If you’re looking to name a new company or product, it can be tricky to know how to go about it.
Arielle Jackson of First Round Capital shared a great process for coming up with a name on Lenny’s Podcast.
1. Figure Out Your Positioning
Fill out the following positioning template:
“For (target customer) who (statement of need or opportunity), (product name) is a (product category) that (statement of key benefit).
Unlike (competing alternative), (product name) (statement of primary differentiation).”
2. Write a Naming Brief
This should include a couple of main sections: (i) your general aims and (ii) your criteria for evaluation.
General Aims
- What are you naming?
- What do you want the name to communicate?
- What do you want to avoid?
- What are the names of competitors and related products?
- What are the other considerations (e.g. needs to work for Chinese speakers)
Criteria for Evaluation
This section should lay out how you intend to evaluate proposed names.
For example:
- Would it violate any trademarks?
- Would it be possible to trademark?
- Is a suitable domain available?
- Is it distinctive enough?
- Is it timeless?
- Is the name reflective or your key messaging or does it suggest an emotion or feeling that you’re trying to convey?
- Is it fun and easy to say and easy to spell?
- Appearance – does it lend itself well to visual design?
- Length – two syllables is a good sweet spot
3. Run a Brainstorming Session
Get 5-7 people together in a room, including founders plus some other interested but disinterested people (at least one or two people with a passion for language are good!)
Spend 1 hour.
The aim is to come up with hundreds of bad ideas and a few good ones.
Break it down into two sections as follows.
Section A: Riff on Words From the Positioning Statement
Take meaningful words from the positioning statement.
Generate synonyms, antonyms, free associations, other languages, etc.
Section B: Thematic Brainstorming
Pick 7-10 themes related to what the company/product does.
For example, if the product is an app to help with strawberry farming, some good themes might be:
- Last names of famous farmers
- The history of strawberry farming
- Botany 101
4. Do Some Internet / Library Research
Browse through articles / Wikipedia / books related to the subject. Jot down words that might be interesting. Add these to your list from Step 3.
5. Whittle Down to 3-5
You hopefully now have 10-25 concepts.
Now, using the criteria from your naming brief, whittle these down to 3-5 top contenders (not just 1 because you might not get it!)
Conclusion
You hopefully now have a rough idea of a tried and tested process you can use to name your company.
Let me know if you come up with some good ones!
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In case you want some extra name ideas, you may also like to try out my company and brand naming service: Fast Track Names.
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