Apple, Uber, Starbucks, and Disney. All are iconic model names that appear good in hindsight.

However when the founders got here up with these good model names, was it a stroke of genius? Or is there a course of for choosing memorable, catchy names that stand the take a look at of time?

For Gretta van Riel and different profitable entrepreneurs, selecting a model title had loads much less to do with luck and much more to do with a course of. After launching 4 multimillion-dollar ecommerce manufacturers, Gretta has developed a step-by-step technique for selecting the proper model title to your startup—and quick.

How briskly?

Attempt 20 minutes or much less.

Earlier than you get too excited, we’ve an necessary disclaimer: don’t fear about perfecting your model title simply but.

Acquired that? Alright, let’s go!

Desk of Contents

Methodology For Selecting A Model Identify

What a Model Identify Ought to Be

A Model Identify Ought to NOT

4 Kinds of Model Names To Select From

Find out how to Select Your Model Identify in 3 Steps

Model Identify FAQs

Methodology For Selecting A Model Identify

Gretta’s shaped quite a lot of manufacturers through the years, and coached hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs on the best way to discover nice product concepts, get traction on social media, share their messages, and develop repeat clients.

However surprisingly, one of many largest locations Gretta sees new entrepreneurs getting caught is when developing with a reputation.

“They see the success of manufacturers like Uber, Google, and Apple, and consider {that a} inventive title will result in nice success,” she says.

“It is a huge mistake. The reality is, a reputation is just one a part of an amazing enterprise. However it’s removed from the largest half. In reality, many iconic model names solely turned memorable after individuals skilled an unimaginable services or products.”

In different phrases, the model title was solely nice as a result of the product was nice first.

To not point out the truth that many manufacturers picked a reputation and pivoted. For instance, Google’s first title was BackRub, Pepsi was Brad’s Drink, and Instagram was Burbn.

Gretta’s recommendation to founders is to not search an ideal model title from the beginning, however to hunt a “adequate” model title.

“Clearly, don’t simply select the primary random phrase that got here into your head. But in addition bear in mind the rationale you bought into enterprise within the first place. It most likely wasn’t to spend all day dreaming up the proper title.”

Beneath, Gretta outlines a easy course of you should use. However the necessary disclaimer that she offers each entrepreneur is that you just don’t should have an ideal title to start out.

You’ll be able to all the time change it afterward.

What a Model Identify Ought to Be

There aren’t any hard-and-fast guidelines for what a model title can or can’t be.

For instance, some manufacturers like Adidas simply mixed the founder’s nickname with three random letters to create a memorable model title. Whereas others, like Xerox, come from a shortening of the phrase “xerography”, the technical title for the dry copying course of that photocopiers use.

However Gretta has developed some fundamental tips for what an amazing model title ought to do.

Simple to Bear in mind

Have you ever ever been listening to your favourite podcast, heard an advert for an attention-grabbing product, after which couldn’t purchase it since you couldn’t bear in mind the URL the host talked about? Now think about how tough it’s to face out if it wasn’t only a non-memorable URL, nevertheless it was a difficult-to-remember model title.

A tricky-to-remember title does much more injury. It makes it a lot tougher for individuals to get to your web site and grow to be clients. So, as a substitute of selecting a model title impressed by the etymology of Greek phrases mixed with the title of the road you grew up on, select one thing simple to recollect.

Easy, catchy names like Apple, Uber, and Goal are infinitely higher than The Antidisestablishmentarianism Co. or The Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis Treatment.

(These are actual phrases by the way in which).

Distinct

What number of Pizza locations do you assume exist on the planet? In all probability hundreds.

Then again, there is just one Dominoes. Generic model names can work for hometown native companies, however they’re tough to make into world manufacturers.

Pique Curiosity

A great title ought to make individuals intrigued about what the model is.

For instance, if you discover out Purple is a mattress firm, you most likely need to know why they’ve that title. The title pulls you in to study extra concerning the story of the model. And that’s a attribute of many nice manufacturers.

For instance, the title Gretta selected for her line of teas, Skinny-Me-Tea, pulls you in. You would possibly assume, “How does it make me skinny?” “Does it truly work?” “What’s in it?”

That is the type of intrigue you need your model title to set off.

Make Sense

Once you select a reputation to your model, it ought to relate again to what your core enterprise does.

You need to select a model title that relates indirectly again to your core enterprise. It doesn’t should be a direct, word-for-word match, like Water Bottles For Sale. You will be inventive.

For instance, Nike selected its title for the connection to the Greek goddess of victory. However it ought to relate, a minimum of indirectly, to what your model will finally do. In any other case, it dangers complicated individuals and dropping clients.

Malleable

You must all the time select a model title that may flex and modify together with your enterprise wants over time. The very last thing you need is to decide on a model title that packing containers you in eternally.

If you’re launching a Keto complement firm, you may not need to name it KetoProtein. If the Keto development goes away, that title doesn’t offer you a lot wiggle room to alter and develop. However one thing extra malleable like FatForFuel may shift for altering tastes within the market. You might maintain the prefix “___For” or the suffix “Gas” because the core of your model title.

A Model Identify Ought to NOT

Conversely, there are some issues Gretta says that your model title mustn’t do.

Inform the entire story

Your model title alone can’t do all of your advertising and marketing. So it’s best to by no means put the onus of telling your complete story about your organization on the title. Take into account Gretta’s The fifth Watches.

“The fifth” portion of the title communicates loads concerning the model, when you’re conversant in it. It tells you after they have gross sales (the fifth of the month) and the way lengthy these gross sales final (5 days). It additionally communicates an air of excessive trend, drawing on components of New York’s trend district on fifth Avenue. However whereas all these issues are ultimately communicated via the title, discover that the title doesn’t attempt to inform you all that directly.

