Peter Andre doesn’t often make me ponder, but recent headlines about how long he took to announce the naming of his baby daughter did just that. The importance and diligence behind naming children today;  the myriad influences of cultural references from film characters, royalty, pop stars and even politicians… all leave a  heightened sense of loading names with meaning and sentiment. Did people used to put this much thought into naming their child?

Naming a brand or company is arguably just as hard and serious in this highly competitive world. The name chosen will be at the centre of the base of mental associations that the brand or company will be building up; it will help steer or navigate people towards  -or away from – the brand; it will, over time, become loaded with meaning which helps or hinders it commercially (and beyond – it could help or hinder employee recruitment or engagement too).

So, naming requires some careful thought, a rationale consideration of the alternatives and a clear fit to the business’ strategic intent.

It’s also alchemy.

There are no rules, no playbook – but you can consider whether you want your glass full, half full or empty in terms of giving you a helping hand – and trends undoubtedly do influence this.

• The obvious place to start is to name after a founder. Some would argue it is the least creative approach, yet it may be perfectly serviceable (in, say, a smaller independent business) and it has traditionally been the most common approach in that most creative of industries – advertising. Ogilvy; Saatchi & Saatchi; Doyle Dane Bernbach; White, Collins, Rutherford, Scott – take your pick.Naming after the founder can mean the naming ‘glass’ is empty: you have to fill it with meaning over time. Equally, though, in many professional fields naming after the founder brings gravitas, expertise and a confidence in who and what you are buying into. (This is why celebrity spin offs rely heavily on carrying their name).
• Likewise making up a name entirely, which conversely, often seems like the most creative approach is also, typically a ‘glass empty’ start point. Whether you’re ‘Diageo’ or ‘Velcro’ or ‘Wii’ you’ve got to invest to create meaning.
• A slightly more ‘glass half full’ approach is when you choose to use a strong cue from the category you are entering (assuming the category is established): e.g. Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Dairy Milk, Home Bargains…
• …but when suggestion of the product benefits is added, with a sprinkle of emotion the glass fills a little more. Take the soft furnishings and curtain company, ‘A Room with a View’ for example.
• Recent trends include single word names that are weighty and loaded e.g. Loaf, Gusto, Guu as well as interesting pairings e.g. Wolf & Badger, Fable & Eve, Bricks & Stitches that work well together and the more personal approach where the consumer is made to feel intrinsic to the name, such as Bio & Me or Me&Em.
• And layer over this whether you’re creating a new master brand, or a brand extension, or if you’re rebranding…. it really becomes alchemy not science.

So, where you should start?

Firstly, and most importantly you have to remember that any name, no matter how wonderful is a fairly empty vessel that has to be filled with all the things you want associated with it. Brands are built not born fully formed.

Second, start from a clear positioning. This will give you a broad direction and help you understand the best approaches to consider – half empty, empty or full.

Third, be realistic about time and investment. The name is a critical part of creating a company or brand, but it will only become known as you invest hard graft and your not-so-filthy-lucre in it.

The Crow Flies can help build your brand’s strategic foundations – be it creating a brand from scratch, or deciding where to go in the future. Get this right, and the naming pathway becomes a little easier to see.

 

Gael Laurie is Brand Building Director of The Crow Flies, a research, strategy and innovation company that helps brands find a direct route to long lasting success. If naming is perplexing you, get in touch: gael@thecrowflies.co.uk; +44 (0) 1889 725670; www.thecrowflies.co.uk; @crowflieshigh. Copyright 2024