overall, business owners should choose names that can help generate more business. Your name should provide an advantage in a competitive scenario, and you need a new one if it doesn’t.

The process of choosing the best name for your business is a nuanced blend of art and science, demanding strategic insight, creativity, and unwavering determination. A powerful name transcends mere functionality, encapsulating the essence of the brand experience. To navigate this crucial decision successfully, ensure your brand name is differentiated, brief, appropriate, easy to spell, satisfying to pronounce, applicable, and legally defensible. Remember, a strong name is not just a label; it’s a strategic advantage that can set your business apart in a competitive landscape.