Short vs. Long Brand Names
Naming your product or business, is it better to have a short or long name? 33 Voices interviews naming expert Alexandra Watkins who gives the rules to live by. You can listen to her answer regarding Short vs. Long Brand names HERE along with more insights from from this interview with 33 Voices. 10 Insights to Create […]
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The Secret To Kickass Brand Names
Creating awesome brand names is not a science. Yet naming firms spout ridiculous jargon about “verbal identity engineering,“ “rigorous methodologies,” “computational linguistics,” and “scientific scrutiny applied to the unstructured and undisciplined process of brand name creation.” Others try to invent names using math. They take a completely fine word, crunch it with another word, and get a name […]
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Brand Naming Tips on School for Startups Radio
How to name your startup: Brand naming expert Alexandra Watkins gives away her best kept naming tips as a guest on School for Startups Radio.
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7 Strategies & Secrets for Killer Product Names
The most powerful brand names connect with people and move them to buy because they are based on familiar concepts that they understand and appreciate.
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How to Suggest Your Brand is Trustworthy or Credible
Actions speak louder than a used car salesman’s suit. While your business should certainly be trustworthy and credible, trying to cram any form of those words into your brand name can sound disingenuous. Luckily, there are many other ways you can convey that you have a quality company or product. Adding a strong secondary word […]
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Coined Names – Pretty & Pretty Bad
I have great respect anyone who can invent a pretty name that sounds a like real word and suggests something about the brand. Some of my favorite coined names are Recology, Silk, Dreamery, Groupon, Scanadu, Pictionary, Cinnabon, Chillow, Pinterest and San Franpsycho. These names, also known as “portmanteaus, work well because they cleverly marry two […]
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Upcoming Book: “Hello, My Name Is Awesome”
“Hello, My Name is Awesome, How to Create Brand Names That Stick,” (Fall 2014, Berrett-Koehler Publishers) is a fast-paced, fun, fluff-free guide that teaches business people how to create memorable brand names for products and companies. No degree in Latin or linguistics required. Written by Eat My Words founder, Alexandra Watkins, (me!), book is jam-packed with […]
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Nab your personal brand name free on About.Me
If you haven’t nabbed your “personal brand” name yet on About.Me do it now before someone else beats you to it. This is the most professional way I’ve seen to consolidate (and track) your online presence. And signing up is fast and free. About.Me has a beautifully clean design and they make it so simple, […]
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Make sure your brand name (Alexis Couture) isn’t the same name as a drag queen and a P0RN STAR.
Oh dear God! My favorite sexy blonde housewife, Alexis Bellino (aka “Jesus Barbie”) of Bravo TV’s Real Housewives of Orange County, has made the ultimate naming sin – according to my research on Boobpedia and Power Diva Productions, her new clothing line, “Alexis Couture” is the same name as a BBW adult entertainment actress and […]
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Choosing a Company Name: 5 Things You Need to Know
AOL Small Business recently tapped Alexandra as the featured brand name expert in an article for small business owners. Regardless of the size of your business, if you’re naming a company, be sure to read these helpful naming tips. “Choosing a Company Name: 5 Things You Need to Know.” By Julia L. Rogers What’s in […]
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Announcing the worst brand name of 2010…
Putting the “wow” in bad spelling and impossible pronunciation, is Shwowp, Eat My Words’ Head Scratcher of the Year Winner for the worst brand name of 2010. It was a heated competition with other contenders including Retardex Toothpaste (need we say more), Morongo Casino (where ‘morons go’ to gamble?), and iSwipe (say it out loud). […]
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How to Make Money with a Fun Business Name
Can you imagine if your customers paid you to advertise your brand all over town? Or if people who didn’t even patronize your business wanted to buy a t-shirt with your brand name on it just because it was so much fun. Any business can generate extra revenue simply by having a fun name that […]
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Tweet My Words (before someone nabs your name)
Hurry and register your name on Twitter before someone else hijacks it and tweets your words. It’s free to sign up and takes all of 17 seconds. Even if you don’t have the foggiest idea of what Twitter is or how you could possibly use it to get business, do yourself an enormous favor and […]
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Love at first sight doesn't just happen on eHarmony.
Imagine never having to spend a dime on advertising or PR because your brand name was so magnetic that people were instantly drawn to it. And your name was so infectious, your customers were excited to tell other people and generate buzz for you. We’ve seen this happen over and over again with names we […]
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10 domain naming tips that will save you time and Tums
The biggest misconception we dispel here at Eat My Words on a daily basis is a client’s belief that they need to own the exact dot com of their business name. Not true. Even if you are a pure online business. (When you are shopping online and, for example, Google “lemongrass candle,” do you really […]
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Alexandra sheds some Light on naming in Smart Money
Asked & Answered: Marketing Multiple BusinessesJune 24, 2008 By Colleen DeBaise QUESTION: Your Oct. 30, 2007, article described people who run multiple businesses. My problem is a little different. I am a freelance writer offering business- and career-writing services. Last year, I also started a direct-sales business (selling health and wellness products). How do I […]
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Alas, Name Mangler is not one of our Competitor's
We recently ran across this company, and thought that at last, one of our competitor’s was fessing up with a descriptive name of what they do. However, it is not a naming company but a file naming utility. Ah well. Just in case, these URL’s were available this morning, if any of you guy’s want […]
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Biggest Mistakes When Choosing a Domain Name/Company Name
As long as I’m on my soap box writing about annoying Naymz (next post), here are some mistakes to avoid when choosing a name for your company and a domain name to go along with it: Don’t name your company something just because the domain name is available on GoDaddy for $9.95 Don’t give up […]
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How to get more mileage out of your brand name
Most names get slapped on a product, website or business card and the buck stops there. But you can get a lot more mileage and ROI out of a name if it has long legs. A name with legs is rich in wordplay, lends itself to brand extensions, has an unlimited shelf life, can grow […]
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How your name can generate buzz and bacon
In today’s freaky economy, advertising budgets are facing extinction and marketing dollars are being stretched like carnival taffy. Your name has to do more, say more, and work harder than ever before. Without a massive ad campaign to drill it in (think: Head On), consumers cannot remember brand names that are tame, tired, copycat, spelling-challenged, […]
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Can your name pass The SMILE & SCRATCH Test?
The secret to powerful, unforgettable and sticky brand names is simple, “A name should make you smile, instead of scratch your head.” We evaluate every name we create based on this no-brainer philosophy – and now you can too with the new Eat My Words SMILE and SCRATCH TestTM. Run your own product and company […]
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How to avoid an invented name trainwreck.
Names should make people smile instead of scratch their head. Especially invented names, which are often mangled gobbldygook. Start-ups and old-school naming firms fall in love with invented names for three reasons: 1) They sail through trademarking; 2) the domain names are always available; 3) they want the ego boost of coining a word. It’s […]
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What NOT to name your product or company.
We’re continually amazed that people trademark names that are spelled differently than they sound. In today’s word-of-mouth world, what you hear is what you type in your browser, so it’s imperative that your name is easy and intuitive to spell. Case in point: Takkle.com, a high school sports website. When Jeff says, “Yo Steve, check […]
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