THE 12 THINGS THAT MAKE A GOOD BRAND NAME
I you've ever tried to come up with a brand name before, you know the list of boxes that the name has to tick is huuuuuge. There are all of the legalities and logistical things, but there are a bunch of creative aspects that need to make the cut too. So, here's my checklist for creating brand names that are straight FIRE.
1. It’s not too literal
Good brand names aren't too specific about what the brand does. "Bob's Tyre Shop" is a perfect example of what not to do. You’d probably tell me I’m crazy if I pitched the name ‘Apple’ for a technology brand, because it has nothing to do with computers, but look where we are.
Such as: Apple, Nudie, Frank Green
2. It’s Memorable
It shouldn't be too wordy or complex. It should be stuck in your brain like an annoying song on the radio. Short and snappy is always a win.
Such as: Grill'd, Mecca, KeepCup
3. It passes the vibe check
It's gotta communicate the right energy, persona, and *vibes* of the brand. (This is one of the big reasons I changed my business name from Made By Chloe to Anotherside.)
Such as: Who Gives A Crap, Nike, Upstate
4. It’s future proof
Good brand names are able to expand into additional offerings down the road. Is this not the most genius brand name expansion you’ve ever seen?
Such as: Go-To, Bro-To, Gro-To
5. It makes sense to the average Joe
The best of the best brand names are something that just make sense. They're the type of names that you can hear and think "Oh, I totally get that" (but without being too obvious). Simply by hearing these brand names, it’s very likely you’ll be able to assume that Oatly has something to do with oats, Thankyou has something to do with kindness, and Gentle Habits has something to do with calmness and ease.
Such as: Oatly, Thankyou, Gentle Habits
6. It rolls off the tongue
There's something about a brand name that has a nice ring to it. Ever heard of the Kiki and Bouba phenomenon? It's a real thing.
Such as: Bonsoy, Holey Moley, Strava
7. It looks good
I've found that the fewer words in a brand name, the better, and the fewer letters in each word, the better. Any more than three words in a brand name and we've hit tricky territory. Three words itself is where it starts to err on the side of trickiness in terms of design. You know what else can get super tricky - when you've got a brand name that might have 3 letters in one word, and 7 in the second word. I love a challenge, but hot damn - working with unbalanced numbers of letters is bloody hard. As designers, we're here to solve this problem, but there's only so much we can do when the letters in each word are super unbalanced.
8. It designs good
This is where the number of letters in a word, and the number of words in a brand name actually matter. And something not a lot of people realise - the shape of the letters matters too. A brand name that's comprised of letters like L, K, M, I, has a lot of straight lines and sharp corners, whereas letters that have lots of curves like U, 0, C, S are going to feel very different. It's like the Kiki vs. Bouba thing all over again.
And of course the logistical & legal things…
9. It’s good for SEO
We don't want to use combinations of words that are too common that it bites us in the bum when it comes to SEO.
10. It’s available on ASIC
If I had a dollar for every time I thought of a killer brand name but it wasn't available on ASIC, I'd be rich enough to buy a yacht and live on the Amalfi Coast for all of eternity.
11. The domains are available
A.com, .com.au, and a .au is the ultimate triple threat for Aus-based businesses. When they're all available you know you've hit the jackpot.
12. It doesn’t infringe on any existing trademarks
And perhaps the most important one: ensuring the name doesn’t infringe on any trademarks, within Australia or internationally. Anyone want a cease and desist? How about getting sued? No thank you! Always make sure you do a trademark search on IP Australia and WIPO to double check, and of course reach out to a trademark lawyer for legal advice and guidance.
