Can’t decide on a name for your brand? Afraid it won’t quite capture what you’re all about? Fear not. In this blog post, I’ll be revealing my MECCA method which makes it a whole lot easier to come up with potential killer names for your brand. I’ll also be talking about the DSAL method which you can use for creating ideas.
A brand name is an important first impression! You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. It’s a problem when the name doesn’t fit the brand. Let’s make sure you razzle-dazzle anyone who crosses paths with your brand by nailing your brand name. Read on.
Deep meaning behind the name
Fun to say and easy to remember
Short, simple, and quick to say
Charming, likable, and original
Easily applied to different touchpoints
Nike → Greek word for the goddess of victory
Names that have meaning will impact customers and internal company culture.
Pringles → Fun to say and easy to remember
Great brand names have a great mouthfeel, it should be easy to pronounce, spell and remember.
Netflix → Short, simple, and quick to say.
Keep names below four syllables. If you don’t keep it short, clients will go ahead and shorten it for you anyway.
Starbucks → Charming, original, likable and different from its competitors
The best names have a personality behind them which gives it more depth and provoking thought.
Disney → Easily applied to different mediums in different ways
Find a name that can be easily applied to different marketing touchpoints, websites, content, merchandise, prints, and so on.
It’s pretty straightforward. Now, naturally, you might’ve already come up with names or have started to think about them. See if you can apply them to any of the four categories of my MECCA method. And if you still don’t have any ideas at the moment, no worries! There’s a second method that can also help you brainstorm some ideas. Let’s have a look.
Names that describe what the company does like Snapchat, PayPal, DirecTV, PlayStation, and Toys R Us
They set an evocative mood for the brand like Apple, Sky, O2, Red Bull and Uber
These are made up of words that have a strong memorable sound and have the potential to gain new meaning like Google, Skype, Kodak, Yahoo, and Rolex
These include founder names, nicknames, and organization acronyms that may be in use, even if not officially, like Ferrari, Chanel, Adidas, IBM and H&M
The DSAL method is another way you can come up with names for your brand. Just get your ideas down on paper!
It doesn’t matter if it makes sense or not. As you can see, some of the greatest and biggest names are made up of imaginary words or have simply put two words together to create their own. I would argue it’s more challenging naming your child than naming your brand. So if you’ve come up with names for your children, you already have an upper hand here! Anyway, let’s move on.
To summarize, you now know two different methods which are simple and effective in coming up with kick-ass, memorable, and punchy names for your brand.
Here’s what you need to do next:
Pick your favorite 4 from the 18, then ask for immediate feedback from people who fit your target audience profile.
I’ve spilled all the beans when it comes down to thinking of names for your brand or company using the MECCA and DSAL methods. All you need to do now is start thinking and start writing! If you keep brainstorming name ideas, one of them is sure to stick. No doubt about it. How long should it take you? Realistically, not too long. Don’t spend an eternity on this! It’s easy to get trapped in analysis paralysis when you’re thinking “what if it’s not good enough?” or “what if I don’t capture the essence of my brand?” among other disruptive thoughts.
That’s why you just write and seek feedback. You’ll know when you’ve struck a winner. How? You’ll feel it in your gut. Intuition is quite real!
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