Make It Memorable: Tips for Creating an Effective Brand Name

How to create a brand name

Creating an effective company name can take a lot of effort. However, with the right strategies in place, you can select the perfect name to identify your brand. 

1. Don’t get cute with your brand name.

Over the past few years, the trend in startup branding has been to develop a clever name that sounds like a real word but is actually contrived by combining other words. This works in specific situations — think Spotify or Snapchat — but it’s not necessarily the best strategy for all companies. 

Getting too cute can often hurt your business’s ability to grow. For the best results, choose a more straightforward name. Here are some tips:

• Make your brand name easy to spell: Even if you’ve made up the word, it must be easy to spell. For example, if you heard the name Spotify without seeing it written out, you could probably spell it easily. However, if you were asked to spell the name Saucony (pronounced SOCK’-a-nee) without ever seeing it, you might hesitate. Unclear spelling can pose a problem when customers search for products online or share the brand name with friends.
• Ensure your brand name is easy to pronounce: Your brand name should be easy to pronounce. Having a brand name that’s frequently mispronounced isn’t ideal. Take Guerlain, for example: Most people pronounce the brand name “Grrr-lane,” when it’s actually “Gher-lahn.”

If you can develop a brand name that’s easy to spell and pronounce, you’ll be well ahead of many of today’s startups and small businesses.

2. Aim for simplicity

One-word brand names are always ideal. They’re memorable, strong and relatable. If you think about some of the most successful and recognizable businesses in the world — Target, Amazon, Apple — they all have one-word names.

“Stick to one to two syllables when possible,” advised Remy Church, marketing manager at Celo Health. “Think Stripe, Slack or Lyft. These are easy to say, spell and remember.”

Sometimes, you have to invent a word — such as Twitter or Google — but the effect is the same. A two-word name is acceptable when one word isn’t an option, but avoid going with three or more words if possible. Long names complicate everything from choosing a business domain name to creating product packaging.

“Simplicity also scales across languages, cultures and digital platforms,” noted Christena Garduno, CEO of Media Culture. “A simple name gives flexibility in design, marketing and storytelling. It doesn’t get in the way of the brand’s evolution — it grows with it.”

Simple names are also more likely to inspire customer trust. In an oft-cited NYU study of 700 stocks that traded between 1990 and 2004, researchers found that companies with simple names earned 11 percent more than those with difficult-to-pronounce names.

This results from several factors:

• Simple names appear more truthful than complex names. 
• Simple names are easier to remember and require less effort to process than complex names. 
• Simple names convey integrity and competence to consumers.

3. Think carefully about your logo.

Business owners typically think about their logo after selecting a brand name, but it’s also important to consider designs when brainstorming name ideas. Your brand name and logo will become synonymous, so they can’t be considered independent components.

“The name and logo must speak the same language — visually, emotionally and conceptually,” Garduno explained. “The name sets the foundation, but the logo is the visual signature. Together, they must reflect the brand’s personality, industry and purpose.”

Also, consider whether you’ll use a specific script or font to create a textual logo, like Coca-Cola or Facebook, or opt for an abstract logo, such as Apple or Target. 

“For example, Apple pairs its clean, minimalist name with an iconic, simple logo,” Garduno said. “The alignment between the two reinforces the brand’s values: innovation, ease and design excellence.”

Garduno emphasized the importance of a logo effectively representing a brand’s essence, not just aesthetically, but symbolically. “When the name says one thing and the logo says another, the brand feels disconnected,” Garduno explained. “The most successful brands create complete visual systems where everything — font, icon, color, name — reinforces a unified identity.”

These decisions may not directly affect the logo, but they can help you choose between two or more options.

4. Consider future growth.

While you may specialize in a particular product now, you don’t want to limit your company to selling only that product forever. The wrong brand name can seriously hamper your ability to scale in the years to come.

