For a business that is on the rise, a Brand name is an essential part of the growth process. A perception that some people have is that “the quality must be good, the name does not matter,” which is completely a mirror image of the true facts. An excellent name can mean potential success for a brand. 

Here’s are steps to conceiving excellent names for brands:

Think Before Choosing Names for Brands

Think Outside the box, be creative and play with ideas. Brainstorm all things you have in mind and put them on paper. Have an intended goal set in your mind that what do you want people to think of when they hear your product name? Create a concept behind your brand identity with the right meaning of course.

• Are you naming a company, product, service or event?
• What is the purpose of your business?
• What is the expected life of the name?
• Will it be used only in the United States or will it go global? (Remember that the world has changed. Today, global can mean on the internet.)
• Who is your customer?
• What do you promise your customer?
• Who are your competitors, and which names are they using?
• What is your price point?
• Where do you hope to be within your business category?
• What kind of personality are you seeking to convey?

Now, start making a list of root possibilities.

Write Them Down.
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​Then, write them down and take up the list a few days later and explore variations, try combining some of the best ideas, shortening some or even rearrange them. Take a look at the list of names you made earlier and pick the ones you feel are more connected and relevant to your business. Create a second list that you have made and pick the best names out of all, one of the names on your new list is going to be your brand name, and you just have to decide whichever one is the most relevant to your company, business type, and directions.

Naming Formulas

Here are a few naming formulas to get you started.

Alliteration – Peter Piper Picked A Pen Name

One way to make sure your name is catchy is to begin words with the same letter or sound – like Krispy Kreme.

Onomatopoeia – Sound It Out!

Some businesses use names with words that imitate the sounds with which their business is associated – Sizzler Steakhouse, for instance.

Acronyms – Think Like A Texter

Anyone with a teenager in their life knows the most popular texting phrases like OMG (Oh, my God) and TTYL (Talk To You Later). Anyone who’s spent half a second in the corporate world knows that they, too, love their acronyms – HR (Human Resources), PR (Public Relations) and ROI (Return On Investment). Consumers like their acronyms, too. Choosing a name with a cute acronym is a very beautiful path to follow.

Abbreviating – Clip Off the End of a Word

One modern naming technique is to shorten words, similar to the way words can be truncated to create slang. Not too long ago, a college kid might order a “za with shrooms.” Translated, that meant a pizza with mushrooms. Companies form names using that same technique. Clip off the end of a word so that it stands alone, or joins another word or clipped word. Some examples include FedEx, CompuServe, Intel, and Intuit.

Arbitrary Names – Think Apples and Oranges

Another technique, which falls into the abstract category, is to choose an arbitrary name for your business. Take the Apple Computer, for instance. An arbitrary name has no association to what your business is about. While this is a controversial technique, there are naming experts that think the most important quality of your new company or product is that it be memorable. A computer named after a piece of fruit definitely fits the bill!

Do your research. This is where names for brands gets complicated.

Is there an open space for you in your business category? This is aimed at confirming if your name is free to be trademarked in your class of operations, and is it available in cyber world too? You can simply log on to a domain registering website to check the availability of your brand name.

No matter which route you take, what style, what formula, Excellent brand names cover the following aspect.

• They attract attention (they stand out)
• They are admired (likable to the mind, eye, and ear)
• They are aligned to the core brand values of the product or organization

Finally make sure you Scrutinize, share your ideas with other people and ask for feedback about the name, by following this practice your brand name can improve significantly. Work on each single idea suggested by the people and make necessary adjustments if you have to. This is your first general review from the public and might prove to have an excellent impact on your brand name.