So, what’s in a name?
Heart. Purpose. Mission. Story. Passion.
If you’re wondering why those words, what they mean to us, and more importantly how we go about naming anything from a business to a building, check out part one of our naming series here.
In short, a good name is a verbal trigger that immediately begins to conjure brand connotations in the minds of your audience. The right name can:
Beyond doing the research and ideation for coming up with a name, evaluating if it’s the right one is an art and a science in its own right.
Sure, selecting a name will always be subjective to a degree, especially when you have a handful of choices. However, there are many criteria that a name should live up to:
Then there’s the big picture to consider. Your name will rarely appear alone but instead most often be accompanied by a logo, message, or design — does the name match the look and voice your brand wants to embody?
AOR does conduct a high-level search to ensure there aren’t other trademarks in your category out there with the same name. But it’s worth noting that we are not lawyers and cannot help you formally trademark something. We can, however, direct you to some great people who do just that every day.
You’ll of course get our opinion on what name(s) we think are rising to the top, but we’ll also want to hear from you. We’ll ask you to set personal biases aside (it’s not your name, it’s your businesses’ name after all) and give you some questions to think about. This is an important step because not only should you have a say in the process, but you should also be involved enough to know that the final name is right.
Hurrah! We have a name! So what’s next?
We’ll go back through your messaging platform and see if the new name inspires and word-choice tweaks or additions and then we’ll start bringing your name to life. We’ll chat to you about what collateral you need the most and get to work building it, which means you’ll quickly start seeing your new name in your office and out in the world.
Thinking you might need a new name? Reach out! Our team is always on the lookout for new naming projects — one of the most exciting and inspiring creative challenges out there.