The Name
A brand name is a legend in the making, a strong
cornerstone that will hold up the weight of the entity.
Steve Jobs named Apple “Apple” because he was on a fruitarian diet. He came back from a retreat and thought it sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating.” Apple is named for the feeling its founder wanted you to have when you interact with its products: this is easy, I can do it.
It wasn’t the obvious choice. Neither were Nike, Google, Uber, Airbnb nor Amazon. But they all tell a story about our culture. Each of them is a one-word epic, crystallizing not only what their brand does, but what it wants you to believe is possible.
“Every brand name comes with a mountain of opportunity behind it.”
Every brand name comes with a mountain of opportunity behind it. An iconic brand demands an immense amount of showing up in the world before it becomes a cultural phenomenon widely associated with its name. It took years for people to commonly say they “Googled” something or “Ubered” to an event (even if they took a Lyft). A brand name won’t do all of the work for you, but it’s wise to make sure it can at least do some of the heavy lifting. Then, whatever value attached to it will be more likely to take hold.
Creating a brand name is a task that should be approached carefully, with great intention. This is the beginning of the brand’s consumer-facing life, its inaugural advertisement. A brand name is a first impression. Choose wisely and it won’t be the last.