Last week, I talked about the importance of keeping the new company/product/service name short and memorable. Those two rules are a great start, and here are a few others to consider. The new name should be:
3. Easy to Pronounce – if people can’t figure out how to pronounce it, that will make it harder to remember. Something that follows the natural rules of the English language work well.
4. Not Vulgar/Negative in Another Language – in this flat world, it’s crucial that you have a good linguist look at your list of names. It’s surprising sometimes what the translation can mean. Apparently Chevy had a hard time selling the Nova in Mexico when they launched it. A Spanish linguist could have saved them grief and untold millions since “No va” translates to “no go” in Spanish.
5. Available with a good URL – this is so critical as you need the URL to match with your company name. And, yes, all the good ones are taken. It’s much easier to buy a new URL than it is to try to wrestle it away from someone who’s squatting on your favorite new name. Check before you leap.
Next week I’ll share the final rules for choosing a good company/product/service name.
Jenn