Confession: I recently had a baby and endured the dreaded baby naming process.
Between doom-scrolling posts from popular baby name consultants to poring over endless lists, one thing became clear:I needed to think of my baby not as an accessory for Philz coffee runs, where I might cutely detail how they got their quirky name, but as a person who would one day grow into an adult. An adult who would one day walk into real rooms with real people and introduce themselves as X. Naming a brand? Same deal.
Too often, I see agencies rush to launch a client’s brand, creating a name that is perfect for the present but hasn’t been stress-tested for the future—one that fails to fully encapsulate their long-term Strategy. Yes, that’s Strategy with a capital 'S'—business and brand.
Here’s the thing: if you’re not asking about your client’s product pipeline, their long-term goals, or the personality they want to project (Main Character Energy, any new moms?), you’re setting them up for a name that doesn’t age well—or worse, a total misfit.
It’s true, there are plenty of brands whose names and “brands” exist in a kind of cognitive dissonance without impacting their success. Take Reformation. As a word person, I can’t help but grow giddy at the brand’s snark, but its name? While Reformation makes a nod to the company’s commitment to sustainability, its staid name feel somehow at odds with its spirited tone. Or look at Uber: a name that suggests something light and fun that never quite matched the luxury “black car” service it started out as, nor the broader everyday service it’s become.
But, why risk it? Many brands have names that align beautifully with their strategy, right from the start.
I think of the Megababes and Anthropologies of the world that hit—and continue to hit—the mark. The cheeky Megababe name perfectly matches its founder Katie Sturino’s unapologetic personality (her intro to Megababe and herself: “My thighs rub together. My boobs sweat. And my B.O. is the worst!”) and creating an expansive runway for taboo-turned-talked-about products like Bust Dust, Happy Pits, and Butt Stuff, while the more sophisticated Anthropologie signals an eclectic and worldly aesthetic: one that brings you everything from Art Nouveau wine glasses inspired by the Met to preserved gypsophila bunches from Japan to slip dresses of all styles.
Still, let’s face it: client timelines can make the horse-before-cart impossible, and for many, the future is blurry—impossible to fully predict or see. What then?
My long-time naming tips are threefold:
1. Keep your name neutral, but approachable (not stale!)
Hims is a great example. Initially, the brand's tone was irreverent, with humorous copy and suggestive imagery (a specific-shaped cactus, anyone?). This helped destigmatize sensitive topics, attract a younger audience, and put Hims on the map. But Hims’ ambition was bigger, and it has since gone on to capture a wider audience, which—in turn—has meant taking on a more straightforward (some may even say subdued) voice. Whether you love or loathe the Hims’ evolution, its neutral yet approachable name did successfully set it up for a truly seamless transition.
2. Create an empty vessel, then fill it over time.
If your client is open to it, choosing open-ended or fanciful names—that is, names that are either (1) without inherent meaning or (2) invented—can give brands the room they need to grow.
Apple, Stripe, and Lime are proof that when it comes to naming, you don’t have to stay inside the lines. With no baked-in connection to their respective categories (technology, finance, scooters), they can flex to any product, tone, or even lifestyle.
And names like Etsy, Kodak, and Venmo do similar work. Mostly made-up monikers (yes, wordsmiths, I get that Venmo alludes to “vendor” and “more”…), they are largely (smile) free of associations—and baggage, leaving the companies free to build a brand all their own—and on their own time.
3. Champion strategic soundness vs. love at first sight
Sometimes, the kinds of names that make your client swoon aren’t the ones that will see them through to success. Sure, tough love isn’t fun, but your job is to steer them away from the name that “feels” right to the one that is strategically right. Keep their vision at the forefront of every conversation and remind them it’s not about butterflies but finding a name that positions them well—and has true staying power.
You can’t always predict the future, but there are always ways to prepare. A considered name can evolve alongside your brand, whether it stays true to its original blueprint or gets a glow-up along the way.
Stevie Belchak is a freelance namer, strategist, and writer living in Georgia. When she's not "wording out" for work, she's writing out of love--publishing poetry and essays in journals, across the web, and through her Substack.
