Today’s Tip
Best Practice: Inquiring product names stand out and cause people to stop and think what is this product.
Today’s Article: Creating an Inquiring Product Name
Inquiring product names arouse interest or curiosity. They intrigue people. They cause people to stop and think “what is this product?” Examples: Victoria’s Secret (“A Stanford MBA named Roy Raymond chose the name Victoria to evoke the propriety and respectability associated with the Victorian era; outwardly refined, Victoria’s secrets were hidden beneath.”
Pros: Product name stands out and does arouse interest or curiosity. People associate inquiring names with products that stand out or are innovative.
Cons: May take more money and time for potential customers to connect with what the product is or does. A great tagline would help with this.
Other Examples: Bounty, Brawny, Carefree, Caress, Excellence, Inspiration, Intuition, Kiss My Face, Kisses, Krackel, Life Savers, Off!, Pampers, PayDay, Pop Rocks, Promise, Raid, Secret, or Sunny Delight
Brand Product Name Filter
The brand product name filter below will help you objectively evaluate how available and good a name is.
Number System: 0-poor, 1-fair, 2-good, 3-excellent.
___ Easy to Say and Pronounce
___ Easy to Remember
___ Easy to Spell
___ Name is Web-Ready: Exact Match Domain Name with no hyphen (Domain Search)
___ Trademark is Available (Trademark Search)
___ Available in Your State (Online check with your State Department of Incorporation)
___ Social Media Identity Availability (Example Facebook (B2C), LinkedIn (B2B), etc.)
___ Stands out from the Competition in a Favorable Way
___ Has no Negative Meanings (Example: when translated to a foreign market’s language)
___ Name Allows You to Add New Services or Products in the Future
___ Number of Points
Action Step: Make a list of inquiring words to create a product name that stands out. Take the list of words and start combining them until you come up with 1-3 that you like. Next go to the product name filter above to evaluate them.
Note: If you are having trouble coming up with a name that you like and is rated high by the brand filter, it may be time to look for an outside source to help you i.e. Ask the Expert.
Recommendation: In a branding process, it is important to look at name possibilities in different product name categories: Literal, Attribute, Legacy, Initials/Numbers, Word Combination, New Invented, Related, and Alliteration or Rhyme. This helps you expand they way you look at your product, to find the best name to connect with your target market, that stands out from the competition and reflects your brand position.
Additional Resources
Return to Product Naming Return to Brand Library Return to Brand Yourself
Your brand is your handle. The handle that opens the door to your business, its products and services. Brand Door is always open to you. “Easy access to expert branding”