In past posts I’ve talked about coming up with company names, domain names and taglines.  In each case, I recommend a follow up to the process of going to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website just to be sure you’re not immediately infringing on another mark.  At $150,000 a pop, infringing on another person’s trademark is generally seen as a bad business move.

OK, let’s turn this idea around. This suggestion comes from our new copy writer Debbie Carbone! Instead of brainstorming and then going to the USPTO site, she suggests you go to the USPTO site to do your brainstorming.

Here’s what you do;  Go to www.uspto.gov and click on the “How To Search” link in the top navigation. Then, at the top of the pink column, on the right, click on the “Search Trademarks Now” link. On the next page, click on the “Free Form Search (Advanced Search)” link. [Can you tell it’s a government site yet?].  In the search term box, type in a word or short phrase to see what the rest of the world has already registered.

Here’s the tricky part.  You’re NOT trying to find a name or phrase from this list! Instead, use the list to inspire you.  Take snippets and ideas.  Mash them against other ideas. Create something new and fresh.

OF COURSE, after you’re done, you’ll still need to get your intellectual property attorney to do a final clearance check to be sure you’re good to go with your own trademark on this new masterpiece of a name or phrase. By the way, my IP attorney told me I had to put that last sentence in there.

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

The first steps in starting a new company or new online venture is to establish a brand and then come up with a fabulous name that’s; defensible (from a trademark perspective), available as a “.com”, memorable, easy to spell, visual, easy to visualize and is – this is the tough one – powerful.

I’ll usually start a client out with the task of coming up with “seed words” (words that start the brainstorming process) that tap directly into the concepts that have meaning to them.  We’re in the process of possibly establishing a new social network development company and, as you would expect, we’ll need to establish an awesome name.

This morning was my shot at coming up with our own seed words for this new venture.  The list is pretty awesome and, if you ever find yourself needing alternative ways of saying “network” or “group”, you’ll definitely find one here.

• Assembly
• Batallion
• Batch
• Bevy
• Bunch
• Camp
• Citizenry
• Clan
• Clique
• Cluster
• Company
• Congregation
• Coterie
• Covey
• Crew
• Crowd
• Fellowship
• Flock
• Fold
• Folk
• Gaggle
• Gang
• Gathering
• Group
• Grouping
• Heap
• Herd
• Hoi Palloi
• Hookup
• Inner Circle
• Kin
• Kindred
• Kingdom
• Lot
• Mankind
• Mass
• Masses
• Mess
• Mickle
• Mob
• Muckle
• Multitude
• Pack
• Party
• Peck
• People
• Phratry
• Plentitude
• Pod
• Pride
• Race
• Raft
• Ring
• Slaughter
• Slew
• Spate
• Squad
• Team
• Throng
• Troop
• Wad
• Business
• Stand

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

Name Game #12
I have to admit, this one’s “borrowed” from Word Wizard Lani Voivod over at Epiphanies, Inc. I told her that I’d give her credit the first ten times I use it, but it’s MY idea after that!

You’re working on a name and you’re hip deep in sample phrases … related words, snippets, jargon, ideas … the works. First, separately list all of the adjectives (come up with more if needed) and then separately list all of the nouns. Start mixing and matching them to see what happens. These unique combinations will help you to cite and incite your most exciting insights (that’s more word-smithing from Lani). Mash those two word combos ’til you find something great.

Example; Lani needed to name a new local writing group/club a while back. She started the naming process and ended up using this excellent strategy to come up with “The Wild Quills.” What a powerful name … Bravo!

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

When my family was living in the San Francisco Bay area five years ago, we read the comics daily for ONE particular strip by genius Darby Conley.  It’s called Get Fuzzy.  Same formula as Garfield — stupid dog, bachelor owner, cat with a bad attitude — but take those attributes at put ‘em on steroids!  Although the formula is the same, Darby takes his characters to a whole new, fresh level.

On Christmas day, Bucky (the cat) decides he needs a “catch phrase”.  SEE! … even cartoon characters can get into The Name Game!  Looking at today’s strip, it might end up as a short series.  WOOO HOOOO!

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

Name Game #11

Ever been to one? Some people would never be caught dead in a consignment shop because of the stigma of rummaging through and buying other people’s discarded “stuff.” Too bad for them! Yes, you do have to wade through a lot of junk but sometimes you find a REAL gem.

There’s an online equivalent for finding domain names. It’s like a big bin of old domain names that people once found worthy of purchasing, but have since allowed the name to be released back onto the open market. One such site is www.JustDropped.com. Follow these suggestions to get a great domain name;

• Starts with and Ends with: generally, leave these blank
• Domains should contain (first field): input ONE keyword
• Contains ONLY words: Checked … leave the others unchecked
• Minimum length: 10 characters
• Maximum length: 50 characters
• Domain availability: “Deleted” within: last 90 days
• Uncheck all extensions except “.com”
• Click on “Show the Domains”

When the list of domains gets displayed, understand that this doesn’t mean they’ll all be available. Some of these names may have been released a month or more ago and some clever cookie could have jumped on it the next day to buy it. What I do is start checking off the “select” boxes for ANY name that has even remote potential. First create a list of a few dozen names, then go to a domain name registrar to see if they’re available (I like using www.BetterWhois.com for this process.) You can always go back to find more later.

