In stories, we name our characters. At home we name our kids, pets, even cars. We all think of ourselves as name experts. But there’s an actual career to name companies, products, flavors. When I’m naming for a client, I work with a team and we come up with over 1,000 potential names. I’m always amazed by the minimal crossover in our brainstorms, which shows how many ideas there are. And reminds us that we shouldn’t feel bad when an idea is rejected (999+ of mine are for every project). To see some of my names, visit my branding site.
For a company name to be good it must fit in Paisley’s Proprietary Pentagram:
- Purposeful: tells a story or creates a relevant emotion
- Distinctive: stands out and is memorable
- Familiar: meets the expectations of the reader
- Appealing: sounds and looks pleasing
- Ownable: passes trademarking if needed
For naming your cat, you’re on your own.
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