Naming and Branding
Build a distinctive identity that acts as a permanent competitive weapon and emotional anchor.
The Guide
5 key steps synthesized from 6 experts.
Strategic Alignment and the Naming Brief
Start by using the Diamond Framework to define the brand's business goals, target audience, and desired positioning. Create a naming brief that specifies the personality traits and the 'sound' the name should evoke.
Featured guest perspectives
"Most clients, they come to a naming project absolutely believing with full confidence that they're going to know it when they see it, and the truth is it almost never happens."— David Placek
"Quantity breeds quality. Developing a brand name is a treasure hunt. You need to explore, and then explore again. And you need to explore in places where you think there may be no chance of finding the name."— Lenny Rachitsky
"Imagine the sound of your brand before you start naming. Should your name sound fast? Full? Reliable? ... An invented name with the Latin word for health (“san”) in the middle, a “da” sound that delivers a crisp, clean experience, and an “i” sound that feels light and slim at the end."— Lenny Rachitsky
High-Volume Idea Generation
Conduct a structured brainstorming process to generate a massive list of ideas (aim for 1,000+). Use AI as a partner to iterate on options based on tone constraints and target audience segments.
Featured guest perspectives
"Quantity breeds quality. Developing a brand name is a treasure hunt. You need to explore, and then explore again. And you need to explore in places where you think there may be no chance of finding the name."— Lenny Rachitsky
Filtering for Suggestive and Distinctive Names
Shortlist 50 to 100 candidates and filter them using a criteria checklist. Prioritize names that are short, memorable, and suggestive rather than literal descriptions of the product.
Featured guest perspectives
"I personally tend to like those kinds of names that are suggestive or evocative, where when I tell you what the company does, you're like, oh, that makes sense. But it's not that what the name is tells you exactly what the company does."— Arielle Jackson
"A great name creates a foundation of trust with consumers, gives meaning and voice to a new idea, and builds cumulative advantage over time. Names that are too descriptive and too comfortable won’t generate the interest or memorability that a new brand needs to succeed."— Lenny Rachitsky
Phased Visual Identity Design
Structure the design process to move from broad conceptual aesthetic directions to technical specificity. Ensure the final logo and visual assets scale effectively across all physical and digital touchpoints.
Featured guest perspectives
"One of the things is if, suddenly, you're starting to deal with the greater rollout of the look and feel of the brand. If you, at first, just basically had a really beta website and small version of the app but you're about to do a new one that kind of updates and expands it, that could be a really good time to roll it out."— Jessica Hische
Codifying Brand Consistency
Define 3 to 5 human-like adjectives that describe the brand personality. Use these to guide all future communication, from copywriting to customer service, ensuring the brand feels consistent and human.
Featured guest perspectives
"So over time, a word can come to mean something that is beyond what that actual word means. Like Disney means magic today. Volvo means safety. Those names are not good."— Arielle Jackson
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Guest Perspectives
Deep dive into what 5 podcast guests shared about naming and branding.
Arielle Jackson
"I personally tend to like those kinds of names that are suggestive or evocative, where when I tell you what the company does, you're like, oh, that makes sense. But it's not that what the name is tells you exactly what the company does."
- Choose names that are suggestive rather than literal descriptions of the product.
- Focus on names that are short, memorable, and fun to pronounce.
- Seek names that evoke positive emotions or a sense of nostalgia in the audience.
"So over time, a word can come to mean something that is beyond what that actual word means. Like Disney means magic today. Volvo means safety. Those names are not good."
- Define the core concept you want your brand to represent, such as 'magic' or 'safety.'
- Understand that a brand name is only one part of an overall strategy that includes product and marketing.
- Focus on delivering consistent value so that your brand name eventually transcends its literal meaning.
David Placek
"Your brand name, nothing's going to be used more often or for longer than that name. Design will change, messaging will change, products will change, but that name is there."
- Prioritize distinctiveness over descriptiveness to ensure the name stands out in a crowded marketplace.
- Seek a name that starts a story and invites customer engagement rather than one that simply makes a descriptive statement.
- Aim for 'cumulative advantage' by selecting a name that grows stronger as customers build a bond with the brand over time.
"Most clients, they come to a naming project absolutely believing with full confidence that they're going to know it when they see it, and the truth is it almost never happens."
- Reject the assumption that you will 'know the right name when you see it,' as imaginative names often require processing time.
- Use internal team polarization and disagreement as a positive metric for the strength of a potential name.
- Prioritize bold and imaginative names over safe options that offer immediate comfort.
Jessica Hische
"One of the things is if, suddenly, you're starting to deal with the greater rollout of the look and feel of the brand. If you, at first, just basically had a really beta website and small version of the app but you're about to do a new one that kind of updates and expands it, that could be a really good time to roll it out."
- Audit your current logo for utilitarian issues like poor legibility at small scales or a lack of a clear avatar version.
- Define whether the project scope is a "close-in" technical fix or a "broad" exploration to reach a new audience.
- Transition to custom typography before investing heavily in physical assets like merchandise or conference branding to prevent easy imitation.
Kevin Aluwi
"I'm a very big believer that the two most important things in a consumer business are product and brand in that order. And I don't think I need to sell the idea, especially to your audience. That product is absolutely critical and probably the most important. But brand as an afterthought is definitely one of the areas where I think there's a giant missed opportunity for consumer tech businesses."
- Prioritize brand as a primary pillar of the business alongside product rather than treating it as a later-stage luxury.
- Leverage brand to maintain leadership and differentiation in markets where competitors may have significantly more funding.
- Integrate brand strategy immediately to avoid the missed opportunities of treating it as a squishy afterthought.
Seth Godin
"AI very soon is going to stop being a feature the same way electricity is not a feature. What AI companies and all companies need to do is say, what's in this for the user? What promise do I want to make a difficult promise, a remarkable promise, and then how do I keep it?"
- Identify the specific utility for the user rather than relying on AI as a novelty feature.
- Define a bold, difficult, and remarkable promise that differentiates your product.
- Build brand equity by consistently delivering on the promise your product makes.
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