Choosing a name for your brand
Author: yinkaolaito
Yinka Olaito is happy,excited and passionate Brand Communication, Social Media expert, Trainer and speaker. Yinka Olaito helps brands(Profits and Non-profits)with effective communication and positioning for premium service delivery and returns.Yinka Olaito also has special interest in Development Communication and has consulted for noted UN Agencies. Yinka Olaito is the CCO of Michael Sage consulting and African Child Right Inc.Lagos Nigeria
A name is important for an individual as well as a corporate brand. It is what one hears for the most part of his life, existence. Choice of that name must therefore be picked with a lot of carefulness. A name is important to determine a brand success and likeability. A name sometimes supplies the missing fantasy for emotional attachment
A long and difficult to pronounce name may put a brand in jeopardy. Today, let us examine some relevant stuffs that can help in choosing a brand’s name.
1. Distinctiveness: This has to do with uniqueness, individuality of the name. Is the name unique, does it stand out? Or does it promote, sound like another person’s or brand’s name?
2. Brevity: is the name short? Long name do not help much. Experts have suggested a one syllable or two at most as great. You can check this out. Think of great personal brands’ name or corporate, product and see how it goes with them. For personal brand, the first name should not be too long, because this what people call most than the surname. I must admit there is room for disruptive creativity if you want to.
3. Appropriateness: Is the name appropriate for the niche? Does the name scream against the norm? This may be an advantage sometimes though. In politics, for most countries, a known, appropriate name often carries the votes. But today disruptive tendencies are coming up. Barrack Hussein Obama may not look like it before in the United States of America but today story is changing.
4. Easy Spelling: this is really important. Great name that ensures success must be easy to spell. It also makes it easy for easy pronunciation. Long names are often difficulty to pronounce for non-native. If your brand will go global, think about this. This has become much more necessary for first name in personal branding.
5. Likability: is the name amiable, friendly, does it sound pleasant and loveable to the niche community?
6. ‘Extendabilty’: This goes more with product, services or corporate brand than for personal branding. This quality has to do with being extendable for a longer time.
7. Protectability: great names often enjoy protection from abuse and unnecessary invasion.
Having said these, do we think these are still important today; will this matter to you as brand or brand owner? Let me have your view.
Yinka,
I do agree with the points you have listed above on personal branding. If one consider great foot ball players like legendary PELE, Ronaldo, Ronaldino & Kaka, these names are all nicknames / shortened form of the full name. Most people do not know their full names because they are loooooong.
I think the reasons for choosing these names is for Brevity, easy spelling, likability, distinctiveness e.t.c.
There is no point going for a brand name that is tongue twisting especially when you are building an international brand. Make it simple!
Also if you consider great brands out there (cocacola, microsoft e.t.c), all of them are have patented / protected.
Keep up the good work man!
Great update I actually didn’t know that! Glad to see you updating this even during these tough economic times.
Sarah,
Watch Daybreakers Online site admin, fellow blogger.
Great read, I did not know this!
JenniferSmith,
Site Admin watch UFC 109 online
Easily, the post is in reality the best on this worthy topic. I concur with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your future updates. Just saying thanks will not just be adequate, for the exceptional lucidity in your writing. I will instantly grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates. Fabulous work and much success in your business endeavors!
You should look at installing commentluv or disqus on your blog. This will make it dofollow and hence you will gain more traffic.
Hi – very good web site you have made. I enjoyed reading this posting. I did want to issue a comment to tell you that the design of this site is very aesthetically pleasing. I used to be a graphic designer, now I am a copy editor for a merchandising firm. I have always enjoyed functioning with computers and am trying to learn computer code in my free time (which there is never enough of lol).
this is going to be as great fight tonight. i found a site where you can watch ufc 109 online free http://topparked.com/ufc its free so save your money
Hi, I applaud your blog for informing people, very interesting article, keep up it coming
Howdy, I just wanted to let you know I have bookmarked your page because of your great blog layout (LOL). But truthfully, I think your website has one of the cleanest layout I?ve stumbled upon. It really makes your webpage easier on the eyes. I’ll be back when I free up some time.
I wish I could find the time to write consistantly at my blog, on a day to day basis, like you do. Nicely done! I look forward to your additional article.
Hi there I like your post
Hey, absolutlty love the site and will definatley be coming back in the near future!
Thanks for this info. Was doing a Google search and came across this blog. I liked it so much that I bookmarked it. Additionally, I will be coming back for more so be sure to keep posting!
Very Nice Read! Looking forward to more Bookmarked the blog. Was also wondering if anybody could point me to some related material. Thanks in advance.
Hi, please could you let me know how to integrate your news in my rss reader, i can?t find here the rss symbol…
@ Arlena, Click on RSS feed and subscribe
Hello, first of all this is a well done blog, but i don?t know how to integrate your news in my rss feed reader, i can?t find the rss symbol… For me it is the easiest way to have a look at the interesting blogs…
Excellent post. As always I enjoy reading your posts…
Hello. Great job. I did not expect this on a Wednesday. This is a great story. Thanks!
I love this website, definitely some of the most applicable info i’ve found in a while. I discovered you guys by searching Google and im tickled to death that I did! Please keep up the brilliant blog entries and I will return again ! Check out my blog about the UFC and Pride if you get a chance, Watch UFC for free
i like your writing style btw ..
The topic Choosing a name for your brand | The Branding Gavel is absolutely new for me, but it´s very interesting. I have to read more about this topic and make me my own opinion. Thanks, Mary Wein
I would like to thank the author for his marvelous efforts. I always enjoy reading such articles which provides knowledge based information. Regards, Gita Werme
good info on mephedrone thanks
Interesting article. Where did you got all the information from.Great article,nice site!
WOW, thank you.I always wanted to write in my site something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
Thanks for this post
You have an active Twitter account? It truly would be interesting to keep up with your posts and stuff.
I’ve been looking for a while for some good blog post about Choosing a name for your brand | The Branding Gavel. Searching in Google I found this amazing site. After going over this article I’m very glad to say that I have finally found exactly what I was looking for. I will make sure to remember this website and check it out more often . Thanks!
I adore this blog, definitely some of the most beneficial information i’ve found in a while. I discovered you guys by searching Google and im tickled pink that I did! Please keep up the brilliant blog entries and I will visit this site forever ! Check out my blog about the UFC and MMA if you have a chance, Watch UFC for free , check out all kinds of knockout/highlight reels and the most recent battles!
Awesome post. I’m quite sure I will come back to your site in a week or so.