What’s in a name…
Duckie Dale, Pretty in Pink
"That's not a name, that's a major appliance." Ducky, Pretty in Pink
What's in a name? Mine. Pretty simple. Named after a street in London. A shopping street. IYKYN. Mom was on brand before I was born. Hated my name as a kid. Then, a relatively unknown author came out with the "Official Preppy Handbook," and there was my name, loud and proud. I was already preppy (it was the 80s), so that fit, too. And then the movie. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Yes, I am Sloane Peterson. IYKYN.
That was my second lesson in brand. The first? The naming of my first company. "Dinner." Dad said, keep it simple. Zag.
The third lesson in brand, where I learned the value of brand, was a project with Herman Miller. A design brand. The honor and great responsibility of a brand to stay true to its roots.
What's the value of a brand's name? Don't Google it. You'll get lost.
Is it just the trademark or trademarks? Some call it an intangible asset. Nope. It's not a free service online where you type in something cute that you think stands for something.
It's the most tangible asset you have. And yet, it's often the most overlooked. Made up words. Dropped vowels (don't do it). Requires a tagline to understand it. No homework was done while choosing the name (lots of interesting stories on bad names and trademark infringements). That’s for another blog post.
A student of Marty Neuemeier and Andy Starr, and a co-conspirator in Level C, I apply 7 principles (want more context, read The Brand Gap.
Is your name different than your competitors?
Is it brief, four syllables, or less?
Is it appropriate but not generic?
Is it easy to spell?
Satisfying to pronounce?
Suitable for “brandplay”?
Legally defensible
What’s the value of your name?
