A creative process for naming your new brand

Eilidh Dunsire

August 19, 2020

Coming up with a worthy name for your new brand can feel an overwhelming task. Whether it’s a new business venture, start up, idea, project, side hustle, product, or social group – the right name is key.

I have worked through this process through years of personal and professional projects and have developed a workflow for generating a name which is a great fit for your idea.

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Before digging into the workflow and formula, here are three rules I follow when generating a new brand name:

Three rules to follow for generating a great brand name:

1. It must be appropriate (to the idea’s narrative/personality: if the brand’s values are playful, the name should reflect this feel).

2. It must be easy (to understand, pronounce, read, and most importantly: easy to remember).

3. It must be available (legally and online: does a company with the name already exist? Can you use your chosen name? Are your desired URL and usernames available?).

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The perfect brand name in three steps:

So, how do you generate the perfect name? I’ve broken the process into three phases: groundwork, formulation and selection. There is a downloadable workbook coming soon to help you work through this process efficiently.

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Get the Brand Naming Workbook here!

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References and recommended reading:

The five types of names (or, Why suggestive beats descriptive) - article by Nancy Friedman

The Purpose of a Brand Name Is to Play with Familiarity - article by Nancy Friedman

Brand Archetypes - article by Anthony Coombes

Brand Personality: Traits of Top Brands - article by Arek Dvornechuck

Branding in Five And A Half Steps - book by Michael Johnson

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Tools and useful links:

Search Companies House for existing UK registered companies