You have twelve browser tabs open, a whiteboard covered in crossed-out words, and everyone on your team has a different favourite. Welcome to the world of naming. It’s the kind of task that looks like it should take an afternoon, yet somehow consumes weeks.

People believe a name has to be perfect. That somewhere out there is the ideal name, waiting to be discovered—and that anything else is a compromise. In reality, some names fit their businesses remarkably well, but whether that happened through strategy or luck is difficult to say, even in hindsight.

Here’s what I genuinely believe: there is no single perfect name for a business. There are always several names that do the job well. Your goal isn’t to find the one perfect option—it’s to eliminate the wrong ones and then confidently choose from what’s left.

A Good Name Maps the Territory Between Your Business and People’s Perception

A good name doesn’t have to explain your business—it has to evoke it. It should trigger something: a feeling, an association, a memory.

Tesla is a great example. It borrows the reputation of a scientist most people already know, associates itself with electricity and brilliance, and is easy to remember. The name quietly does part of the work before the brand even has a chance to speak.

The sweet spot is a word that’s simple, easy to pronounce, rich in meaning, and already somewhat familiar. Familiar doesn’t mean generic—it means the building blocks already exist in people’s minds, allowing the name to settle in rather than bounce off.

I’ve deliberately avoided using Apple as the main example because it deserves an article of its own. Nothing about the word suggests hardware or software, yet it has become the most recognisable brand on the planet. What appears to be a random name for a technology company actually carries references to Newton, original sin, and the symbolism of the bitten apple. It’s proof that a simple name can carry an entire mythology—and that not explaining what you do can be a strategic choice rather than a flaw.

If That Territory Doesn’t Exist, Rely on Sound

Sometimes meaning simply isn’t available. The best words have already been taken, registered as trademarks, or are too literal. In that case, rely on phonetics.

Haribo is a great example. It doesn’t mean anything to most people, but say it a few times—

Haribo. Haribo. Haribo.

It sticks.

The name flows, has rhythm, and feels like it means something even when it doesn’t. If a name looks good on paper but sounds awkward when spoken aloud, keep looking.

If You’re Still Stuck, Look Closer to Home

An address, a number, a place, an object, an animal—anything with personal meaning can become a name.

What seems like a random word to a stranger may carry a quiet story that matters deeply to you.

And that matters more than you might think.

Founders who feel connected to their company’s name tend to carry it with greater conviction, and over time that conviction becomes part of the brand’s legacy.

One detail worth mentioning: HARIBO is actually an acronym for HAns RIegel BOnn, combining the founder’s name, Hans Riegel, with the city where the brand was created, Bonn.

It’s a perfect example of how the best names don’t choose between phonetics and personal meaning—they combine both.

Once You Have a List of at Least 20 Names, Eliminate the Bad Ones

A bad name isn’t simply one that’s unattractive—it’s one that carries baggage you didn’t pack yourself.

Do the basic checks.

Research existing associations, hidden meanings, and cultural connotations, especially if your business operates internationally.

Make sure it’s easy to pronounce.

And this is important:

Don’t assume other people will see in your name what you see.

Some clients come to us with names containing two or three layers of meaning, convinced everyone else will make the same mental leap they did.

That rarely happens.

Test the name.

If fewer than half the people you ask associate it with something close to your intended meaning, then the name is working only for you—not for your audience.

Move Forward

Before becoming attached to a name, check whether it’s actually available.

See if there’s already a well-known competitor using it or whether someone has registered it as a trademark.

Visit tmdn.org and search within the relevant trademark class.

Learning about a trademark conflict after you’ve built a brand around a name is an expensive lesson.

Naming becomes more difficult the longer the process drags on.

Eventually, all the options begin to blur together, everyone on the team has an opinion, and what started as a practical decision starts to feel existential.

It isn’t.

A good name simply gives you a place to start.

The brand you build on top of it does the rest.

If you’d rather not go through that process alone, that’s exactly what we do.