When we are looking to undergo a series of steps to name a brand the first thing that should strike us is whether the name can put enough of an impression on the subconscious minds of the audience and remain there to bell their conscious presence and prompt them to consider it first when the constituent strikes. Bingo, when it happens on a larger scale and to the mass diverse population for a more extended period we can consider that a Brand has been established. It is a matter of not only the brand cycle but also the establishment of a relationship between the human age process and longevity of the brand and survival.

A well-named brand is a guarantee to a loyalty card that the beholder will keep without any paperwork

But somewhere the journey has to begin, and what should be the criterion to start?

Clarity – My proposition is one must be clear about what my Brand name should correlate to and make easy connectivity with the users. This is to create a zone where one’s body senses, objectives, and desires can trigger a comfort level and build the reputation with the brand. It is very essential to bridge and establish the communication between the brand and the audience and the whole emphasis and crux fall between the two.

It is equally important to understand the industry we represent, our values, and the core identity of our existence. Brands will reflect this in the competitive world of Name gaming, successes and failures.

It is important to establish the relationship between the brand vision, mission, and values.

The criteria that will assist us are deciding which among the brand names will be suitable and the types of Brands names.

• Descriptive – E* trade, General Motors, SBI
• Evocative – Nike, Amazon
• Invented – Kodak, Xerox
• Lexical  – Dunkin, Donuts
• Acronymic – IBM,UPS,BMW
• Geographical – Indian Airlines, Southwest Airlines
• Founder – Ben & Jerry’s, Ralph Lauren

The development is to focus on the communication of the central idea of the brand.

Brainstorming – The best thing shall be to ideate, encourage openness and encourage participation.  Brainstorming is the collaborative process of ideation. The phase is to collect the raw ideas that will give us food for thought after the business objective has been set. This is the genesis phase.

This is the phase to be more imaginative, creative think unconventionally, and take risks. Some useful Brainstorming tools can be used. This is a phase of generating the long first list of names.

• Thesauruses
• Mind Mapping tools
• Glossaries and lists
• Online naming tools

Refinement – This is a phase of Probability to make a cut and raise some questions as to how the logo is going to look, the website, and how the name will sound when used in the sentences and not to ignore how it sounds on its own. This is the initial cross-verifying phase to see whether some other company owns the brand and may immediately raise a Red flag.

Testing – This is the qualitative test phase to see how marketable the name is, how it looks aesthetically, its relevance, personification, brand voice, and its ability to get differentiated among other competitive brands. Legal viability and potential trademark issues can also be considered in the testing phase.

Measuring Memorability is the key to understanding how quickly the brand can establish itself in the conscious mind and pop up as and when the desire for the related things erupts. It’s like quickly getting accustomed and developing an acquaintance with the brand. An initial reputation to establish with the brand.

Selection – Though difficult but empowers to determine the relative value of the names shortlisted. This is where the final representation will get made. It is not to undermine that the trademark concerns should also be sought. It is advisable to seek advisor assistance.

The harsh fact not very pleasing is that not everyone will be pleased and reluctance shall always be there.

Branding is a thrilling proposition and terrifying too. Taking the process one step at a time and making sure to lay the necessary groundwork is the key to finding the name that will support the future success of the Business.

After the brand name has been chosen with a logo an online search should be conducted to avoid legal complications. Filling up the trademark application with requisites and filing for the brand name registration application and scrutiny as advisable and the process.

The Trademark name and logo are published in a Trade mark Journal and finally, the trademark name and logo are officially protected and valid for ten years.

Return on Investment – A monetary term may come initially into our minds. Still, the success lies when the brand is successful in making an Emotional connection that is too intense and ignites a social experiment. Remember A brand is a story that can make History.