Name development with a structured naming process
A name development proceeds in a structured way. Depending on the project, the naming process can vary in duration. This can only be assessed after a detailed briefing and telephone rebriefing.
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A creative name development needs detailed information about what to name as it makes differences depending on what future the name is intended to fill and invoke.
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The more precise the presentation of facts and strategy, the more appropriate the name. The better photos and market environment for product names, the better the name can match the character. Here, sending the product or prototype is the best prerequisite.
The conditions
The collection of ideas
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First, all ideas that fit the briefing and product are collected. Directions of ideas as well as creative ideas for the briefing, mission, target groups, associations and typographic ideas: what chances, what opportunities are there. What makes the offer unique, what story can be told. This takes place at the well-known Design Thinking pace.
The market environment
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The brand environment is then examined so that names that are already in use are not created. I have experience in quickly becoming an instant expert and exploring fields for new brand names, to find new and strong brand names.
• With this overview, I can recommend which name prevails best on the market.
• In product design in particular, it is necessary to gain an overview of the market so that the name can be clearly distinguished from the competition.
• Internal information is always treated confidentially.
The obvious names associated with the product are probably already protected under trademark law. In most cases, relevant websites with similar topics already exist. Therefore, name fields help to discuss, evaluate, prioritize and develop names in these fields to get an overview of the possibilities and directions.
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Fields of ideas, fields of association, core words, language fields or explanatory fields: artificial and associative names can be found within the fields. The Romance languages, Latin, Greek and English usually serve as a basis.
The name fields
The naming
Names are developed that correspond to the aesthetic, tonal, content-related and strategic specifications. A longlist is created, which is prioritized. The selection is checked for its legal protectability with the first preliminary checks. Usually 70% of all names disappear because they have already been registered in the target countries. Creative names are being registered everywhere in order to protect services internationally. Asian countries in particular are very creative in doing this by mixing up the European languages for themselves.
Many com domains are occupied: whether from Poland, Singapore, India. If a domain is required, the name ideas are checked as a domain and already adjusted at this point in order to find names for the desired domains.
A language test is also carried out, as the core syllable often has a different meaning in Turkish, Czech, Hungarian or in Portugal or Finland. The European languages offer a further pool of languages for the formation of names.
With a feeling for language, sound and tonality and an overview of the possibilities, strong, exciting names are created.
The naming decision
Each suggested name is presented with a derivation and its focus. Nevertheless, the selection is usually not easy, because each name stands for a different focus.
An analysis and the reasoned recommendation presented with it encourages the formation of an opinion. An exemplary typographic implementation for two to three names makes it easier to imagine the brand effect. The representation is suitable as a logo template and can be used as such.
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Only names that are not already registered as trademarks in an identical or similar form in the first trademark checks are presented as favorites. It is important whether the brand is to be protected solely in German-speaking countries, across Europe, or also in the USA or China. I advise on this.
The more countries and the more classes, the more complex the research is and the more names cannot be used due to similarities.
The trick is to find a strong name that doesn't infringe on the trademarks of others. As soon as 1 to 3 favorites have been determined, they can be checked again for registration as a trademark using research tools that are subject to a fee. Depending on the case, it may be necessary to include a more in-depth trademark search that has access to all commercial registers in all target countries. In some cases, preliminary research is sufficient.
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The trademark search
