I went to the paint colour-mixing section in B&Q the other day. My daughter, Mary, was with me. She asked if she could pick a red swatch. That then turned into about 20 different colour swatches. Have you been to B&Q? Worst shop in the world. Anything for an easy life.
At home, Mary laid them all out on the table and I was chatting to her about the names of the colours and why they’d chosen those words. For example, ‘Bonfire Glow’ was orange and flames were orange. And ‘Tutu’ was a soft pink and that’s because ballet tutus are sometimes pink.
One of my favourite things to do as a copywriter is name generation. In my time, I’ve had everything from a rebrand for a property expert to shampoo.
Lots of people think it’s dead easy to come up with a name but in reality, it’s time-consuming and hurts your head. I can’t tell you how many clients have tried and then given up and hired me when they realise it’s not as simple as they first thought.
The right name sets the tone, creates a certain expectation, and influences what people think.
What makes a brilliant name?
- Great recall – it needs to be memorable and stick in the mind. Short and snappy works.
- It’s unusual – it stands out from the competition because it’s different
- Simplicity – it’s easy to pronounce and spell
- Future-proof – it won’t date and will stand the test of time
Currently trying to think up a name for something? Here’s some pointers:
- What do you want to get across? What does the name need to convey? Fun? Luxury?
- Use word association – write down all the words that come into your head. Don’t overthink it.
- Brainstorm with someone – anyone can have an idea – the window cleaner. Uncle Dave. Pat at number 3. An 8-year-old.
- Google your subject. How do your competitors talk? What words and phrases do they use?
- The dictionary is your BFF – first, look up words and their meanings, particularly the origins, for example, Old Norse or Latin. Consider the pronunciation of words. Perhaps spelling it like it sounds is more modern. Second, look at synonyms for your word.
- House or Maison? Look up your word in different languages. Be mindful it’s not hard to pronounce.
- Be always on – whether you’re in the shower, watching Netflix or drifting off to sleep, jot down any words that pop into your head.
- Play around – think about combining two words to make one. Perhaps add a suffix (an ending to your word), for example, -ful or -able.
- Shortlist – group your names into themes and choose your favourites.
- Do due diligence – do a trademark search to avoid any legal nastiness down the line. Google your name and see if it already exists, then check Companies House/Charity Register. Make sure the name doesn’t have cultural connotations or negative associations.
- Check the domain – make sure the URL isn’t already taken.
Need just the right name for a product, brand or character? Struggling to find the one? Not got the time? Mam’s the Word can come up with an impactful and memorable name for you.