5 new rules for creating effective product names

It’s hard for new products to stand out and grab attention in the constantly-changing and increasingly global and digital marketplace. But there is an often-overlooked asset that many brands don’t put enough priority into: the product name. Selecting the right name has never been more important and the naming process has never been more challenging. 

After all, a name is the one thing your competitors can’t take away from you. The reality is that most products and services can be copied over time. The brand name is the one thing that can’t be copied. As a registered trademark, a name is protected. It is valuable intellectual property, just as much as a patent. This makes selecting unique product names more important than ever.

After 40 years in the naming business, I have identified a few essential rules and conventions of product naming designed to optimize the selection of your next name. These are based on our approach of strategy, creativity and linguistics - combined to create a brand name that is unique, memorable, lasting and most importantly, helps a company grow.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

David Placek

David is the president and founder of Lexicon Branding.

Latest in Branding
Chupa Chups logo
The Chupa Chups logo was created by an art legend in just one hour
Dove ad
Dove's new campaign wants to break you out of the selfie cycle
Jaguar Type 00 in French ultramarine at Paris Fashion Week
The Jaguar rebrand has finally won me over after the Type 00 stole the show at Paris Fashion Week
Tesla Cybertruck
Why some Tesla owners are covering up the logo
Magnum billboards on a roadside
Magnum abducts our radio waves with ingenious sonic branding ad
Korean Air new logo in use
Korean Air rebrands for the first time since the '80s
Latest in Features
Promise Mascot Agency;
How Ikumi Nakamura's 'art bible' helped create Promise Mascot Agency's grotesque mascots, and why collaboration in indie game development is vital
Pittura, a short film made at ArtFX
"We wanted to talk about AI and its relationship to art" – how we made 2025’s VES Student Award-winning animation Pittura
Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau; a vibrant, dynamic illustration showcases Spider-Gwen in a dynamic action pose amidst a cityscape, radiating a sense of energy and playful confidence
"Art is not easy. You have to suffer in joy" – Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau reflects on what it takes to succeed in comic art
Your House indie game art interview; A stylised illustration depicts a young woman seated, seemingly contemplative, in a setting that combines elements of a comic book panel and a vintage aesthetic
"This is a game you can read, or a book you can play” – solving the visual design of Your House, a detective game crossed with a Daniel Clowes comic
one.com
How to build a website for your creative business quickly and easily
AI generated images of a male creative director and a female parent
AI's gender bias is even worse than reality