We put a lot of weight on names to tell a story, be distinct, to feel “right” – even when it may be hard to articulate what “right” actually is. If that all didn’t make naming hard enough, imagine how it feels to finally land on what you’re sure is the one, only to find all reasonable iterations of the web address are taken, or the name is trademarked. Imagine having a key stakeholder, like a senior company executive or board member, put the kibosh on a name that everyone else likes. Imagine testing it out with a group of customers and it totally flops.
Naming, whether for a new organization or a rebrand of an existing one, is one of the most challenging, yet rewarding efforts. With existing organizations, there is often attachment to the past, or fear that the new name won’t be better than the old one. New organizations have their own set of challenges. With no history or tried and true values, it can feel like grasping for a name out of thin air. And either way, various stakeholders bring their own personal preferences and connotations (both negative, neutral and positive) around words. There is a lot to balance.
If you’re planning a naming project, it’s important to provide plenty of time. You can scale your time up or down based on the importance of the name. The stakes are not as high naming a first-time event as they are when renaming a 100 year old organization. Naming a small program may take as little as a few hours. I’ve been involved in larger efforts naming complex organizations that take as much as 2-3 months.
You also need to consider how many stakeholders you need to include. First, there are your external audiences. If you’re serving a vulnerable population or a changing demographic, it’s important to do some research first so you can choose a name that will resonate with important audiences. Then, you have internal stakeholders as well. Your team needs to be on board with the name. If you have a governing body, keeping them informed may enough. For others, participation and approval via vote are expected, depending on bylaws and the relationship between the board and staff. Adding extra layers of approvals adds time to the overall project.
When in doubt: immerse yourself with your research and ideas. Here, the Yes and Yonder office was taken over by the sticky notes and mind maps from a naming project. Header image shows some of the blank templates set up for a name ideation session.
There’s a chance you may get stuck. It’s actually pretty common. The important things is to keep trying new things, otherwise you may stay stuck. One of the best ways to get started with naming is in conversation: sharing stories and collecting words and themes that can seed naming ideation. But if that doesn’t do the trick, you may need to try some more playful ideation sessions, where you allow your group to come up with silly or wild ideas. This can take the pressure off, and possibly deliver a surprise theme or idea that leads some place useful.
Whatever you do, don’t settle. That can be an expensive and painful mistake. Naming is one of those “know it when you see it” kind of things. You’re far better off to extend your timeline a few weeks than to put yourself in a position where you want to rebrand in just a few years time.