For example, let’s say your startup sells cat food. Using the brand name “Cat Food Inc.” doesn’t give you much room to expand into, for example, dog food. However, if you went with the brand name “Healthy Pets Inc.,” you’d have room to expand food and product lines.

This sort of thing happens all the time. For example, Boston Market used to be called Boston Chicken. Then, it wanted to add other types of foods to the menu and had to embark on a rebranding exercise that cost the company more than $14 million. It’s best to get it right from the beginning. 

Church cautioned that companies also need to consider locations and scalability when choosing the right name.

“When brainstorming names, I always advise avoiding anything too narrow, like including a specific city or product type, unless you’re certain you’ll never pivot,” Church said. “For example, naming your brand ‘Seattle Smoothies’ limits you if you expand nationally or start selling protein bars. Choose something flexible that allows room for growth as your offerings or audience evolve.”

5. Secure social media accounts with your brand name.

Just as it’s crucial to reserve a domain name with your brand name, you should scoop up other digital versions of your brand name. For example, you’ll want to build a social media presence for your brand name, so lock down your X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram accounts.

“Use tools like Namechk or KnowEm to instantly check if your brand name is available across major platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok,” Church advised. “Consistency across your domain and social handles builds brand recognition and makes it easier for customers to find you. If the exact handle isn’t available, consider slight variations, but avoid ones that could confuse your audience.”

If your brand name isn’t available on platforms you want to use for social media marketing, you may even want to rethink the name.

6. Consider your company values.

When seeing your brand name, potential customers should get a sense of what your company is about. For example, IMPACT is the name of an award-winning marketing agency. Its goal is to create the maximum impact for its clients. The company reinforces this message by writing the name in all capital letters. Another example is Whole Foods, which implies natural, unprocessed food choices.

7. Prioritize uniqueness.

The strongest brand names are distinctive. When someone hears your brand name, they should associate it only with your company’s products or services. 

“It must be unique and relevant,” Garduno advised. “Unique doesn’t mean strange. It means ownable. A unique name helps secure domain names, social handles and most importantly, mindshare.”

While you want to be unique, steer clear of descriptive words related to your product, such as “Yummy Yogurt” or “Durable Tires.” However, you can combine words to create a descriptive brand name, such as “Yumgurt” or “DuraTire.” 

“But don’t chase uniqueness at the expense of clarity,” Garduno cautioned. “The most powerful names feel inevitable in hindsight. Google didn’t just invent a word — they created a behavior. Prioritize uniqueness, but make sure it communicates the right energy, emotion and connection to your space.”

Gather your team to brainstorm the characteristics, values and emotions associated with your brand offering. Then, try these strategies: 

• Word combinations: Examples of word-combination brand names include PayPal and Snapchat.
• Spelling changes: Examples of spelling changes in brand names include Chick-fil-A and Fiverr.
• Alliteration: Examples of brand names that use alliteration include Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme.
• Rhymes: Examples of brand names that use rhyming include GrubHub and Reese’s Pieces.
• Metaphors: Examples of brand names that use a metaphor include Nike and Quartz.
• A related word: Use a single word that is related but not directly descriptive, like Google or Amazon.
• An unrelated word: Use a single word that’s not related at all, like Square or Apple.
• Word play: Use a homophone or pun, such as “Sugar Bare Waxing Studio” or “Wild Hare Salon.”
• Founder’s name: Use the founder’s name, like Kellogg’s or Hilton. Naming your brand after yourself isn’t usually recommended, as establishing a memorable brand can be costly for the business. However, it’s still possible if you want to devote the time and money to build your brand under that name.

8. Ensure that your brand name is memorable.

Your brand name must be memorable so that consumers and potential customers can easily find you and recommend you to others. If you sell in a retail environment, a memorable name helps customers locate you among a sea of competing products.

