What’s In A Name?

Posted by Pinky on Apr 3, 2010 in Blog | 4 comments

From one guy named Pinky to another (I presume), I can tell you that names matter.

I like my name and the weird story that goes with it. It’s easy to remember. It’s so absurd, most people can’t help but do a double-take when they hear it, and when I hold up my little finger and say, “Pinky. Like your little finger,” the lightbulb goes on and the conversation can move forward.

But this post isn’t about my name. Or your name, for that matter. It’s about company names – the cornerstone of any brand.

I was compelled to write this post this morning because I am working on a business plan for a start-up that I have been contemplating for some time. Let’s just pretend that it involves weightloss, kittens and time-travel. (It actually does, so maybe we should pretend that it doesn’t.) At any rate, I often crack open the old laptop with the intention of making some real progress on the plan, only to be distracted by one major problem. It doesn’t yet have a name.

“No big deal,” you may say? Well my friend, you are an idiot. It is a very big deal. At least to me.

The actual feature-set of this kitten-powered, time-traveling, weightloss accelerator is very straightforward, as you can imagine. In fact, there are a few similar products out there already. But they all suck and I’m going to do it right. The trouble is, I can’t seem to get excited about a strong idea until I have a name to go with it. It needs a personality. And once it has one, it can whisper it’s secrets in my ear and tell me what kind of brand it wants to be. Zannie? Techy? Serious? Academic? Boring, yet functional? :sigh: I just don’t know yet.

In my opinion, having the “right” name is the most critical first-step in building a successful company. (Leave it to a branding guy, right?) I put it in the same context as having the right mission statement and/or slogan. You should be able to say in one sentence or less what your company stands for. Southwest is THE low fare airline. They famously make every decision according to that standard. And if a great idea doesn’t fit that mandate, it’s not really a great idea after all. And that’s what a name can do as well.

YouTube – a website featuring YOUR videos, not ours.
Bing – a poppy, different kind of search engine. Fast. Fun. It makes a sound when you say it. (Never under-estimate the power of onomatopoeia.)
Wii – WEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!
Under Armor – Your secret weapon. Strong, powerful, protective.
iPad – No wait. That one is terrible. Forget I mentioned it.
Air Jordan – The most successful shoe brand in history. They LITERALLY make you fly. (If your last name is Jordan and you play for the Chicago Bulls in the 90′s.)

I could go on. (And did in my brain for like half an hour after I started writing this.) But the point is, your name – the way it looks, the way it sounds and what it communicates subconsciously as well as literally, is such an important component of the final product, I find it extremely difficult to get past page-one on a business plan without one.

So what do you guys think? Any perfect names for a super-useful website for fat kittens with guilt issues?