Finding the right name for a new product is important. On the supermarkets\u2019 crowded shelves or worse, the endless search feed of Amazon, there\u2019s intense competition for your customer\u2019s attention. Your product\u2019s name is usually the very first thing customers will encounter \u2014 and you already know what they say about first impressions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether your product is an app, a snack or a piece of software, it needs a name that shines. Apple\u2019s MacBook Air and Microsoft\u2019s Word are simple, powerful, and memorable while \u2018Milky Way\u2019 and \u2018Bounty\u2019 create an evocative, indulgent experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You have to pack a lot of information and emotion into a name. So I\u2019m going to let you in on the secret recipe for product naming. Read on and let\u2019s find out how to name a product<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word or phrase you give your product becomes the hinge around which your customers\u2019 relationships with that product move. A product name has to stick in the mind of your audience, connect the product with the gap it fills, and create an emotional resonance that makes shopping with your brand a more meaningful experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Product naming is challenging because a product name is so much more than a name. It must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Depending on your future plans, your product name might even have to work in a hundred languages around the world, and be modifiable for when your product inspires a spin-off range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A cautionary tale:<\/strong> when Ford launched a naming product for its new line of cars, internally nicknamed the E Car for its experimental design, they went through multiple iterations of naming. Unsatisifed with their advertising agency\u2019s 6000 suggestions and uninspired by poet Marianne Moore\u2019s offbeat ideas (including “Utopian Turtletop” and “Pastelogram\u201d) they settled on Edsel \u2014 named after Henry Ford\u2019s son Edsel Ford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To those working at Ford, the name made sense and connected to the E Car nickname they\u2019d been using. To customers, however, it was meaningless. They understood neither the connection to E Car, nor the implication of a family business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Edsel was a huge failure and saw Ford lose over $250 million (around $2.5 billion today). Ford disregarded the golden rules for product naming: don\u2019t make an Edsel error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Product naming choices determine the popularity, reach, and growth potential of your products. It\u2019s important, and you want to get it right, but there\u2019s no need to be intimidated. These product naming golden rules have been tried and tested through the ages, and by sticking to them you\u2019ll know exactly how to name a product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most likely, you\u2019re not just naming one product. You\u2019ll have a whole line of products, each one needs to fit into a coherent brand-building project. Apple\u2019s iPod, iPad, iMac, and iTunes create an immediately understandable range for consumers. A naming strategy allows you to build a coherent brand and streamlines the introduction of new products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A brand style guide<\/a> can help identify the character and tone the name should take \u2014 for example, cheeky and offbeat or elegant and luxurious. Follow the same process for every new product to create a range that works together. When Ford introduced the Edsel, it was joining the Mercury, Meteor, and Comet. It was a winning strategy, so why did they change it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you can name your product, you need to know the market you\u2019re entering. Are your competitors\u2019 products emphasizing cheap and cheerful affordability? If so, a luxury name will put you at odds with customer expectations and hamper a reputation for value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re lost in the naming process, it\u2019s easy to make false assumptions about the connotations a name will have for your customers. For Ford, Edsel equaled experimental, and implied family and history. For customers, it lacked any meaning altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not every product name has to tell customers what it is or does, but if it fits with your overall branding project, a functional product name can have a big impact. Google Docs and Microsoft Word are good examples of product names that are simple, explanatory, and memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good product name will integrate your product into your customers\u2019 lifestyle. Perfume names work to sound luxurious and provocative \u2014 see Black Opium, Goddess, Scandal, and Flowerbomb, as examples. Think about the context your customer is using your product: how do you want them to feel in that moment?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Nike\u2019s Dunk, Vision, Air, and Grind are all evocative sneaker names. These aren\u2019t just shoes that take you from A to B. With evocative product names they hint a the life you\u2019ll be living with these sneakers on your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every name we\u2019ve discussed so far, from sultry Scandal to plain old Google Docs is short, sharp, and memorable. A fun and catchy name will be far more effective at sticking in your customers\u2019 minds and ensuring that when they require your product they can recall it, find it, and buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a big difference between a name on a sheet of paper and a name being passed from customer to customer by word of mouth. You want your product to be shared and organically promoted, so the verbal is just as important as the visual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amazon was initially to be called “Cadabra” (as in \u2018abracadabra\u2019) until someone misheard it and thought the name was \u201ccadaver\u201d. Close call \u2014 would Amazon have been dead in the water with that original name?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to be creative, unique, and memorable, it\u2019s easy to forget the basics. If your customers have a hard time spelling and pronouncing your product name, you\u2019ll cripple searchability and shareability.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes an alternate spelling can work. Ride-sharing app Lyft swapped the \u2018i\u2019 for a \u2018y\u2019 and Crazee Burgers managed to make \u2018crazy\u2019 even\u2026 crazier with a double \u2018e\u2019. When an alternate spelling is common and coherent or emphasizes your brand, go for it. But don\u2019t go rogue. Switching an \u2018f\u2019 for a \u2018ph\u2019 will confuse your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With an estimated 2.6 million active trademarks<\/a> in the United States, being unique isn\u2019t easy but a product name that\u2019s yours and yours alone ensures you\u2019ll stand out on the shelves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While registered trademarks might be up for grabs for your product name if you\u2019re in a different region and industry, it can cause confusion, not least in search engines when users seek out your products online. Validate your name with our free Trademark Check Service<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n10 Golden Rules for Product Naming<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Follow a naming strategy for every product<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Research competitors and audience expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Make it functional<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Evoke an emotion or idea<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Be fun and catchy<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Test it out loud<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Be easy to spell and pronounce<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Be unique<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n