“Comfort is the enemy of greatness” – Todd Henry, Accidental Creative

The process of naming a company is incredibly emotional and difficult, especially considering it is arguably one of the most valuable parts of a brand. It is uncomfortable (at-least it should be). Great names are always different and sometimes challenge us to go against the grain of our friends or colleagues advice. Why? Because most people gravitate towards the familiar, to what’s already out there. You do have to respect their motives, they simply want you to be safe. But what’s safer? A forgettable vanilla name that blends in or something mnemonic and distinct with potential? It’s easy to come up with a bland name that pleases everyone, but it’s hard to be different.

We are rereading one of my favorite books here and I came across this great check list from Marty Neumeier’s book, Zag, on a good brand name. They must be…

1. Different than the competitors (I would possibly clarify as “radically different”)
2. Brief- four syllables or less
3. Appropriate, but not so descriptive that it sounds generic
4. Easy To Spell
5. Satisfying to pronounce
6. Suitable for “brandplay” (it has legs to run)
7. Legally Defensible

He also continues with, “A poor name is a drag on the brand building process, but a good name accelerates it”.

A good name merely sets up a brand to be distinct and memorable; it serves as a platform for success, not a constraint, and rarely an explanation of meaning.

What your favorite brand names?

Or better yet, what are the worst names you’ve ever heard?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 6:00 am and is filed under Branding, brand. You can follow any responses to this entry through the feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.