Whether it’s for a company, product, or property, coming up with the right name is no small task. But it’s one we’ve refined over the years with a proven process that’s led to over 150 successful names in the past decade.

Naming: Where Creativity Meets Strategy

Let’s be honest: naming can be tough. If you’ve ever tried to name a business or product before, you know the struggle of finding something that’s not only catchy but also meaningful and aligned with your brand. That’s why we approach naming the same way we approach all creative work: with a solid strategy.

While the name should be creative, fun, and memorable, it also needs to have a reason behind it. This is why we always develop the Brand Strategy first—it gives us a foundation and a way to measure whether a name truly fits the brand’s goals and identity.

Where We Begin: The Process

Once we’ve nailed down the Brand Strategy and have a clear understanding of your goals, preferences, and any guardrails, we dive into the creative process. We start by developing what we call “buckets.” These are broad categories that help us explore different directions for your name.

For example, we might create buckets based on:

• History
• Famous artists or cultural references
• Active, energetic words
• Calming or soothing themes

Within each bucket, we brainstorm dozens of names—usually anywhere from 40 to 100. While many will get cut, this gives us a solid starting point. From there, we vet the names, narrowing them down to 10–20 finalists that feel right for your brand.

The Gauntlet: Vetting Your Name

This list of finalists then goes through what we call “the gauntlet.” We’ll run searches to make sure the name isn’t already taken or in conflict with existing trademarks, do some basic SEO research to see if the name will work in the digital space, and assess whether any names could be prohibitively expensive to rank for online.

Only the names that pass through this vetting process will make it to you. In Round 1, we usually present six to eight names, casting a wide net to include options that feel both safe and bold.

Naming Rounds: Refining the Options

While it’s possible we’ll strike gold in the first round, more often than not, we go through additional rounds. The goal with each round is to narrow the focus, honing in on what resonated in the first set of names and what didn’t quite hit the mark. By working through these rounds, we can dive deeper into fewer but more refined directions.

And don’t worry—we’re used to the question, “What if we go several rounds and still don’t have the right name?” The beauty of working from a solid Brand Strategy is that we always have that roadmap to refer back to. If something feels off, we can recalibrate and get back on track.

Final Steps: Trademarking and Legal Considerations

Once you’ve chosen a name, you can feel confident that it’s gone through a thorough vetting process. But we always recommend taking it one step further. While we’ll run some initial checks, it’s important to bring the name to a Trademark Attorney to ensure everything is clear from a legal perspective. Even if you don’t plan to trademark it, it’s crucial to know that the name is safe to use.

And That’s a Wrap!

With a name in place, you’re ready to move forward with confidence, and the real fun begins: building out your brand.

For more on the next phase of our creative process, check out this article.