Naming a Brand in 5 Easy Steps

The right name transmits what a company does and has communicative value for the user

The process of choosing a name for your brand can be summarised in five key points. Xavier Grau (@xgrau) has over 20 years of experience in this field. Today, he presents the questions you need to be asking yourself when you undertake this task.

1. Focus

During this process, you aren’t looking for one name but looking for lots of different names related to a topic. When you search for just one name, you are constantly censoring yourself, telling yourself, "this name works, this one doesn't.” This makes the process very frustrating. Approach the task with the mindset that you are generating lots of different options, instead of struggling to find the name.

2. Information

Know the information you need to arrive at the right name choice: who is your client, understand their vision, their brand value, and keep in mind the names that already exist in the same market. Google is your go-to assistant; with a quick search, you will pull up the names of companies against whom you need to stand out and differentiate yourself from. Names represent who you want to be, not who you already are.

3. How to generate names

Stay 100% focused on the naming process… all day long! You never know when the name will appear. Write down everything you can think of, don't censor yourself. Everything has potential. Searching for names consists of skimming publications, blogs, websites... looking everywhere you can, always searching for names that fit your theme.

4. Decide

This requires deciding which names fit the brief you have been given. Select the ten most suitable names. There will always be some on the list that grab your attention and stand out more than the others. Don't forget to check the Registrar of Trademarks to confirm that your options are available to register.

5. Presentation

You will need to present the names to the client. You should explain your method, showing how you worked, and arrived at your final options to convince the client why they work. This is so that the client can then choose the best option. A great tip is to present the names in a physical format, such as printing them out and placing them on the table so that the client can see the different options.

Xavier Grau teaches the course, Naming: The Art of Name Creation, the best way to learn about the best process and method for creating a brand name.

You may also like:

–Strategy and Creativity to Design Brand Names, a course by Ignasi Fontvila
–Branding and Identity: Construction and Development of a Brand, a course by Saffron
–Branded Content and Content Curation for your Personal Brand, a course by Carla González & Eva Morell