News

“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” – William Shakespeare

Tell that to the new $300 Million Antarctic research vessel: RSS Boaty McBoatface. When the UK’s new Antarctic research vessel needed a name, their agency went to the internet seeking help, and probably for the last time.
While many sincere submissions were entered into the voting pool, soon it became evident that there was a clear front-runner: RRS Boaty McBoatface. With over 111,800 votes,  towering over second place by nearly 90,000 votes, Boaty McBoatface is the potential new name for the very serious and very expensive research vessel. While it has yet to be revealed whether the organization will overrule the public’s selection for the name, the top submission has afforded them a great deal of media attention and has caused their campaign to go viral. With roughly 50% of overall submissions being sarcastic, unprofessional, or poor taste, it’s a funny and painful reminder of why you should rarely go to the internet seeking assistance in naming your company or any entity within it.

How should you go about naming your company, brand, or product?

There are more traditional methods of naming:

• Originator/Founder’s names – Cadbury, named after founder John Cadbury.
• Describing what your company does – 7-Eleven, Hours of Operations being from 7am-11pm.
• Evoke an experience or image – Arm & Hammer – Hard Working and Powerful.
• Using a word out of context – Apple
• Create a new word – Google

A founder’s name can be an obvious choice for some companies or organizations, but if it’s not, you probably have a lot to consider. What industry are you in? What is your target market/demographic? What speciality do you want to be known for? Just to name a few. Another important consideration should be whether or not the domain is available. Sure, you can opt for an alternate to the typical .com domain, but most of the time, you want to secure [yourcompanyname].com.
Creating a new name for your company should incorporate a lot of thought, creativity, and research. If you’re seeking a professional’s opinion on your branding or rebranding strategy, contact Liquified Creative today.