How to Coin a Great Brand Name: 7 Tips & Tricks

coin a brand name
Brand name
As the first point of call between a company and the outside world brand names are powerful weapons in the marketing armory of a business. Your brand name is how customers and competitors know you and coining a great brand name might seem like a daunting task. Here are 7 tips and tricks that you can use to coin your very own brand name that sells and how!

What Do You Sell?

Your business is about your products and services which is why going with a name that signifies what you sell is a great idea. If Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks Coffee leave little to the imagination as to what the buyer is likely to find when he/she walks in to your store going with such an approach to a brand name is a great idea. This is why my last post gave the thumbs up to… Just Baked and Baker’s Basket, no prizes for guessing what sells here.

What Do You Stand For?

Does your business stand for a certain cause or movement? Then that could be your theme for coining a name. The Green Stove, a venture that caters to a niche market comprising people who are looking for vegan food alternatives while advocating the cause of a truly vegan lifestyle. Or eCoexist, a for profit social enterprise that is committed to creating eco-friendly products has a name that symbolizes coexistence with the environment.

Care for Some Drama?

An element of drama in a brand name never fails to arouse curiosity about the business. People want to know more about what the company is all about simply because it has a name that they have never heard before. That’s the case with The Hungry Fish, social media consultancy firm with a name that is best described as “out of the box”.

How About Some Magic?

Man has always been fascinated with the unexplained and the enchanted which is why magic still draws so many people. Two magical names that come to mind are the Sweet Chariot and Masala Trails. The names are enough to conjure up images of all things magical and enchanting aptly connected with sweet delights on sale at the former and spicy holidays off the beaten track with the latter.

Acronyms Anyone?

Commonly used acronyms can be turned in to successful brand names simply because they are already well know (albeit in other forms) and are easy to remember. One venture that has got this right is, ASAP (Any Surprise Any Place) a venture that specializes in customized gifting solutions. Ruchi Chopra, the lady behind the venture has used the acronym “As Soon As Possible” to her advantage and how!

Care for Bilingual Names?

Taking the bilingual route to coining brand names is certainly not something new. That is precisely why I rate it as a great time tested way of creating memorable brand names. Librarywala.com, the online circulating library has made good use of the bilingual approach. “Librarywala”, “wala” in India is a term attached to any vendor. The name is an interesting blend of the English “Library” and Hindi “wala”.

How About Shock & Surprise?

A wry sense of humor and an element of shock in their designs shine out of the works of Brijesh Dahiya and Kuldeep Singh, the duo behind Gulabo Chhap Design Works. Eccentricity shines out of their lineup of products that are crafted to shock! Depending on what you sell and who you target, shock and surprise may work to create brand names that raise eyebrows!

Having said that which of these tips and tricks to use will depend on… your product/service and target market. Should you find these tips and tricks useful I’d love to hear about your experiences and the names you come up with. Till then… Happy coining!