Developing a Company Name

A business name automatically contains a marketing element; your job is to choose a name that will help your marketing efforts. Once you've chosen a name it's time to put it to the test. Use this test to gauge whether or not your name is getting your message across to potential customers and clients.

Here are 33 great approaches for coming up with the right name for your product or service. Number 1 and most important? Work backwards from the selling proposition.

"Do-It-Yourself" name development, from Namestormers, with a lot of references!

If you want to name your product, or hire an expert to help, you’ll need to know what phrases like Morpheme and Suggestive Names have to do with name development.

Microsoft Office 2000... WordPerfect Office 2000... is there a backfire waiting to happen?

For do-it-yourselfers, this site provides an overview of the entire copyright process, and access to the forms and resources to apply for one on your own.

If you know exactly whom you’re talking to and what makes your company interesting to them you’re ahead of many potential competitors already.

From $100,000 for Intel’s in-house naming effort for Pentium to $43 Million for Apple Computers name settlement with Apple Records, a good name does not come inexpensively.

A Hundred Monkeys gives you nine rules to remember NOT to do when creating your brand name.

Finding names that are available on the Net can be tough. This tool will help search availability in all different domains, as well as suggest some great alternatives you probably haven’t thought of.

Before you name, you want to ensure you’re not infringing on an existing trademark. And after you name, you want to know if someone’s infringing on you. Sign up for alerts and conduct searches.

Naseem Javed discusses this fiasco in the making.

David Menzies of The Financial Post shows why so many cars are saddled with dreadfully lame names.

Richard Hacken demonstrates why "Viagra" works (as a name, that is).

NameTrade lists various branding techniques with examples of each.

Jim Singer, President of Namebase, shows how the sound of a brand name can make a world of difference in how the brand is perceived, and how successful it will be.

ABC Namebank International shows three important things to remember

The National Post reports on a very interesting trend in NHL Team Names.