A Whale Of A Name
November 29th, 2006 by Chief Nut
In our first installment of coming up with a new company name, I threw out what I thought was one of the more interesting aspects of name generation … using cliches to inspire your thinking.
This time, let’s go back to a more fundamental approach. Of course, it seems natural to go through a brainstorming session to come up with naming ideas. During this session(s), there are LOTS of ideas that can be used to re-direct and extend your thinking (fodder for future posts), but here’s one of my favorites:
Tip 2: Take a blank piece of paper and make three columns. In the left column list features and benefits of your products or services. After you’ve exhaustively done that, look at the list and write down related words in the second column. These are words or phrases not necessarily related to you, your company or your service, but words related to your features or benefits in the first colulmn. Now here’s where it gets really fun. Do this last step AGAIN. Write down words related to the related words … words in the third column are related to those in the second column
By looking at ideas, words and phrases that are abstract and only remotely related to your product or service, you really start to push the envelope of possibilities.
Here are some examples:
Product: Shoes
Feature: Made for athletes
Related idea: Victory
Idea related to the related idea: The Goddess Nike … Ohhhh, see how that happened?
Let’s make one up for a mock “Bait and Tackle” shop.
Product: Fishing Tackle
Feature: Success at fishing tournaments
Related idea: The one that got away
Idea related to the related idea: Jonah’s Whale
or
Product: Fishing Tackle
Feature: Hand made
Related idea: Home cooked
Idea related to the related idea: Grandma’s Fish Fry
Now I’m not going to go so far as to suggest what a company name might be that’s derived from “Jonah’s Whale” or “Grandma’s Fish Fry”, but I can assure you that the owner of the Bait and Tackle Shop who completes this exercise will come up with a WAY better name than “Bill’s Fishing Supplies”!
