Naming is never a creative exercise in isolation. It starts with the business. Not the logo. Not the slogan. Not a clever turn of phrase.
Every strong name begins with a clear understanding of what the business is trying to achieve.
Without that, even the smartest name can be a beautiful misfit.
Strategy Comes First
Before we think about concepts, metaphors and phonetics, we need to get clear on strategy. That means asking the basic and necessary questions. To name a few:
- Where is the company headed?
- What are the core business objectives?
- Who are the target groups and stakeholders?
- What is the commercial strategy across the sales channels?
- Who else is playing in the space, and what codes are they following?
Also, an interesting one: will your brand break the category, or play by the rules?
If you're planning to disrupt, can the proposition actually live up to it? A bold name without a bold business behind it becomes empty provocation. Apple worked because it was different. The simplicity of the name matched the radical user focus and design philosophy that followed.
Naming Within Brand Architecture
For products, services, and sub-brands, there's another layer: how does the name relate to the master brand? To the rest of the portfolio and roadmap? What is its role?
The brand positioning and values matter here too. Are you naming a quiet enabler, a hero product, or a challenger brand? Strategic fit in naming often depends on architecture as much as attitude.
Think Long-Term
And perhaps most importantly: where do you want to be in five or ten years?
Naming isn't just about who you are today. It's about who you're becoming.
A good name doesn't lock you into your launch proposition. It leaves room for growth, expansion, and evolution.
Take OPPO, one of our own brands. It launched with MP3 players for the Chinese market. Today, it's a global tech player competing in mobile innovation. The name didn't hold it back, it grew with it. Across markets. That's strategic fit in action.
So, What is Strategic Fit in Naming?
It's alignment. Between the name and your ambition. Between how you show up today, and where you're going tomorrow. No name will tell the whole story. It is your most long-term marketing instrument that enables you to grow your business and brand for years to come.
Want to see if your name fits your future? Let's talk.
Send me an email or drop me DM LinkedIn. I'd love to hear how you've approached naming from a business strategy point of view - or when a name didn't quite keep up.
Next in the series: Communicative Power
How do you make sure your name is easy in use, easy to remember and conveys the right message, without trying to say everything at once? In the next post, we explore meaning, clarity, tone, and the art of saying less with more.
Joachim ter Haar
Managing Partner
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