The power of a strong name
How to: brand, service or product names that stick
21.05.2025
Choosing a name for your brand, product, or service. Once development is complete, the name can seem like a minor detail. But often, it’s one of the toughest—and most impactful—decisions you’ll make. A name is the start of everything: recognition, association, and emotion. It’s the first thing people hear, read, remember—or forget. And although a name doesn’t make your brand, it can definitely break or damage it. Especially if you get the process wrong.
In this blog, I’ll take you through:
- Why a name matters, but isn’t everything
- The risks of choosing the wrong name
- How your brand can benefit from a strong, fitting name
- How to brainstorm like a pro
Why a good name matters so much
Let’s start with a controversial insight: brands and organisations rarely fail just because they picked a bad name. Think of brands like Smeg, Wii, or Acne. Names we have opinions about, but that have become accepted and stuck nonetheless.
A mediocre name usually survives fine when paired with a good product or service, a strong strategy, and enough marketing budget. But the reverse? Got a brilliant idea but give it a meaningless or simply awkward name? That can definitely hold back your growth! Think of names that are hard to pronounce, meaningless, or don’t stand out in a crowded market. As I like to say: your name is the most unimportant yet essential decision.
What a good name can do for you
Got a winner? You know your name is strong when it:
- Stands out from the competition
- Provides direction and helps your target audience understand what you do or stand for
- Tells a story. Remember that names can convey meaning directly or evoke emotion, culture, or core values indirectly
- Truly fits your brand positioning and growth ambitions
Example: The Dutch brand Zalando Lounge originally started as a separate outlet channel called ‘Zalando Privé’. While that made sense for the French market, it was confusing in the Netherlands. The association with exclusivity, privacy, or even inaccessibility didn’t match the desired brand experience. Renaming the platform to ‘Lounge’ gave the brand a softer, more accessible feel in the Netherlands—while still suggesting temporary deals and a premium offering. This name better matched the feeling Zalando wanted to convey: tempting, approachable, and stylish.
A strong name has more impact than you might think at first glance. It’s one of the first signals of who you are as a brand—both externally and internally. A good name provides a foundation for your visual identity, tone of voice, and even product development. It helps customers understand more quickly and clearly what you do, and why you’re the right choice for them. A strong name makes your brand memorable—and talkable.
The risks of choosing the wrong name
Choosing the wrong name can bring confusion you don’t want and actively hinder your brand’s growth. If your name is confusing or says nothing about your brand, potential customers may have already lost interest before they even explore your offering. Sometimes that’s because a name is too generic, causing you to disappear in a sea of competitors. Or the name is so abstract or complicated that nobody remembers it, spells it wrong, or mispronounces it.
And what about legal risks? Does your name resemble a competitor’s too closely, or is it already trademarked? Then you risk forced rebranding or even costly legal claims. Lastly, the wrong name often limits your growth. Think of names that only work in one language or sector, or that describe your offering so narrowly that expanding into other products or audiences in the future becomes tricky.
In short: a bad name costs you not only brand recognition but also credibility, flexibility, and potentially market share over time. A name that doesn’t fit, is too generic, or causes confusion can seriously hold your brand back.
The biggest risks of a wrong name at a glance:
- Confusion: your audience doesn’t understand what you do or thinks you’re something else
- Forgettability: your name doesn’t stick, so neither does your brand
- Not distinctive or unique: you resemble competitors too closely or infringe trademarks
- Limited growth potential: your name rules out future expansion or international ambitions
How to come up with strong, fitting name
A good name rarely happens by accident. It’s the result of creativity and structure. A mix of strategic choices, free association, and critical reflection. The process to find a name is not just a creative exercise but a strategic journey. Because a name shouldn’t just sound good, it must also fit what your brand stands for, where it’s going, and how it’s perceived.
Ready to get started naming your brand, product, or service? Follow these steps:
1. Set clear parameters and make choices
A name doesn’t have to say everything. Start by making decisions:
- Do you want an abstract or more descriptive name?
- Should it be an existing word or something completely new?
- Does the name need to work internationally?
2. Go all out during the brainstorm
Think wide. No time for tunnel vision. Write everything down: options that are cliché, crazy, brilliant, or questionable. All ideas are welcome. Ask yourself:
- Where does your brand come from?
- What do you do differently from others?
- What do you want people to feel?
- What is your role in your audience’s life?
3. Time for a reality check
Verify a few things thoroughly:
- Is the URL still available?
- Are the matching social media handles free?
- Are you not infringing someone else’s trademark?
- Is the name easy and consistent to pronounce in your key markets?
Pro tip: tools like Namecheckr, TMview and the Merkenregister BOIP can help here.
4. Make it visual
Names often come alive not only when you say them but also when you see them. Create mock-ups: your name on a billboard, in an app, or a social media post.
5. Make a conscious choose
When it’s time to pick the final name, first set clear evaluation criteria. The key checklist:
- Does the name fit the brand strategy?
- Is it distinctive enough?
- Is it easy to pronounce?
- Can you build a strong story around it?
Conclusion
Your name might seem like just a few letters. But those few letters can make the difference between brands that stand out and those that get forgotten. A good name increases your brand’s relevance, recognition, and impact. So take it seriously. Don’t get paralysed by choice stress. If you get stuck or want a second opinion, reach out. We’re happy to help.
How Redkiwi helps you find a strong name - and an even stronger brand
As a strategic digital agency, we don’t just help you find a good name—we help build a brand that works from A to Z.
Our Brand Strategists first help you lay the right foundations. That means: formulating a clear brand positioning that guides all the choices to come—including your name. From that positioning, we think about what type of name suits your brand, audience, product or service, brand personality, industry, and strategy. What should it express? What role does your brand play in your audience’s life? Which associations and feelings should it activate?
We’re happy to help you:
- Sharpen your brand strategy and positioning
- Think in fitting naming routes based on that strategy
- Brainstorm, filter, check, and choose
- Bring your name to life visually
From the first brief to the launch of your new name, we’re with you—advising, adjusting, and challenging where needed. Together, we build a brand that doesn’t just look good on paper but lives in the minds (and hearts) of your audience.
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