How To Name Anything
Usually, when you’re starting out, you might pick a name that tells people exactly what you do.
“Let's just have the name be what our products/services are.”
This might seem like a good idea, but it can cause problems down the road.
A year later, as your business grows, you learn more about your customers.
You learn how your products/services should change.
The name you chose no longer fits.
It doesn’t make sense anymore, and it’s limiting you.
Now, you have to change everything.
Don’t be that person.
Do this instead:
the naming process
1. Start by looking at your target audience.
These are the people who have a problem you’re solving.
The more you get to know them, the easier it is to connect, relate, and help them.
Understand basic things about who they are, their circumstances and situations.
Example:
People who use food delivery apps and are between 18 and 54 years old.
They live in cities and earn up to $75,000 a year.
2. Understand their fears and desires.
What are their challenges, prejudices and deeply held beliefs?
What are their assumptions? What’s their worldview?
How do they feel about the thing you’re trying to help them with?
Example:
▫️Fess are high and not worth the inconvenience
▫️Customer service doesn’t exist or is ran by bots
▫️Incorrect orders and late deliveries
▫️Inconsistent menus and prices
3. Develop a solution to help them overcome those fears and achieve their desires.
Ideally, this is the thing that you’re trying to name.
This is your product, or service, or business.
It solves the problem they’ve been dealing with.
Example:
A drone system that quickly and efficiently delivers food to your doorstep.
The benefits are:
▫️Reduced wait times
▫️Improved delivery accuracy
▫️Absolutely no delivery fees.
4. Consider how you behave, how you speak, and what makes you different.
This is what helps you stand out.
It’s what makes you uniquely you.
You want to take this into account when coming up with ideas so the words you’re researching are relevant to you.
Example:
Personality: Practical, Resourceful, Relatable
Tone of Voice: Playful, Curious, Clear, Genuine
Positioning: Get your food faster. Enjoy zero-fee drone delivery.
5. Define the most important things for your audience to remember about how you can help them.
6. Review all your info and write down as many ideas as possible.
A name is essentially a word.
Or two.
(Any longer, it gets harder to remember)
It makes sense that your name will come from words.
All the words from the previous steps make up your naming bucket.
Research every word to find inspiration.
7. Check legal/domain availability.
Out of all the ideas, pick a shortlist of your absolute favorites.
These are the ones that make you so happy, you can already see the logo.
You want to check them for availability, one by one.
Use your country's trademark office site (USPTO for the US, EUIPO for the EU) to make sure no one owns it.
Use a WHOIS database (ICANN) to make sure the url exists.
Use a username search tool (Namechk) to make sure social media handles aren’t taken.
It’s best to seek the advice of a trademark lawyer to make sure you're making the right decision based on your location and circumstances.
8. Choose the best idea, based on availability.
Example: SkyDine.
This name conveys a sense of speed, convenience and efficiency.
It hints at a forward-thinking approach to food delivery.
Conclusion
Your name sets the tone.
It's the first impression on potential customers.
It's the first chance you get to tell a story and deliver your message.
A strong name can:
▫️Help you stand out
▫️Build trust/credibility with customers
▫️Drive more sales and revenue
On top of that, it can have a significant impact on SEO, making it easier for people to find you online.
A shitty name might:
▫️Confuse people
▫️Limit your recognition
▫️Create legal issues and cost you money
Put time, thought, and effort into finding the right name.
Find one that accurately reflects your brand and resonates with your audience.
If you need help, I’m available for a naming project.