‘What’s in a name?’ an expression by William Shakespeare essentially means that a name is not that important. It suggests that is the characteristics of a person or an object will ultimately dictate what is truly is and how it perceived by the real world.
But, is this true in case of brand names? Coco-Cola, Netflix, Google are names that surround us to a point that they become a part of our everyday speech. This is because the brand name carries more weight than one can think. A name that connects with the audience can mark a difference between a brand that gains traction and the one that does not.
A brand name gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to have a control in how people interpret their business and put a meaning behind their name with positive connotations. Hence, there is a lot of thought that is put in while finalising the name. Some names might just be a combination of a few essentials, while the others might be a result of critical analysis. iTMunch brings you a list of 10 tech companies and the story behind their names.
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Apple
One of the world’s largest companies got its name partially because Steve Jobs likes apples a lot and partially because Apple is ahead of Atari in a phonebook where Jobs would work previously. One of the reasons why the company chose Apple is because nobody was able to find another name before the filing deadline.
HTC
Sure, HTC stands for High-Tech Computer. But, that’s not the only reason why the company chose this name. In 1997 when the company was founded by H.T. Cho (chairman) and Cher Wang (chairwoman), both of them decided to use their own initials to form a name. And, HTC was born.
Sony
Another well-known brand in the world of electronics, Sony is derived from “sonus”, the Latin word for sound and a slang expression “sonny boy”. In 1950s, “sonny boy” can be described as smart, presentable young men.
“Google it” has become a common phrase in our everyday speech. This internet giant got its name from “googol”, a mathematical term for the numeral 1 followed by 100 zeros. Google is actually a misspelling of the word.
Amazon
Jeff Bezos, owner of the company initially wanted to call his online bookstore “Cadabra”. However, as his lawyer was hesitant about this name, Jeff decided to incorporate the company and change the name later. Later, he decided to scan out the dictionary to scan through options. And, Amazon was the one that stood out amongst everything; as it was exotic, different and by far the largest river in the world.
These are some of the famous companies in the world and the stories behind their names. If you are planning to have a similar name for your startup, you should consider the following steps.
Steps to name your brand:
1. Understand what makes a good name
2. Don’t hesitate to brainstorm a list of names
3. Narrow your list to a few decent names
4. Select the one that stands out the most
5. Ask for feedback
6. Check domain availability
Simplify your brand naming process with these tools:
Shopify
Shopify is ideal for small and medium sized businesses. Here, you just need to type in your search query and you will instantly receive a list of available domain names similar to your query. Learn more about this tool here.
https://www.shopify.de/
NameMesh
Similar to Shopify, you need to enter a search query. Here, you won’t just receive a list of suggested domain names, but also find names based on items such as SEO, synonyms, antonyms, blended and modified keywords, and prefixes.
https://www.namemesh.com/
Brandbucket
As the name suggests, this platform offers you names for your brand along with the logos. You can look for domain availability, as well as their prices. The best part about this platform is that it offers services such as customisable logos and an invented word search, which can help boost name originality.
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These are a few steps that can help you select a creative name for your startup or business. Keep reading iTMunch for more such startup blogs, news and updates.
