When you choose a brand name, you are choosing the word people will type, say and remember. That is a bigger decision than it looks.
01 / NOTE
Make it easy to say out loud.
Say your shortlist on the phone to a stranger. If they need it spelled twice, cross it off.
A name that survives a noisy café is a name that survives a podcast interview, a voice note and a support call. In other words, spoken clarity is not optional.
02 / NOTE
Leave room for the business to grow.
Overly specific names age badly. A shop called “Amsterdam Vintage Chairs” struggles the moment you open a second city or a second product.
Aim for a name that hints at the character rather than the exact product. Additionally, keep it short enough to fit an app icon.
03 / NOTE
Check the domain in the same session.
A great name without an available domain is a great problem. So check names and domains together, not one after the other.
Our names and domains tool pulls both in one view, which prevents the classic mistake of falling in love with a name you cannot register.
04 / NOTE
Stress-test the name against use.
Write the name in an email signature, on a business card mockup, on a T-shirt and as a social handle. Then look at it the next morning with fresh eyes.
You can preview these on your identity draft in our logo generator and our print studio before you commit.
05 / NOTE
Check the risky corners.
Search the name in the languages of your target markets. Also search it as a hashtag and as an existing trademark in your category.
For the trademark check, a short consultation with a legal specialist is money well spent. If you want help mapping the rest, book a consultation and we can look at your shortlist together.