A lot goes into building your own brand; strategy and marketing to name just a couple. But as harsh as this sounds, without a solid brand name you’re going nowhere.
It’s one of the hardest things you’ll have to do. After All it’s how you’ll be known to the world, and is key to spreading the word about your brand.
Once you’ve managed that there’s a few simple checks to do, which I’ve been kind enough to list down below.
Pronunciation
Be sure to think about pronunciation, is it obvious how the name sounds? Or can it be said in a number of different ways?
Yes, there are some huge brands that are pronounced slightly differently depending on the person you ask (most notably Nike), but the less confusion the better in this case.
Sentence use
Does the name fit seamlessly into a sentence?
Try slipping it into a sentence yourself. Something like “you should check out *brand name*, they’re supposed to be great” would be a good way to see if it rolls off the tongue.
However, don’t see this as a reason to keep the name too simple, allow some room to experiment.
Translation
Now if you’re looking to elevate your brand to a global level, how the name sounds in a foreign language is important to bear in mind.
You don’t want to find yourself in a similar position to the Belgian butcher “De Cock’s Fresh”, which isn’t an ideal translation when they decided to enter the UK market.
Meaning
Another tip is to have a good think about the associations the name has. Are they positive? Do they do a good job of representing your brand, its aims and ideals?
Maybe try looking through a dictionary before deciding on a name; that’s how Amazon became… well Amazon, after all.
Spelling
You’re going to have to make sure that the name is easy enough to spell. The last thing you want is a brand that’s constantly misspelled in search engines, making it harder to track down.
You could easily test this by telling a few people the name yourself, and seeing if they spell it back to you correctly.
Memorable
This is one of the most important things to bear in mind. Your name could have the deepest possible meaning and sound great in a sentence, but if no-one remembers it then what’s the point?
A good way to check your brand name sticks is by telling a couple of people and asking them a little later if they remember the name.
Maybe try a grandparent; if they recall it you know you’ve got a keeper.
Bonus
A couple of things you also shouldn’t forget are:
- Making sure there are no existing brands with the same name as yours.
- Checking there is a domain name available.
- Also check if the name isn’t legally claimed by somebody else.
Once you find a brand name that stands strong against these nine checks, you’ve got yourself a solid foundation for what will hopefully be a successful business.