Side benefits of using a service like this are the tangents on which it will likely take your thinking. Take this benefit up a notch by inputting your “related phrases” from Name Game #2 and #3 to get some really interesting names. Because you have hundreds of phrases, this may take a while but it’s well worth it because of the richness of what you’ll find.

While rummaging, keep in mind that you’ll have a need for alternate domain names for products, services, marketing & advertising initiatives, etc. If you find a GREAT name that’d be good for a product, but not for your company, BUY IT. I am personally on a long list of people I know who found a great name, didn’t buy it right away and discovered it was unavailable the next day! ARRRRGH! Believe me, nothing is more frustrating. If I turn you into a domain name junkie like me, I’ll consider my work done.

“Hi. My name is Kevin and I’m a domain-name-aholic.” … “HI KEVIN!”

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

Go back to Name Game #2 and #3 and you’ll see I suggested that the process involves quite a bit of list making.  In our most recent round of brainstorming, we came up with two full pages of concepts.  About 200-300 different words and phrases.  Of course the team jumped right into analyzing the synonyms, antonyms, idioms, homonyms, homophones, alliteration, rhyming words and phrases and started to come up with some really great names.   Let’s not stop there …

Tip Ten: Sleep on it. Yes, there’s a reason why that’s an expression.  It works!  I’ve heard it called the “phoenix effect” … where your great ideas rise from the ashes of the previous days heated brainstorming session.  The point is that time (especially restful sleep) can give you a completely different perspective on any creative process.  Including name generation.  Consider all of those hundreds of ideas as seeds.  Overnight, the healthy ones will grow and evolve.  They’ll be different.  Before, they were just a pile of seeds.  Now you can tell which ones are viable.  NAP TIME!!

Go Ahead, Socialize ...

TRIVIA QUESTION! … “Why (or how) did Xerox come up with their name?”  Give up?  Because they wanted an identifiable, defendable (trademark lawsuit-proof) identity that was short, AND BOTH began and ended with an “X”.  No other word in the English language does that.

Like Kleenex and Coke, the name Xerox has become synonymous and universally interchangeable with the word “photocopy”.  THAT, my friends, is a strong brand!  So, the $10,000 question would be “can I just make up a name?”  Answer: yes and no (again with that darned two edged sword).

Take a look at the masters of made up names …€” Lexicon-Branding.  As a premier brand strategy firm and one of the best name-comer-uppers, they’re responsible for some traditional brand names like “Powerbook”, “OnStar”, “Blackberry”, “Tungsten” and Subaru’s “Outback”, Forester” & “Baja”.

For decades, this team has also been making up names like “Dasani”, “Zima”, “Febreze” and “Nexcare”.  Indeed, all powerhouse brands that are immediately recognizable by most consumers.  BUT … what about some other names they’ve come up with, like; “Evista”, “Vistive”, “Capton” or “Provenge”.  In their own circle of influence, these brand names are strong, easy to identify, easy to spell, meaning-rich and CAN be built into mega-names.  The problem is that it’s not so easy to remember these newly made up names. You have no past historical reference to relate with.

Tip Nine: If you’re going to make up a name, be very, very careful!  Know that the cost of trying to avoid trademark issues is this initial lack of language recognition.  It may take a long while to get brand “legs”.  Also, expect A LOT of people to say “Uhhhhh,  WHAT does THAT mean?”  Made up names very typically evoke a love-hate response from the general public.

You’re likely on the fence with this one.  There are, indeed, both pros and cons to consider.  Take your time … this is a big deal. 

IF YOU DO decide to try and make up a name, check out these resources:

• Robobunny’s “Dislexicon” - English Language Extender
• Perceptus’ “Word Mixer” - Similar tool but it just mixes words you provide

Go back to our Name Game category (the link’s over there on the right) and check out tips two and three.  I walked you through the process of making a list of HUNDREDS of related words.  Start plugging these into the above sites and you’ll see how this can all work out.

An Example:  Let’s say I were trying to make up a new name for a brand strategy company.  One related word would certainly be “identity”.  By plugging this word into the Dislexicon system I quickly came up with “Benidenti” (with the implied meaning of “good identity”).  It’s short, easy to spell, has a European feel to it, and a quick search at the USPTO site shows no competing companies. 

Now comes the hard part (after I get a real clearance check from my IP attorney and an official “go ahead” from the USPTO) … burning this sucker onto the frontal lobes of every Tom, Dick and Mary I can get my hands on.

Go Ahead, Socialize ...