Thinking of the right name for a company is complicated. It is a whole process in which, sometimes, you need tools to help you visualize what you are looking for and/or the support of others to brainstorm. Remember that the great result will be the brand that will represent you in the market.
Building the perfect name in 5 steps
To begin this process, it is necessary to describe certain activities that will make it easier to understand the perfect name for your business, first knowing and using the concept of the company’s activity, knowing your own goals, and then starting and beginning with the brainstorming. Below we will show you these 5 steps in which we explain how to create an original name for a company.
Describe the company’s activities
Know in-depth the activities your company will perform, the services it will provide, the values that represent it, and its work philosophy. Knowing your company’s activities will help you simplify and reduce your activity into concepts that you will use later to find the right name.
What do you want to achieve?
Now that you are fully aware of your company’s activities, ask yourself what you want to achieve with it. This will help you visualize everything you want to achieve in the future and translate it into ideas that will later help you define the identity of your company and the logo that will have the name of your brand.
What emotions do you want to arouse?
It is important to consider what emotions you hope to awaken in your potential customers when they hear your name and what feeling or characteristic your business can be associated with. Explain what you want the brand name to evoke, that is, how you want to be remembered.
Do a brainstorming session
Now you just need to brainstorm with your work team to find the name that represents all of the above; that is in line with your philosophy as a company and that is a reference in your sector. For this, it is important that you take into account the following aspects when brainstorming.
- Look for a name that is free: It is important to think of original names that are free, that are not registered as trademarks, nor that their IP is occupied. This will also help you to discard all those names you have doubts about.
- Analyze your competition: Check what names your competition uses and study if these names are functional, it is not about copying but getting ideas as to how they could reflect what they were looking for.
- Think of short names: Try to keep the names you think of for your brand short.
- Try to choose pronounceable names: Always consider this option and your brand will succeed quickly. If you have doubts at this point, ask other people (other than the brainstormers) to read and pronounce the chosen word over and over again without explaining how the word should be pronounced. If this exercise is done successfully, this word will do the job.
- Make it hard to copy: Make the name, unlike any other existing name. Make it original first and foremost.
- Avoid obvious names: Avoid making the name you have chosen too explanatory, if it is too obvious it will not make any impact on the viewer.
- Avoid using characters that can generate confusion: Avoid using some special characters mixed with numbers, these are sometimes difficult to understand and therefore difficult to position in the consumers’ mind.
Now that you are clear on the tips to get a good name, the following considerations can help you perfect and get even closer to what you want and seek to convey with the name of your company. These are:
- Use prefixes or suffixes and activity: This is a quick and easy option. You use a prefix or suffix that accompanies an obvious word that refers to the activity, The only drawback of this type of combination is that in some cases they do not serve as differentiators between other brands in the same line of business.
- Prefixes or suffixes that evoke low cost: This is an option similar to the previous one,
- Generic names: This category includes commonly used names such as objects, flowers, animals, among others of the same style. This type of option is not recommended because it would not cause an impact the first time they hear your brand name because it is a name they have already heard before and may not be directly associated with your company, however, there are some that worked, for example, “Apple” and “Puma“.
- Use name generators: This is an interesting option when ideas do not come up with your collaborators, there are many name generators that even help you find that one of the names is not used somewhere else, in addition to search or suggest internet domains that you can use for your site. Don’t completely discard name generators, as they will give you interesting ideas.
Research your chosen name
Finally, once you have found the ideal name, make sure that the word does not mean something rude in another language, or that it is associated with a bad word.
Remember that the most important thing when choosing the name for your company or product is that it is easy to remember, write and pronounce. In addition, it is also important that it is simple, striking, and short, but above all that it is unique. And while you are looking for ideas, try to come up with a slogan that goes along with all of the above, so you will make a great team together.