It’s not referred to as The 5-Day Excessive-Finish Watch Vendor on The fifth of The Month. It’s simply The fifth Watches. You study the entire story later, however the title simply captures the essence of the model.

Be Too Literal

Model names ought to by no means be so literal that they grow to be generic.

The model Planter’s Peanuts wouldn’t simply need to name itself The Peanut Snack Firm. It’s so literal that clients won’t ever bear in mind it. And even when they do, there’s no manner for them to distinguish yours from Joe Schmoe’s down the street.

Field You In

Names that field you into one particular area of interest, class, or sort of product are like placing what you are promoting in a straightjacket. It doesn’t matter what you do to pivot, you’ll stay caught. It could be very onerous for a corporation named Shifting Provides Co. to pivot into having precise movers choose up and haul stuff.

Regardless that they’re associated companies, individuals would by no means assume that the transferring provide firm would be capable to do the precise transferring.

Steal The Present

Whereas a model title that’s boring will be unhealthy for enterprise, a flashy title will be even worse. Your model title ought to by no means distract from the core operate or product that what you are promoting gives.

Sluggish Issues Down

Selecting a model title is difficult.

However it’s not one thing to agonize over for weeks and weeks. And whilst you by no means need to should change it, errors will be corrected. If there’s an ideal area you need that doesn’t expire for one more 12 months, don’t wait.

Use this put up and your inventive muscular tissues to provide you with different potential names. Simply don’t get caught in your title as a result of many nice names got here from selections that the founder made on a whim.

With these elements in thoughts, listed here are the various kinds of model names you may select for your startup. All these can work, however use Gretta’s recommendations on which is most relevant to what you are promoting.

4 Kinds of Model Names To Select From

Right here’s a breakdown of these 4 kinds of model names and who ought to think about using them for his or her enterprise.

1. The Generic Model Identify

“Consider manufacturers like Motels.com or Automobiles.com. These are generic names,” Gretta says.

Names like these will be powerful to safe for a lot of causes. The largest being that generic domains like robotic.com have huge asking costs, in extra of seven-figures.

But in addition as a result of this class of the title virtually by no means meets the above standards for what a very good model title ought to do.

For instance, “Smartphone” is perhaps a strong generic title to your cellphone product. However it doesn’t pique curiosity. It’s too literal and utterly packing containers you into one class.

“Until you already personal the area, I might keep away from any such title to your startup.”

2. The Descriptive Model Identify

That is the place the title makes an attempt to explain what the model/merchandise can do for the end-users. For instance, Gretta selected the title SkinnyMe Tea for her line of weight reduction/detox teas. This title tells you the core promise of the product proper within the title. You understand what you’re getting simply by studying the title and that’s highly effective.

Different names that will fall within the descriptive class embody Burger King, Pizza Hut, Web Explorer, Gmail, and extra. Every of those names alludes to or describes what the underlying enterprise does. This will make an amazing class of title for what you are promoting.

3. The Suggestive/Affiliate Model Identify

That is the place the model doesn’t precisely inform you what the corporate does however implies what it does via phrases that convey sturdy imagery and feelings.

For instance, take Greyhound. The enterprise doesn’t promote greyhound canine, however they do enable you to get from one place to a different rapidly by way of a enterprise. So, in a way, they’re associating the velocity and high quality of the canine with their touring model.

One other instance is Subway. It’s not a transit firm. However they do specialise in promoting submarine sandwiches, or subs.

One of many huge advantages of this type of title is that the one restraint you have got is your creativity. So it may be nice for any founder that wishes a reputation that’s distinct, rooted in historical past, or a enjoyable play on phrases.

4. The Coined, Random, or Summary Model Identify

That is the class of brand name title that requires probably the most creativity and may take some time to nail down. However most of the most iconic manufacturers of our time got here from seemingly made-up phrases.

“Whereas these names are a clean slate, they’re tougher to construct model recognition round and I personally wouldn’t use them in lots of circumstances,” Gretta warns.

The explanation these names don’t all the time work is as a result of there’s nothing for individuals to attach it to initially. When you’re launching a very new product in a very new class, try to be cautious about utilizing any such title.

Find out how to Select Your Model Identify in 3 Steps

Now that you realize the completely different classes of brand name names and what makes an amazing one, it’s time to decide on yours utilizing Gretta’s Namestorming exercise.

To get began, merely set a timer for 20 minutes and comply with these steps:

1. Brainstorm 15 phrases that come to thoughts if you’re pondering of what you are promoting. Something that involves thoughts is honest sport.
2. Escape the thesaurus and search for synonyms of these phrases. Dig deep to seek out some phrases which might be distinctive, uncommon, or out-of-the-ordinary that you just may not have considered.
3. Slender down your record to only 3-5 names. Choose your greatest ones to see in the event that they’re obtainable. Slicing them would possibly really feel like pulling enamel however simply go together with your intestine on the perfect ones you wrote down.

As soon as you choose your 3-5 greatest, search for these names to seek out out when you’re within the clear to launch your model. Sadly, your first selection is perhaps taken.

Learn extra: Small Enterprise Advertising and marketing Information: From Scratch to Success

Model Identify FAQs

Have a Identify? Now Construct a Model

Identical to each individual has a character, each enterprise has a model. Your model title is just the start of constructing a model. Get all entry to our full branding and enterprise frameworks with foundr+. Discover ways to create a model identification that’s greater than a cute emblem however a basis to develop what you are promoting.