Where Does Your Brand Name Sit?

By Tom Parrette, Director of Verbal Branding at Addis Creson
Addis Creson
Published: Thursday, July 09, 2009 LOHAS JOURNAL e-newsletter

After years in the naming business, one simple truth never changes: naming is both art and science. Coming up with a winning name requires an awareness of the symbolic power of words (art) and a basic knowledge of linguistics (science). If you rely too heavily on one or the other, you’re likely to be disappointed.

There’s also no substitute for good old-fashioned creativity. No algorithm or methodology or matrix or focus group can substitute for having an expert way with words.

That being said, names don’t just live in the creative ether. All namers have ways to organize their creative processes. One of the most common methods is to think of brand names in terms of loose categories, from highly conceptual (Virgin) to highly literal (General Electric).

As you search for the perfect name, here’s a framework to get you thinking about the range of possibilities.

Suggestive
By blending separate words (to create “portmanteau” words) or combining familiar syllables, these names convey product or company purpose. They rely on visual and auditory cues to suggest what they stand for.

Examples: Genentech, Photoshop

Evocative
Like suggestive names, evocative names convey brand attributes but don’t provide a literal explanation. Usually these names focus on a specific characteristic (in the case of Titanic, size) to express value. Note that none of the examples below reveals what the brand actually offers.

Examples: Oracle, Titanic, Yahoo!

Arbitrary
Arbitrary names have no direct correlation to company or product. They depend on acquired meaning. The associations consumers make for themselves in relation to a brand name are often the most powerful—and memorable.

Examples: BlackBerry, Virgin

Coined
Pure invention, coined names rely on uniqueness and their ability to stand out from the crowd. From a purely tactical standpoint, these names can also be the easiest to trademark.

Examples: Exxon, Kodak

Descriptive
These no-nonsense names describe what a product or company does in the most direct way possible. Their literal tone gives them an iconic quality, as if they are the universal brand standard.

Examples: Reader, General Electric

Surname/Geographical
The names in this category equate the value of place or proper name to brand. The reputation of the geographical location or surname endows the company with its character or quality.

Examples: Martha Stewart Living, Boston Market

Namers often work within a context like this, although they might apply different terms and explanations. Bear in mind there’s no inherent hierarchy here—“descriptive” is not necessarily better than “coined.” It all depends on what you’re naming and the context in which the name will appear. And there’s plenty of overlap between the categories below, which is often where the creativity comes in.

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