Naming · 5 min read
How to name a brand: six steps from brief to decision
A good name is found by narrowing, not by waiting for inspiration. Six steps that take a brand from a brief to one name you can use.
By the Brandtune studio · Last reviewed 2 Nov 2026
In short
- Write a brief before looking for names.
- Explore directions, then test the shortlist by ear.
- Screen web addresses and handles before you decide.
1. Write the brief first
Who will say the name, in which languages and in which places? What should it suggest, and what must it never sound like? Two pages is enough. A name chosen without a brief is chosen on taste.
2. Explore territories, not words
Group ideas into directions, such as a place, a quality of the product, an invented word or a person. Each direction gets a handful of examples. This makes it clear which kind of name suits the brand before you fall for one word.
3. Say it out loud
Read the shortlist aloud, give it to someone over the phone and ask them to spell it. If it is misspelled twice, it will be misspelled thousands of times.
4. Check meanings and sounds
Search the shortlist in the languages of your markets for unwanted meanings, and look for names that sound too close to a competitor.
5. Check availability
Look for the web address, the main social handles and the app stores. This is a screening.
6. Choose and write it down
Pick one, and decide how it is written: capitals, spacing and any accent. Put that rule in the brand guidelines so it is written the same way everywhere.
Mistakes that make names fail
Names that describe one product and cannot grow, names that need explaining, and names chosen by committee vote rather than against the brief. If naming is part of a bigger change, read when to refresh or rebuild first.
