Where do great names come from?

When you need a professional naming agency and how to choose one

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By Erin Milnes, Creative Director at Catchword Branding

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Nothing, and I mean nothing, will shape perception of your brand as immediately, powerfully, and persistently as its name.

Coca-Cola, Google, Toyota. McDonald’s. The biggest brand names are more recognized worldwide than Renaissance masterpieces and A-list celebrities. They’re the modern mythology (and for many brands, like Alibaba, Pandora, and Nike, not so modern).

A name can add cachet to a product, it can attract new customers, it can create a new category, it can reenergize a company … if it’s great.

So where does a great name come from?

Can I create a great brand name by myself?

The short answer is, probably not.

Developing a successful brand name is not easy, and not something most people—even seasoned marketing professionals—do very often. It’s a surprisingly complex process, and the stakes are high, not just because you want a name that memorably expresses your brand, but because you need a name that you can legally own. Over the past 25 years at Catchword, we’ve seen far too many anguished entrepreneurs urgently seek a new name because of a cease and desist.

Viable name candidates must meet daunting requirements:

●      Trademark and domain-name availability. With more than 33 million businesses in the US alone, competition can be fierce. Your name must be ownable and protectable.

●      Linguistic and cultural acceptability. Several brands that were once seen as favorable—think Washington Redskins and Aunt Jemima—have had to rename in response to perceptions of racial insensitivity or cultural appropriation. Your name must make sense, not accidentally offend, and be pronounceable in all the languages your customers speak. 

●      Consensus among multiple stakeholders. Company naming can be especially tricky here. The marketing team wants an epiphany in three letters, the engineers prefer something that describes the product’s function, and the founder dreams of the next Apple. How can you satisfy them all?

And there’s more! At Catchword, we’ve identified 10 attributes that are essential for a great name.

With so many hurdles, the challenge in naming isn’t to create a few good names, but to create enough (hundreds at least) so that there are desirable options left after all the screening. This is what professional namers do.

Professional namer is a thing?

Yes it is—and most are truly passionate about it!

We come in three basic flavors. Each is appropriate for different client types, service needs, and budget.

●      Naming consultant. One- and two-person naming ‘agencies’ can be a good fit for a small-medium business with a limited budget and a straightforward naming need, such as descriptive product naming.

●      Branding/digital marketing agency. Naming is not their focus, but many digital marketing and branding agencies offer naming services, which might work well for a brand looking for a complete branding, design, and development package with a single vendor.

●      Full-service naming agency. For any naming project that could be tricky—because it’s global, is in a crowded space, has strict domain name needs, already had an unsuccessful naming engagement with another agency, or because of any of the screening challenges noted above—a dedicated naming agency is your best bet.

What to consider when choosing a naming partner

Experience, portfolio, clients, range of services, company culture, reviews, and, of course, the agency’s own name are all key criteria in selecting which agency will work best with you.

Remember, a successful name ensures your audience remembers you and sets you apart from competitors. It becomes a mental shortcut for customers’ entire experience with your brand. And all before you spend a single dollar on marketing. Do you really want to have an amateur create it?

Plus, renaming (particularly for a company) is expensive and will probably tank your existing brand equity. Practically speaking, you have one chance to get your brand name right. Keep that in mind when evaluating naming partners, and your naming budget.

1. Agency name

An agency’s own name will give you a good idea of its naming capabilities. Look at it and go through the checklist above. If its name doesn’t stand out or you can’t remember it the next day, this agency may not be able to help your brand shine. And if the name’s pronunciation is unclear or difficult, this agency doesn’t place much importance on a characteristic that deeply impacts memorability and engagement.

2. Ranking, reviews, accolades

To find possible naming partners, most people use online search, which will turn up individual firms and ranking & review sites such as Clutch. Ranking sites with vetted reviews are most trustworthy, but don’t rely on rank and company profile alone to make your decision. Explore the agency’s website, including awards and media coverage as well as portfolio, clients, and the rest.

3. Longevity

Experience is especially important in naming. Saving money with a hungry young’un might look smart at first but could mean paying twice when you must turn to veterans to reach an ownable name you love. If considering a branding agency, be sure to find out how long it’s been doing naming.

4. Clients and repeat business

What industries has the agency served? What size businesses? Have customers returned? Repeat naming clients and retainers are strong indicators of client satisfaction and a good sign that the agency is highly service-oriented and a valued naming resource.

5. Portfolio of naming work

Are the names they’ve created good? Use the checklist to decide.

Note the range in style, too. Are they all metaphors? Are they all invented words? Do they all sound cool but not really mean anything? A portfolio that lacks range may indicate narrow experience, poor understanding of naming strategy, or a prescriptive rather than collaborative approach to naming.

Recognizable brands (which usually means B2C) may be the most exciting, but don’t overlook names you don’t know, which provide insight into a firm’s strategic and creative capabilities. The Catchword portfolio, for example, includes award-winning names for these brands you’ve probably never heard of: Vuity, SameSky Health, Caribou, Mochidoki, OTTO, and Soluna.

6. Range of services

Dedicated naming agencies offer every service related to verbal identity: naming strategy and architecture, name development, linguistic & cultural screening, guidance on name selection and internal buy-in, trademark pre-screening, domain-name services, taglines, and more. Determine everything you need before you choose who will deliver it.

7. Process

Most namers follow the same general process for developing a brand name, but the devil truly is in the details. Make sure you understand each step and deliverable. In our experience, client satisfaction is as much about well-aligned expectations and a clearly articulated process as it is about the quality of the names developed.

8. Staffing

What’s the team’s naming experience? How many people will be involved in your project? Will you be working day-to-day with the veterans who pitched you, or junior associates? Are they staff or freelancers?

9. Communication style and company culture

Comfort with your partner’s way of doing business is key to an effective relationship. If you’re on a tight timeline, responsiveness will be crucial. If you like to be informed of every development, you won’t be happy with a black box approach. If you like to make work fun, a partner who’s all business might be a poor fit.

Whether you choose a big or small agency, branding firm or naming specialist, do your naming homework*, carefully review potential partners, and be sure to leave ample time for the process.

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*Catchword and many other naming agencies as well as magazines like Branders have resources, such as 6 Steps to Create a Great Brand Name, that can help you become naming savvy.