Science of naming a brand

The Importance of a Name :

A name can inspire, excite, motivate and entice.
It is very critical that the brand carries the right name
A good brand name gives a good first impression and evokes positive associations with the brand
A good name provides clarity and recognition

What is a good name?

Apple/Nike/Orange: Strong logos and easy to remember names but not connected to the type of business it does. Still consumers have to strong recollection of these brands
Federal Express/National Broadcasting Corporation: Manufacturer desires, consumer decides. A good name hence is Fed Ex and NBC
Duracell: signifies a quality of the product like durability. Another example being Stronglas

Naming Process

The Marketing Filter

Define the product’s features, functions and benefits, the qualities that would appeal most to customers, how the product differs from competition

Ex: The word “Power “ or “Speed “defines high octane fuel with certain essential qualities as opposed to a flat, unleaded fuel.

Semantic filter
Its important to find out will the name work in the global market place?
Negative connotations, tongue twisting challenges and cultural and religious affronts are frequent foreign language hazards
Federal Express in Latin American countries, “Federal” conjured a negative image of “federals”

Phonetic filter:

The phonetics filter incorporates pronunciation, readability, rhythm, tone and vowel/consonant arrangement.
Ex: Super Shell is simple to pronounce and not Shell Super!

Sound symbolism filter:

We have to keep in mind that a corporate or brand name is often seen not heard, so it is important to consider how it will look on packaging, letterhead, signs, websites etc

Legal filter:

It is important to find out if it is legally available.

The Do’s and Don’ts of naming

A brand name has to be memorable, distinctive, easy to pronounce and work globally
Keep it simple. The longer a word is the less likely you are to remember it
Avoid clichés like ultra, pro, global hi tech, as they have used too often
Coined words have been successful Pentium, OXO
Reinvent a real word. Apple has nothing to do with technology much like Shell and petroleum

ORIGIN OF SOME BRAND NAMES

Abbreviations / Acronyms :FedEx, Telco, Unisys, Microsoft, IBM, Amul, KFC
Arbitrary : Apple, Orange, Tamarind
Classical : Maruti, Ganga, Ashok
Foreign Languages : Samurai, Sansui
Founders : Godrej, Bajaj, Gillette
Symbolism : Mustang, Tiger Biscuit
Combination/Semantic : Nutrasweet ,Victorinox, Pagemaker
Oxymoron : True Lies, Intimate Strangers Lowe Alpine
Descriptive : Pudin Hara , Hajmola , Airbus , Duracell, Energizer
Gods Name: Dhanlakshmi Bank, Lord Krishna Bank