brand-naming-strategies

# Brand Naming Strategies

Quick reference for strategic brand naming using expert methodologies from Lexicon, Eat My Words, Catchword, and Igor.

> "A name should make you smile instead of scratch your head. If it makes you scratch your head, scratch it off the list." — Alexandra Watkins

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## Key Statistics

- **2.5x increase** in company value after Emode renamed to Tickle (4 months)
- **30% traffic increase** from name change alone
- **2 syllables** = optimal for memorability
- **1,000-3,000 candidates** needed before finding gems (Lexicon)

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## The SMILE & SCRATCH Framework (Alexandra Watkins)

### SMILE — 5 Qualities of a Great Name

| Letter | Quality | Description | Example |
|--------|---------|-------------|---------|
| **S** | Suggestive | Evokes something about your brand | Amazon suggests vastness |
| **M** | Memorable | Makes an association with the familiar | Apple connects to something everyone knows |
| **I** | Imagery | Aids memory through evocative visuals | Jaguar creates immediate mental picture |
| **L** | Legs | Lends itself to extended wordplay and branding | Nike allows "Just Do It" mythology |
| **E** | Emotional | Moves people | Patagonia evokes adventure |

**"Legs" Explained**: A name should provide "a theme with mileage you can build a brand around."

### SCRATCH — 7 Deal Breakers

| Letter | Deal Breaker | Red Flag |
|--------|--------------|----------|
| **S** | Spelling Challenged | Looks like a typo |
| **C** | Copycat | Sounds like existing brand |
| **R** | Restrictive | Limits future growth (Boston Market) |
| **A** | Annoying | Forced, excessive wordplay |
| **T** | Tame | Flat, descriptive, uninspired |
| **C** | Curse of Knowledge | Speaks only to insiders |
| **H** | Hard to Pronounce | If people avoid saying it, they avoid you |

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## Sound Symbolism Quick Guide (Lexicon/Placek)

| Sound | Psychological Impact | Example Names |
|-------|---------------------|---------------|
| **V** | Vibrant, alive | Corvette, Ver