If You Want to Build a Successful Brand, start with a Great Name!

If You Want to Build a Successful Brand, start with a Great Name! Long before logos, taglines, and marketing departments with kombucha on tap, brands began with one thing: a name. A name is the first handshake, the first impression, the first spark of trust — or suspicion. In a world where consumers make snap judgments in the time it takes a hummingbird to blink an eye, a great name can tilt the entire playing field in your favor. But what makes a name great? Why do some names feel like old friends while others sound like prescription drugs with negative side effects? Let me tell you a few stories; People Trust What Feels Familiar — even if they don’t know why. Psychologists call it the mere exposure effect, I call it common sense your grandmother taught you. People like what they already know and nothing triggers trust faster than a name that taps into childhood — that golden era when everything was simple, safe, and came with a jingle. A great ad man friend once told me a story that stuck with me like gum on a hot sidewalk: For generations, American kids grew up singing “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” So when Ray Kroc started expanding his fast-food empire, the name McDonald’s already lived rent-free in the minds of millions. It felt friendly. It felt familiar. It felt like a place where nothing bad could happen — except maybe a ketchup stain. That’s the power of a name that taps into memory. It’s branding before branding was invented. The Best Names Trigger Universal Memories Look at the titans: • Yahoo — sounds like something you’d shout while jumping oƯ a hay bale. • Apple — the fruit your mom packed in your lunchbox and then put on your teacher’s desk. • Amazon — the river you learned about in third grade, right before the page on volcanoes. These names work because they’re anchored in universal memories. Cognitive scientists call this semantic anchoring. I call it smart. And here’s a stat that would make Warren BuƯet nod approvingly: Over 70% of the world’s top brands have names with only two or three syllables. Short. Punchy. Easy to say. Easy to remember. Meanwhile, Big Pharma is out there naming drugs like Wi-Fi passwords. A name can change a company’s fate overnight. Let me take you back to 1921. Babe Ruth was becoming the biggest star baseball had ever seen. That same year, a struggling candy company made a bold move: they renamed their candy bar Baby Ruth — legally one letter deferent. Instant recognition. Instant curiosity. Instant success! Today, Baby Ruth is the official candy bar of Major League Baseball. That’s not coincidence, that’s branding jiu-jitsu. Or take Nike. Most people don’t know it’s the Greek goddess of victory — but they feel the power of the word. It’s short, sharp, and triumphant. A name that practically sprints off the tongue. When a Name Sounds Like What It Does Some names succeed because they sound like their purpose. Linguists call this phonetic symbolism. I call it naming with your ears open. Examples: • Energizer — you can practically hear the battery bunny running. • Dunkin’ Donuts — rhythmic, fun, and deliciously literal. • PayPal — friendly, trustworthy, and easygoing. • Triumph Motorcycles — a name that feels like a victory lap. And then there’s Caterpillar. Their machines are enormous, loud, and powerful — nothing like the fuzzy little insect. But the name works because it’s visual, unexpected, and memorable. It crawls into your mind and refuses to leave. Implicit Associations: The Secret Sauce Some names succeed because they combine two positive ideas: • Starbucks (stars + bucks) • Facebook • MasterCard • Snapchat “Starbuck” was also the first mate in Moby-Dick, so the name already had memory roots before it became a global caffeine addiction. That’s the beauty of layered associations — the brain loves connecting the dots. Founders Still Dominate the Top 100 Brands. Many iconic brands are simply named after their founders: Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, Samsung, Disney, Louis Vuitton, Honda, Gillette, J.P. Morgan, Jack Daniels — the list reads like a roll call of people who didn’t have time to brainstorm names because they were too busy building empires. These names succeeded because the product succeeded. The name became synonymous with quality, reliability, craftsmanship, or a great shot of whisky at the end of the day. But sometimes a new product needs a name that gives it an immediate lift. Names like Pampers and Salesforce created instant clarity and emotional appeal, helping those companies rocket out of the gate. The Bottom Line: A Name Is a Strategic Weapon A great name isn’t just a label. It’s a story. A memory. A feeling. A shortcut to trust. If you’re naming a business, product, or brand, ask yourself: • Does it feel familiar? • Does it evoke something positive? • Is it simple and memorable? • Does it connect to a story worth telling? • Would your grandmother smile when she heard it? • Would a kid repeat it after hearing it once? Because in the end, names matter — far more than most people realize. And if you ever need help crafting one, well… I’ve got a few stories left up my sleeve. Russell A. Johnson Rjohnsonandpartners.com Originally written May 27, 1997 -revised in 2022