7 Secrets to Creating a Brand Name That'll Stick With Consumers

Great brand names don’t just look good on a business card. Great brand names command attention, sparks curiosity, and gives people a reason to remember your business long after they’ve scrolled past your latest social media post. 

Brand names like: Google, Nike, and Uber are instantly recognizable, easy to recall, and packed with unique personality.

The question is, what separates a memorable brand name from one that disappears into the crowd? Whether you're launching a startup or rebranding an established business, here are seven components that can turn an ordinary name into an extraordinary brand asset.

1. It's easy to remember

Your brand name shouldn't require a photographic memory. The best names are typically short, distinctive, and easy to recall after hearing them just once or twice. Think Lyft, Lego, or Apple. They're simply strong enough to stick into the mind of an audience without a marketing or philosophy degree required to decode them.

Bottom line: If consumers struggle to remember your name, they'll also struggle to recommend you, too.

2. It's easy to say and spell

Imagine a customer telling a friend about your business but stumbling over its name. Not exactly a recipe for word-of-mouth success, is it? Names that are easy to pronounce and spell make conversations, online searches, and referrals so much easier. 

Consider brands like Hoka and Hulu. There's little guesswork involved in saying or typing them.

Bottom line: Say your potential name aloud often; also, ask others to pronounce it, and see whether they can spell it after hearing it.

3. It’ll stand out from the crowd 

Your brand name should help you stand apart, not blend into a sea of others with nearly identical names. Distinctive names give customers a reason to notice you and makes your brand that much easier to recognize.

Take Spotify for example. It's unusual, but the invented name feels different from conventional music-related business names. It’s that distinctiveness that helps it own a recognizable place in consumers' minds.

Bottom line: Research competitors in your category and avoid names that sound similar to theirs.

4. It’s a reflection of your brand’s personality

Are you playful and rebellious? Sophisticated and premium? Friendly and approachable? Your name should hint at the experience customers can expect from your brand.

Take Innocent, the smoothie brand. Its name communicates a lighthearted, approachable personality without describing the product itself. That's a clever way to make a name do more than identify a business.

Bottom line: Define your brand's personality prior to brainstorming its name. If not, you could find yourself choosing a name that looks great on paper—but is totally incongruent with what your brand aspires to represent. 

5. It Connects With Your Audience

A great brand name has a way of resonating with the ideal audience you're trying to reach. A name that appeals to budget-conscious shoppers like Wal-Mart might not have the same effect on luxury consumers like Saks Fifth Ave. Think about your target audience's interests, language, values, and cultural experiences. 

Remember, the goal isn't to chase every trend; it's to choose a name that feels relevant to the people who matter most—your target customers. 

Bottom line: Run your shortlist by potential customers; instead of relying entirely on your own instincts.

6. It’ll leave room to expound

There’s always a chance that today's startup could become tomorrow's industry leader. Your name shouldn't box you into a product, location, or category you might outgrow someday.

Amazon, for example, began as an online bookseller but eventually expanded into countless product categories and services. Having a broader name can give a growing company greater flexibility.

Bottom line: Choose a name that fits your business today while leaving room for where you want to take it tomorrow.

7. It's Available to Own

You've found the perfect name. It's catchy, distinctive, and practically begs to be printed on merchandise. There's just one problem: someone else already owns the rights to it. Total bummer, right? 

Before committing to a name, investigate its trademark availability, potential domain names, as well as relevant social media handles. A name that's legally risky can create very expensive headaches later.

Bottom line: Conduct proper trademark research and consult a qualified trademark professional when needed. A domain's availability alone doesn't mean a name is legally safe to use.

Final thoughts  

A great brand name is memorable, meaningful, distinctive, and built for both the present—and future. It doesn't need to explain everything about your business; it just needs to give people a compelling reason to pay attention and an easy way to remember you.

So, before you settle on a name, put it through these seven tests. Because in a crowded marketplace, the right name isn't just what customers call your business—it's the beginning of what they'll remember about it.