Naming, or creating a brand name. Coming up with an appropriate, memorable name for a brand is a task that may seem simpler than it actually is. A brand name is more than just a word – it is the foundation of its identity, a key to building relationships with customers, and an element that can decide success in the market. The process of creating a name requires creativity, strategic thinking, and understanding of the market and target group.
In today’s world, where competition in every industry is immense, the name of the brand is crucial for business success. It is the first and most important element that customers encounter. A good name can attract attention, build positive associations, and distinguish the brand from the competition. The process of creating a brand name, known as naming, is therefore one of the most important steps in building a strong and recognizable brand.
From the text below, you will learn what to consider when choosing a name for your store, what is important, and whether the brand name really has such great significance.
What brand name to choose, prestigious or simple?
A brand is a sales tool.
First, you must know that a brand name is a sales tool. It should reflect the products you want to offer. If you choose a brand name poorly for your products, you can lose a lot, even if you prepare a really good strategy.
Let’s say you want to open a store offering exclusive women’s clothing and name it ciuszki.pl. This name is not suitable for the original intention, so you should either spend more time coming up with a good different name or change the assortment of your store.
The name should match the products we offer.
Besides, the name ciuszki can be immediately perceived as cheap and not standing out, yet you aim to create a prestigious store for a strictly defined target group.
If your goal is to create an expensive, luxurious, and prestigious store, then your name must be the same. It must be characterized primarily by originality and uniqueness. However, if you want to offer cheap products, create a name that will be close to your customers. An example of such a name is Żabka or Biedronka.
Check the brand name in other languages.
When you prepare a base of several names, you can check how these names will look in other languages. This is a very good and effective method. You should also be particularly careful not to offend a foreign customer by accident. Check the meaning of the word in several languages. A commonly given example that comes to mind is the light bulb brand OSRAM.
It is a German company that produces lighting accessories. Certainly, the creators of the brand name did not expect what meaning this word has in our Polish language. Despite this, they managed to create incredibly strong recognition and thus gave this word a new meaning. It is not easy and time-consuming, so check your name in all possible ways to avoid additional expenses.
Brand name from your surname or dignity.
Many global brands were simply created from the surnames of their creators. Each of us knows, or at least should recognize, fashion brands such as Channel or Gucci. They are simple, easy to pronounce, and evoke a certain kind of prestige. Many people, when opening their store and creating their brand, decide to create a name derived from their surname.
It can be a bullseye, but sometimes it may turn out to be a failure. However, before you decide to build your brand on your surname, check if it does not sound too complicated and will not cause pronunciation difficulties. An example of such a difficult surname is Grzegorz Brzęczyszczykiewicz. You will agree that for a Pole, it will be difficult to pronounce.
Or maybe a name that evokes memories?
Creating a brand name, you should not be guided by fashion. Fashion is changeable, and the name will stay with you for a long time. Although, on the other hand, you can also try to create a name that will somehow refer to your place of origin or region.
A great example is the brand — Pan tu nie stał -. Too long? Doesn’t rhyme? Something is not right here? One could engage in a discussion on this subject, but nonetheless, this brand achieved great success. Why did this happen? Let’s start from the beginning. A certain couple started running an internet blog referring to the 60s, 70s, and 80s. When interest in the topic among people began to grow, they created their own T-shirts referring to the PRL period.
Today, the brand enjoys great popularity and has won many awards. The idea counts, and then consistency in promoting it. It is sometimes worth going beyond the barriers we have been surrounded by and do a thorough research of current brands. It is good to know what is offered, what the assortment is and what style they have. Consider what needs and expectations customers have and based on that, create your brand. You don’t necessarily have to follow fashion, on the contrary, try to hit a niche.
How to create a good name for your brand?
Brainstorming.
A bit of theory and examples behind us. Let’s now move on to the most important things, namely to practice. The simplest way is to start by listing all the expressions that should be associated with your brand that you are building.
At this stage, there are no bad ideas. List everything without exception that comes to your mind. Do not judge and do not give up on anything. Sometimes at first glance, it may seem that you will create something truly abstract, that there is no chance to break through with such a name, and then it turns out, however, that it was a hit!
Modification of the name.
You already have a few name proposals? That’s great. You’re getting closer to the goal. Now it’s time for modification. Choose the most interesting proposals, and then play with the letters. The name you choose should convey what you want to communicate and what is primarily important to your customer.
Remember, the name is not for you, but for the customer. They should like it, remember it, and have good associations with it. This stage requires creativity from you. As I mentioned earlier, you can create a word based on other languages or combine two words together, add a prefix to the name (for example, eBay) or even invent your own words and give it meaning in the further process of building the brand.
Verification of a good name.
Choose a name that is positively associated.
Let’s start with what it means for a name to be good. Pay attention to semantics, the meaning of a given word, and how it is associated. A name is not just a nice sound and look of letters, but primarily associations. From associations, we start to build our image and recognition.
Unique brand name.
Do not modify names of brands that have achieved lesser or greater success. Wanting to attach yourself to other brands, you have greater chances of losing in the eyes of customers. You will not be well received, and although you planned to achieve success, it will be hard for you to start from scratch.
Easy brand name to remember.
The more complicated the name, the harder it will be to remember. Guide yourself primarily by simplicity. Such a quick and simple example. When you go shopping, do you say you’re going to buy sports shoes? No. You probably say “I’m going to buy sneakers.” Yes, this has become accepted from the global brand adidas. Some brand names have become new nouns over time. It doesn’t have to be such sophisticated vocabulary.
To create your brand name, you should prepare very well. Spend more time on it and do not make decisions hastily, even if you are convinced that your name is good. Do not stop at the first thought. Look for inspiration everywhere and create your own unique and timeless name.
Summary of the article: Naming, or creating a brand name
Creating a name for a brand is a key step in the process of building a company’s identity. Properly chosen name can significantly contribute to the success of the brand, so it is worth approaching this task with the appropriate attention and diligence. Here are some tips on how to effectively create a name for your brand:
Understand the purpose and values of the brand – Before starting to create a name, it is important to fully understand what the brand is supposed to represent, what values it conveys, and what its mission is. The name should reflect the brand's identity and speak to its target audience.Define the target audience – Knowing who the target customer is will help in creating a name that will resonate with the expectations and needs of this group. Different demographic groups may react differently to the same words or concepts.Be original – A unique name will help distinguish the brand from the competition. It is worth avoiding names too similar to those already used by other companies, especially in the same industry.Ensure the name is easy to pronounce and remember – The name should be easy to spell, pronounce, and remember by potential customers. This increases the chances that the brand will be quickly recognized and remembered.Check availability – Before the final choice of the name, it is important to check whether the name is not already reserved or used by another company. Also, check the availability of the internet domain and social media usernames.Test the name – Before making the final decision, it is worth testing potential names on the target group. This can help understand how the name is received and whether it carries the intended connotations.Be flexible – Sometimes the process of creating a name may require flexibility and readiness for changes. Not always the first idea is the best one, so it is worth being open to different options and suggestions.
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