Naming a brand, product or service might seem simple—until it isn’t. A great name can capture attention, spark curiosity and forge lasting connections. But the path to finding it is often riddled with challenges. From rushing the naming process to falling in love with a name before it’s vetted, the pitfalls of naming can derail even the best ideas. Here’s how to avoid the most common perils and land on a name that truly stands out.

  1. Getting too comfortable “inside the box”

    It’s common for people to gravitate toward conventional names—and conventional can mean different things for different categories. It’s essential to investigate a variety of names and know when it’s appropriate to consciously differentiate versus run with the pack. Doing something different takes courage and commitment, as many people won’t “love” an unexpected idea right away.

  2. Becoming fixated on an inspo name

    It’s fun to get inspired by real-world names when you’re brainstorming, but avoid getting too obsessed with any specific existing names. There might not be a “Sapphire” equivalent for your product/category! But there are plenty of other good names that use a different approach to make magic.

  3. Being too literal with AI

    Literal in, literal out. If you literally prompt generative AI with a description of what you want to name, you’ll likely get uninspired names in return. Instead, try creative prompting using metaphors, etc., to brainstorm with AI in a way that outputs more innovative ideas. Even descriptive names benefit from creative ideation at the outset.

  4. Not starting early enough

    A strict timeline is often a reality for many naming projects, but allowing enough time for decision-makers to weigh their options is crucial to success. It’s important to digest the list of names, imagine them in context and see which ones grow on you—you might be surprised!  Start naming earlier than you think you’ll need to!

  5. Engaging key stakeholders too late

    Failing to include key stakeholders early on can lead to misalignment and missed perspectives. It’s critical to capture the right input and insights ahead of the creative process and get the right people in the room to see all the names at the same time.

  6. Research that isn’t optimized for naming

    There are many common research methodologies out there, but most aren’t optimized for naming. Sometimes, using sub-optimal research can lead to worse outcomes than not researching at all. The types of names you are testing can influence the research design. Whether you are testing singular names or sets of interrelated names can also affect it. Good naming validation research typically isn’t plug-and-play.

  7. Overestimating the power of research

    Research is a helpful input for decision-making, especially when you’re trying to align a large number of stakeholders. Whether surveying potential customers or vetting names in global regions and languages, research can provide meaningful context and perspective you can’t get anywhere else. It can also help you avoid naming “disasters.” That said, the final name decision should be focused on how well the name aligns with your business strategy and roadmap.

  8. Aligning on THE name before it’s been fully vetted  

    It’s okay to have favorites. It’s even okay to have a favorite*. But it’s important to stay open-minded because not all shortlisted names will pass full trademark searches or other final vetting. And whatever you do, don’t create a code name.  

     *Unless your favorite is a project code name. Avoid falling in love with these since they likely aren’t available. Better yet, avoid code names that could be an actual name for the offering—the more unrealistic, the better!

  9. Using AI to vet trademarks  

    Don’t rely on AI to tell you if a name you’re interested in is available for use or trademark. It’s not a reliable source of information for this, and trademark availability is never black and white. 

 

Lea Chu is Group Director of Naming at Siegel+Gale.