Garduno explained that memorability comes from alignment and consistency across every touchpoint. “What makes Nike memorable isn’t just the name. It’s the message behind it — the ‘Just Do It’ campaign, the Swoosh, the athletes, the lifestyle,” Garduno said. “It’s a name backed by intention and executed with clarity. Brands that are unforgettable have a full brand campaign strategy where the name, logo, voice and experience are all in sync. That’s what makes a name stick.”

Here are the factors that go into a memorable brand name:

• Meaning: Your brand name should conjure some kind of meaning in customers’ minds, whether it’s product-related or a characteristic your brand embodies.
• Emotion: Your brand name should have an emotional component. Many brands evoke a feeling. Some, like Disney, create this emotion through associations over time, but others have it baked into the brand name. For example, QuickBooks conveys ease of use. HomeGoods combines two words, each with a positive connotation. Sandals Resorts invokes a casual, laid-back atmosphere.
• Uniqueness: The name you choose should be very different from those of competing products or companies. If it’s similar to an existing brand name, that brand should be in a totally different industry or make a product with a different target market to avoid confusion. Standing out from the competition is vital.

Church advised testing whether your brand name is memorable to more than just you and your team. “Test it in a sentence or ask friends to repeat it 24 hours later,” she said. “If they can’t remember it, your customers won’t either.”

9. Check your brand name’s availability.

Before settling on a name, you must check if it’s available. Ignoring this crucial step can be an expensive and embarrassing mistake. Take these steps to check your potential brand name’s availability: 

1. Do a trademark search: Run the name through the S. Patent and Trademark Office’s trademark database. This free tool will tell you if there are any registered trademarks or pending applications for the name you want to use. “Before you get attached to a name, run a quick search on the USPTO trademark database and check domain availability on platforms like GoDaddy or Namecheap,” advised Church.
2. Run keyword searches: The next step is to run some targeted Google keyword searches. Put your brand name in quotation marks and conduct a handful of queries. Look for any results that may raise concerns or warrant further investigation.
3. Do a corporate name search: If it’s a company name, you should also check the Department of Corporations registry in the state where you plan to start your business. You can find the right tool online by searching for “corporate name search [your state].”
4. Register your brand name: If your name is in the clear, protect it by registering your trademark with the government. Although you can do this online, you may want to consult a trademark attorney first, as the rules can be complicated. To be as prepared as possible, consider intellectual property insurance to cover the legal costs associated with trademark infringement. “I’ve seen founders fall in love with a name, only to find it’s trademarked in their category or the .com is owned by a reseller asking $10K+,” Church noted. “A great name is only valuable if you can legally own it and build your brand around it.”

What is a brand name?

A brand is an intangible marketing concept that’s used to identify a product, service, group of products or services, or the company as a whole. A brand name is what you choose to call the brand; it consists of both the spelling and the pronunciation.

The brand name is an integral part of a business’s brand identity and overall marketing plan. A brand identity may include a logo (which might incorporate the brand name or be a stand-alone graphic), a slogan or tagline, a color scheme or an aesthetic.

Brand names often give prospective customers an idea of what the company or product does or what characteristic it possesses. Here are some famous examples:

• Amazon: Amazon is another word for a mythical race of tall warrior women, so it hints at the concept of “big.” Because it contains the letters “a” and “z,” it also suggests having everything possible. This idea is shown in the company’s logo, which connects the “a” and “z” with an arrow smile.
• Nike: In ancient Greek mythology, Nike was the winged goddess of victory, suggesting competitiveness, victory and speed. The brand’s famous swoosh logo also reinforces the concepts of speed, movement and a wing.

Some companies have multiple product groups, each represented by a brand under their umbrella, and are marketed separately with distinct value propositions. For example, this is the case with General Motors, which includes the brands Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick and GMC.

Launch your brand today

Branding is a critical component of launching a business. With more businesses being created every day, a distinct, memorable brand name can set your company apart from the competition. As you move through the brand-naming process, keep an open mind and don’t rush your decision. Rebranding is an expensive proposition, so get it right the first time.

Amanda Hoffman contributed to this article.