Confession: I recently had a baby and endured the dreaded baby naming process.
Between doom-scrolling posts from popular baby name consultants to poring over endless lists, one thing became clear:I needed to think of my baby not as an accessory for Philz coffee runs, where I might cutely detail how they got their quirky name, but as a person who would one day grow into an adult. An adult who would one day walk into real rooms with real people and introduce themselves as X. Naming a brand? Same deal.
Too often, I see agencies rush to launch a client’s brand, creating a name that is perfect for the present but hasn’t been stress-tested for the future—one that fails to fully encapsulate their long-term Strategy. Yes, that’s Strategy with a capital 'S'—business and brand.
Here’s the thing: if you’re not asking about your client’s product pipeline, their long-term goals, or the personality they want to project (Main Character Energy, any new moms?), you’re setting them up for a name that doesn’t age well—or worse, a total misfit.
It’s true, there are plenty of brands whose names and “brands” exist in a kind of cognitive dissonance without impacting their success. Take Reformation. As a word person, I can’t help but grow giddy at the brand’s snark, but its name? While Reformation makes a nod to the company’s commitment to sustainability, its staid name feel somehow at odds with its spirited tone. Or look at Uber: a name that suggests something light and fun that never quite matched the luxury “black car” service it started out as, nor the broader everyday service it’s become.
But, why risk it? Many brands have names that align beautifully with their strategy, right from the start.
I think of the Megababes and Anthropologies of the world that hit—and continue to hit—the mark. The cheeky Megababe name perfectly matches its founder Katie Sturino’s unapologetic personality (her intro to Megababe and herself: “My thighs rub together. My boobs sweat. And my B.O. is the worst!”) and creating an expansive runway for taboo-turned-talked-about products like Bust Dust, Happy Pits, and Butt Stuff, while the more sophisticated Anthropologie signals an eclectic and worldly aesthetic: one that brings you everything from Art Nouveau wine glasses inspired by the Met to preserved gypsophila bunches from Japan to slip dresses of all styles.
Still, let’s face it: client timelines can make the horse-before-cart impossible, and for many, the future is blurry—impossible to fully predict or see. What then?
My long-time naming tips are threefold:
1. Keep your name neutral, but approachable (not stale!)
Hims is a great example. Initially, the brand's tone was irreverent, with humorous copy and suggestive imagery (a specific-shaped cactus, anyone?). This helped destigmatize sensitive topics, attract a younger audience, and put Hims on the map. But Hims’ ambition was bigger, and it has since gone on to capture a wider audience, which—in turn—has meant taking on a more straightforward (some may even say subdued) voice. Whether you love or loathe the Hims’ evolution, its neutral yet approachable name did successfully set it up for a truly seamless transition.
2. Create an empty vessel, then fill it over time.
If your client is open to it, choosing open-ended or fanciful names—that is, names that are either (1) without inherent meaning or (2) invented—can give brands the room they need to grow.
Apple, Stripe, and Lime are proof that when it comes to naming, you don’t have to stay inside the lines. With no baked-in connection to their respective categories (technology, finance, scooters), they can flex to any product, tone, or even lifestyle.
And names like Etsy, Kodak, and Venmo do similar work. Mostly made-up monikers (yes, wordsmiths, I get that Venmo alludes to “vendor” and “more”…), they are largely (smile) free of associations—and baggage, leaving the companies free to build a brand all their own—and on their own time.
3. Champion strategic soundness vs. love at first sight
Sometimes, the kinds of names that make your client swoon aren’t the ones that will see them through to success. Sure, tough love isn’t fun, but your job is to steer them away from the name that “feels” right to the one that is strategically right. Keep their vision at the forefront of every conversation and remind them it’s not about butterflies but finding a name that positions them well—and has true staying power.
You can’t always predict the future, but there are always ways to prepare. A considered name can evolve alongside your brand, whether it stays true to its original blueprint or gets a glow-up along the way.
Stevie Belchak is a freelance namer, strategist, and writer living in Georgia. When she's not "wording out" for work, she's writing out of love--publishing poetry and essays in journals, across the web, and through her Substack.
