Brandable Business Names
Brandable names are unique, invented words that have no prior meaning. They offer complete brand ownership and flexibility.
Characteristics
Examples
Telecom
Veritas (truth) + horizon, suggests reliability and future
Consulting
Accent + future, emphasizes forward-thinking
Automotive
Suggests 'luxury' and 'elegance' without saying it
Food
Invented Danish-sounding name for premium feel
Photography
Founder wanted a strong 'K' sound, invented rest
Streaming
Hawaiian meaning 'calm', simple and friendly
Communication
Derived from 'sky peer-to-peer', shortened
Payments
From Latin 'vendere' (to sell) + 'mo' for mobile
Productivity
Easy to say, sounds like 'tell-o', suggests boards
Productivity
Sanskrit for yoga pose, suggests focus and balance
Automation
Zap + suffix, suggests quick connections
Scheduling
Calendar + friendly suffix, clear purpose
Naming Formulas
Root + Tech Suffix
Shopify, Spotify, Speechify
Root + Friendly Suffix
Calendly, Loomly, Sendly
Compound Invention
Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat
Latin/Greek Root
Venmo, Sonos, Lexus
Phonetic Spelling
Lyft, Flickr, Tumblr
Sound-Based
Zoom, Ping, Kazoo
Naming Tips
Combine word parts from different languages for unique sounds
Use suffixes like -ly, -ify, -io, -er for familiarity
Keep it to 2-3 syllables for easy pronunciation
Make sure it's easy to pronounce in major markets
Test the name with people unfamiliar with your concept
Ensure it doesn't have negative meanings in other languages
Mistakes to Avoid
Creating unpronounceable letter combinations
If nobody can say it, nobody will remember it
Making names too long (4+ syllables)
Long invented words are hard to remember
Using obscure letter combinations
'Xyzifr' might be unique but it's unusable
Ignoring how it looks written
The name needs to work visually too
The Psychology Behind This Style
Brandable names succeed because they're blank canvases. The brain, encountering a new word, seeks to create meaning. This active engagement makes the name more memorable. Over time, the brand fills the word with meaning - 'Google' meant nothing before 1998.
Creating Powerful Brandable Names
Brandable names are the ultimate expression of brand ownership. When you invent a word, you own its meaning entirely.
The Brandable Advantage
Complete Ownership:
- No pre-existing associations
- Full trademark protection potential
- You define what the name means
- No competition for the word
Flexibility:
- Can pivot without name conflicts
- Expands with your business
- Works across product lines
- International scalability
How to Invent a Name
Method 1: Word Blending Combine parts of real words:
- Pinter + Interest = Pinterest
- Instant + Telegram = Instagram
- Accent + Future = Accenture
Method 2: Suffix Addition Add common endings to roots:
- Shop + ify = Shopify
- Spot + ify = Spotify
- Calendar + ly = Calendly
Method 3: Foreign Roots Use Latin, Greek, or other language roots:
- Venmo (Latin 'vendere')
- Asana (Sanskrit)
- Hulu (Hawaiian)
Method 4: Sound Construction Build from pleasant sounds:
- Start with strong consonants (K, Z, S)
- Use vowels strategically
- Create rhythm and flow
The Creation Process
Step 1: Define Brand Attributes What should the name convey?
- Speed? Energy? Trust? Innovation?
- Write 10-20 descriptive words
Step 2: Generate Raw Material
- List related word roots
- Foreign language equivalents
- Sound combinations you like
Step 3: Combine and Modify
- Mix and match elements
- Try different suffixes
- Generate 50-100 options
Step 4: Filter and Test
- Check pronunciation
- Verify no negative meanings
- Test domain availability
- Trademark search
Suffixes That Work
Tech-Forward:
- -ify (Shopify, Spotify)
- -io (Rubio, Twilio)
- -ly (Calendly, Assembly)
Professional:
- -ure (Accenture)
- -ex (Fedex, Latex)
- -ix (Nutanix, Informatix)
Friendly:
- -o (Venmo, Asana)
- -a (Canva, Nvidia)
- -y (Grammarly, Shopify)
Testing Your Brandable Name
The Pronunciation Test: Show to 10 people, have them read aloud. Is pronunciation consistent?
The Spell Test: Say the name, ask them to spell it. Can they?
The Meaning Test: What do they think the company does? Is it close?
The Remember Test: Tell them the name, ask a day later. Do they recall it?
Famous Brandable Origins
Kodak: Founder George Eastman wanted a short, strong word starting with 'K'.
Xerox: From 'xerography' (dry writing), modified to sound unique.
Häagen-Dazs: Completely invented to sound Danish/premium - founders were from Brooklyn.
Verizon: Merger of 'veritas' (truth) and 'horizon' when Bell Atlantic merged with GTE.
Related Styles
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