Brand Naming: The Key to Longevity
Your brand name might be one of the most important decisions you make when building a business. While changing your brand name later on isn’t impossible, it is usually far more hassle than it’s worth. A well-chosen brand name will help your brand stand the test of time and ensure longevity in the brand equity you’re building.
Before we dive into the criteria for an effective brand name, let's explore the concept of brand naming and socialized branding, especially for those with a personal brand that bridges into a consulting or service provider business.
Brand Naming and Socialized Branding
Your business (brand) name should follow the criteria for good brand naming laid out below. It should be distinct, concise, and memorable.
If you’re in the early stages of building your brand and business, we generally recommend your brand name be loosely general. The best brand names are single, ownable terms that can serve as a foundation for you to build your own connotations, not rely on existing ones. There are rare exceptions to this, but not many.
For consultants, you will likely have your business brand name and what we call your ‘socialized brand,’ which is more akin to a personal brand—and far more important in terms of your business growth! There are rare exceptions where your business name and socialized brand may be the same, but this is uncommon or usually the case after many years in the business.
If you fall into this category, it’s critical that you define both brands—your business and personal brand—as complementary components. Lead generation and garnering word-of-mouth referrals will likely come to your personal brand and not to your business. It will be you who manually transitions customers to your business brand.
Why does this happen?
People respond to people, especially in the age of influencers. This is why we see CEOs building personal brands on LinkedIn and the rise of employer branding as an entire field of marketing. Customers want to connect with and purchase from brands they know, like, and trust, and often, that comes with connecting to a founder first.
Pro Tip
Don’t include a ‘The’ in your brand name. Also, avoid qualifiers of the work you do, like ‘Photographer’ or ‘Data and Analytics’ or ‘Communications.’ This can limit the flexibility and memorability of your brand name.
The 7 Criteria of Brand Naming
The following seven criteria come from Marty Neumeier’s book The Brand Gap, an extraordinarily wise and practical guide to building a brand.
We’ve adapted his seven criteria to include some of his original questions and some of our own.
The goal is to rigorously apply each of these criteria to your brand name concepts.
1 / Distinctiveness: Does it stand out in the industry? Does it separate well from ordinary text and speech? Does it have proper noun presence?
2 / Brevity: Is it short enough to be easily recalled? Will unintentional nicknames arise?
3 / Appropriateness: Does it fit the business purpose now? How about in 5 years? Would it work just as well for another industry?
4 / Easy Spelling and Pronunciation: Will most people be able to pronounce and spell it?
5 / Likability: Will people enjoy using it? Is it intellectually ‘juicy’ or catchy?
6 / Extendability: Is it broad enough to cover pivots in your business? Does it evoke or lend itself to multiple creative executions?
7 / Protectability: Can it be trademarked? Is it available as a domain? Social media handles? Does it have a pre-existing competitive search volume?
It’s okay to operate from gut instincts on this in your initial test. As you get closer to a finalist in your naming, spend a bit more time on the research and brainstorming for Protectability and Extendability, as those two criteria are vital for brand health.
How to begin naming your brand
Brand naming can feel overwhelming, but it should also be exciting. Use this opportunity to jot down every idea, concept, word, moment, and phrase that resonates with you and the vision of what you’re building.
Consider these prompts:
What single word comes to mind when you think about your brand's core mission?
Can you shorten a descriptive phrase about your brand into a catchy, one-word name?
What are some words or phrases that capture the essence of your brand’s mission or vision?
Think of metaphors or analogies related to your business. Can any of these be transformed into a brand name?
Are there any historical or cultural references that align with your brand values? Be cognizant of appropriation.
Combine parts of two different words that describe your brand. What new words can you create?
Look at synonyms for your primary brand attributes. Can any of these work as a name?
Is there a meaningful place or event in your life that can inspire your brand name?
Once you’ve got a hefty list to operate from, begin applying the criteria above to trim and eliminate options until you’re left with one clear direction.
Ready to Build Your Brand?
If you’re ready to get started on building a brand and a business that stands the test of time, we’re here to help. Get in touch →
