How do you distill the essence and identity of a brand into just a word or two? What separates an effective brand name from an ineffective one?
Successful brand names can communicate what a brand does, as well as how and why they do it, while also reflecting the key criteria that add to a name’s character and potential: originality, versatility, musicality and so on. How ownable is the name to your brand? Will it remain relevant if you expand your goods and/or services? Does it align with your target audience? How does it sound when you say it in a sentence? Your brand name should be easy to spell and pronounce—after all, you want people to tell their friends about your brand and easily find it on the internet.
The delicate art of naming requires careful consideration and strategic thinking. A well-crafted brand name has the power to evoke emotions, stir curiosity and resonate with consumers. In the ever-evolving world of branding, a name plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions and fostering brand loyalty. It becomes the cornerstone on which the entire brand experience is built.
As an experienced namer, I love to examine all of these questions—and then dive into the possibilities, exploring fresh and unexpected spaces until the perfect fits reveals itself, leaving the client feeling as though that name was always meant for their brand.
Brand Naming
What I Worked On:
Elari
GoodSam
Enzymates
Bravura
THRIVR
Elari
Fans of the formidable tuber known as the tigernut, the founders of Pastore Organics wanted to launch a refrigerated, plant-based tigernut milk in the U.S. market. Originally from Nigeria where tigernut consumption is commonplace, founders Kenny and Sola sought a name that would celebrate the delicious, nutrient-dense plant as well as the health-conscious community they hoped to foster, all while paying homage to their origins.
With this context in mind, I explored names that spoke to the benefits of the tigernut root—from its powerful nutrition to its regenerative nature—and names that spoke to the mission of the brand—from aspirational living and communal strength to explorations firmly rooted in West African culture.
The word elari comes from the Yoruba language, commonly spoken in West Africa—predominantly in Nigeria—where the tigernut is cultivated and beloved. Elari refers to the inner self or “inner seed.” It is the true root of the self, a nod both to the tigernut root and to the brand’s mission to inspire mindfulness around healthy living for ourselves, our families and the planet. I also provided the tagline for the brand—Tiny root. Mighty good.—which puts a clever spin on benefits and attributes of the product.
GoodSam
The founder of this brand came to us with a vision—to inspire people to not only eat healthier, but to care about where their food comes from and, by doing so, to support a brand that truly creates positive impacts in partnership with small farmers around the world.
Seeking to be a leader in Fair Trade and Organic, specifically in the snack category with nuts, fruits, and chocolate for conscious consumers in the USA, the brand needed a name that would communicate its lofty mission without feeling trite or heavy, a name that would mobilize its target audience to take action—after all, they wanted to sell tasty snacks!
GoodSam is a play on “good samaritan,” nodding to the emotional benefit for the consumer as they create more good in the world with every purchase. And, bonus points on this one—the founder’s name happens to be Sam!
Enzymates
The #1 seller of digestive enzymes in the USA, Enzymedica asked us to name a new brand under their umbrella: digestive enzymes for pets. Using clean, healthy ingredients—plus innovative functional ingredients—this brand would create exceptional dog and cat products focused on improving digestion to ensure pets stay healthy, happy and regular.
The name needed to communicate what the product was, while sounding friendly to consumers (and their pets). Bonus points if it connected back to the parent brand.
Enzymates proved to be a fun, simple spin on Enzymedica, allowing the new brand to leverage its legacy and credibility, without sounding so clinical. Enzyme forward, with a nod to our fluffy friends—exactly what the client ordered!
Bravura
Entrepreneur Kemper Brennan tasked our team with creating a name for a premium, boutique women’s business consultancy focused on the beauty industry. The name needed to be elevated, feminist, feminine and kick ass.
Bravura brought it all to the table—a bold, beautiful name with a prestigious tone and powerful definition behind it (n. great technical skill and brilliance in performance).
THRIVR
The National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) asked us to craft a name for the launch of a new service—an online social media and review management tool designed especially for convenience stores. To be successful, the name needed to communicate the service’s end benefit (driving traffic and growth from the first mile to the last), while also nodding to a forward-thinking, tech savvy B2B consumer.
With its techy twist on the word thrive, THRIVR turned out to be the perfect fit. By adding the “r” onto thrive, we gave the name a sense of action and agency. The service is a business driver—and a business thriver. By omitting the “e,” we leaned into a familiar yet tech-forward naming convention to associate the name with a digital mindset.
