Creating an amazing brand name is something many struggle with, but its actually very simple and (dare we say it) easy…We’ll show you how to create yours in just 2 simple steps.
First, we’ll explore what actually makes a great brand name and give some great examples of different types of names you can create.
Second, we’ll show you our simple, tried and tested process to allow anyone to create an amazing brand name in no time at all.
So what makes a great brand name. Well a great brand name should tick these 3 very important boxes, and maybe a 4th bonus box. First, it must be relevant. Simply meaning it has to relate to your company in some way. Second, it has to be easy to say. If it is too complicated, it is less likely to be remembered. This doesn’t mean it has to be short. It simply must be simple to say and pronounce. Thirdly, it has to be memorable. If your name is relevant and it is easy to say, then 99% of the time this box is going to be ticked too. Lastly, your name should create an image for the brand. Now this last box does not have to be ticked. However, it can really help. A brand name that creates an image is simply using words that already exist and that are known in the customers mind, to create a brand name that wants to share the qualities and perceptions of the existing words.
For example, Timberland is bringing together the word Timber (suggesting outdoors) and land (suggesting adventure). Another example would be Nike, named after the greek goddess of victory. The existing story of the greek goddess lends itself perfectly to the brand Nikes winning mentality.
These are two great examples that showcase the power a powerful brand name can have.
So now we know what a powerful brand name should be, now let’s look at some different types of names, so you can choose which is best for your business. There are many different types of brand names, but let’s explore some of the more impactful types together now.
Founder - This one is pretty simple, using the owners name to showcase the founders confidence in the product.
Descriptive - Bringing together two words that describe your offering
Fabricated - A made up word based around creating an image for your brand
Metaphorical - A name based around existing words and stories that are relevant to your brands mission or character
Acronym - If in doubt, just use letters. Use the first letters from a string of words to create a unique brand name.
UVP - A name based around what your brand does differently.
So now we know what makes a great brand name and some different types of names you can create, now we’re going to show you a simple step by step process to make your own.
We’ll do this in 4 simple steps.
First, need to create a mind splash. This is simply writing down words that are relevant to your brand and your offering. Around 20-30 words should do the trick. It doesn’t matter if it is an existing brand name, trademarked or that it’s even a made up word.
At this point, we simply want to empty your mind onto the paper, so you can see everything in front of you. Once you do this, take a 5 minute break.
Yup, go and make your self a coffee, go for a walk or even play with your pet. This is really important to allow your mind to relax before coming back to your words with a fresh pair of eyes.
Thirdly, come back and begin to play with the words you have written down. Try piecing two together, are slightly changing the spelling subtly (like Fiverr for example). A great tool for this stage is thesaurus.com as you can search for word you have written down to find other related words that are still relevant, but perhaps a little more unique and memorable.
From around 20-30 words, you should at least be able to come up with 2 or 3 brand names that tick the main 3 boxes we discussed before (and even the bonus box if the creative juices are really flowing).
Once you have these 2-3 names, we can move on to the final step, checking availability. It’s good to have a few options incase any of the names you’ve created are already being used.
The first place to check is google. Google each brand name and check to see if any existing companies come up. If they do, check what industry they are in. If your product or service is completely unrelated to theirs, then its still likely you can use it. However if it is similar or identical, we would suggest you choose another name, as this could cause problems later on down the line.
If you can’t find the brand name being used on google, its very likely you can use it. However, make sure you do searches via go daddy domain search at godaddy.com and also using your local trademarking database. You can find this by googling your “country and trademark directory”.
We are currently working on more great content on how you how to capture amazing domains for your brand name and also how to use trademarking directory properly to protect your brand (if that's something you'd like to do). If there's a
