Naming a product or business is hard. It took Matt, Chris and Russ a while to select the name Rusty Monkey for our creative agency. You might be wondering why we’re called Rusty Monkey, well the name was first inspired by a video game we were creating, where a robot monkey head rolled around destroying viruses.
The main reasons why it ended up making the shortlist and taking first place for our agency, was because it felt a little bit silly, not too serious, which reflected our brand personality, whilst being memorable, short and unique.
These are all important factors you should consider when naming your stuff, does it fit your brand? And will it be memorable to your audience?
However, it’s easier said than done. But luckily for you we’ve put together a FREE figma workshop which will make the whole process smoother, and we’ve gathered some tips to help you along the way:
Not got time to read? Watch this video to learn our tips instead.
Tip 1: Get the right people involved early
Before you dive into creative brainstorming, make sure all the decision-makers are in the room. Nothing's worse than coming up with the best freakin’ name ever only for someone higher up to veto it later. Bring everyone on board from the start to avoid delays and disappointment down the road.
Tip 2: Follow the golden rules of naming
When brainstorming, keep these golden rules in mind:
Short: The shorter the name, the easier it is to remember.
Memorable: You want people to recall it without effort. Think of brands like Nest or Ring.
Unique: Do a quick search to make sure it’s not taken (and you avoid any legal trouble!).
Tip 3: Know your audience
Always think about your customers. Who are they? What do they care about? You want a name that speaks to them, not just your internal team. So, when naming, put yourself in their shoes and choose something that resonates.
Tip 4: If you have them, look at your existing products
If you're launching a new product, think about how it will fit with your current lineup. If your products follow a particular naming pattern, stick with it! For example, if your product line includes the BJ1000, the next logical step could be the BJ2000. Keeping things consistent builds brand recognition.
Tip 5: Visualise the name
Sometimes, visuals can spark great ideas. Use a mood board to gather imagery related to your product or industry. You can even add competitors' branding for inspiration. We love using FigJam for this – it's a fun, interactive way to get creative ideas flowing with your team!
Tip 6: Break it down with simple exercises
Here are a few exercises to help get the ideas rolling:
Start with the obvious: Look at your existing products and brainstorm similar names.
Aesthetics: Describe your product visually. Is it sleek and minimal? Does it have a unique color or shape? A name could be as simple as Grey Box.
What does it do?: Sometimes, the function is the best clue for a name. Example: ShootBullet 3000 (Okay, maybe not that exact name!).
Who does it help?: Think about the target audience. Is it for hikers? Maybe you’ve got the next RambleMaster on your hands!
How does it help?: List out the benefits of your product and see if they inspire a name.
Tip 7: Go wild with word association
Don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild. Start with a word (e.g., tea) and see where it leads you. Tea might lead to biscuits, which could lead to comfort, warmth, etc. You never know where a brainstorming session will take you, so let your team’s creativity fly!
Tip 8: Create compound words
Mix and match different words from your brainstorm to create something entirely new. This is how many iconic brand names are born!
The most important tip: Score your ideas
Once you’ve got a list of names, score them! This helps eliminate any subjectivity, and helps you decide what direction to go with as a team. To do this, create a simple scoring system (out of 10, for example) based on the key criteria ‘Short, Memorable, Phonetics, Soft IP check' and then a scoring system (out of 5, for example) on secondary criteria which is more personal, these can be factors which will help the name fit your brand.
This helps you narrow down your options and avoid picking something too bland.
Final thoughts
Naming is hard, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Follow these steps, get your team involved, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it (even if it means coming up with something like CleanBum 250 during the process). Once you’ve landed on a few strong contenders, present the names in context. Create a mockup, write a slogan, and see how it looks in action before making your final decision.
Free resource!
Need a little help getting started? Download our free FigJam template! We love using Figma, and this template will guide you through the naming process step by step. It’s perfect for collaborating with your team and coming up with that killer name together. Just download and drag into your Figma account to start using it.
Happy naming! 🎉
Who wrote this?
She / her; green / blue. Zoe is a designer, daydreamer and self-anointed snack queen. Once described as “so awkward she’s charming” by a friend, there isn’t a day that goes by without her accidentally slipping in an innuendo. In winter, she hibernates in a blanket of books and netflix, but by late spring emerges with her trusty birkenstocks, ready to go on photography adventures and socialise with the neighbourhood cats. If she were a pokemon she would without a doubt be Pikachu, but a buzzfeed quiz has determined her to be a Magikarp. She’s a firm believer that buzzfeed quizzes cannot be trusted, under any circumstances.
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