Any business with a memorable name is halfway to making a mark in the industry. At the very least, you wouldn’t have to worry about the bad press that comes with controversial names like Celebutard, Human Made, and Sculpting Stix.
You might argue that blunders are nothing new; since making mistakes is only human nature. But don’t you think certain typical blunders, such as failing to find a fantastic brand or product name, can be simply avoided?
When you look at popular companies like Apple and Tesla, it’s evident that these companies are successful because their names excel at lingering in our minds.
And if you want to build a strong business that will stand strong over time, you’ll need to put in extra work to come up with a catchy name that will appeal to your target market.
How Can A Bad Brand Name Affect Your Business?
Branding is more about how your key audience understands your brand than it is about your business. Giving your company an uncomfortable brand name can have a negative impact on it and cause issues such as:
- Boycotts
- A bad reputation
- Difficulty finding talents
So ensure you avoid making the following mistakes while searching for excellent business name ideas.
Four Common Naming Mistakes To Avoid
Names with Negative Interpretations
When it comes to delicate social matters, buyers have strong opinions. And if your company chooses to address such issues head-on—even if not using your brand’s name—you’ll lose customers since those who aren’t in favor of that cause will be less eager to buy from your brand.
Adopting names like Lime Crime’s ‘China Doll’ or Colourpop’s ‘Typo’ and ‘Yikes,’ two terrible words Colourpop picked for the darkest shade of their cosmetics, can only trigger negative feedback since these names are both insulting and absurd.
Brand Names That Are Difficult To Say
If you want your brand name to leave a positive impression on your customers, make sure it’s easy to recall.
To this day, most clients all over the world have trouble pronouncing the names of several well-known corporations. Fjallraven (pronounced ‘Fee-yal-rah-vin’) and Givenchy (pronounced ‘Zhee-von-she’) are two brands with names that have generally been tough for purchasers to comprehend.
Take it from us: complex names do not create the same welcoming atmosphere for clients that simple and memorable ones do. So, when naming your company, your objective should be to come up with a name that people will remember.
Unpleasant Foreign Translations
People will interact with your business from all around the world, either through ads or by chance. And if our brand’s name signifies something undesirable in their local language, these customers will reject your product in favor of a well-branded alternative.
So, while you look for a strong brand name, make sure you do your homework to make sure your chosen name isn’t off-putting to buyers in other nations.
Don’t let your emotions get the best of you, and choose a name you like rather than what your customers desire because that’s a clear path to branding trouble.
Make a quick client survey and ask them to review your brand name. This enables you to quickly choose a name that connects with customers without having to deal with the implications of choosing an uncomfortable or terrible brand name even though you think it’s good enough.
Always Consider Your Clients First
Terrible brand names are typically the consequence of business owners’ failing to put their company’s and customers’ needs first. These companies end up with names that don’t accurately reflect their brand, upset customers, and aren’t marketable. So be sure to give your company a distinct brand identity that people can relate to.
Grant Polachek is the head of branding for Squadhelp.com, 3X Inc 5000 startup and disruptive naming agency. Squadhelp has reviewed more than 1 million names and curated a collection of the best available names on the web today. We are also the world’s leading crowdsource naming platform, supporting clients such as Nestle, Dell, Nuskin, and AutoNation.
