Why picking the wrong type of brand name screws you later

Founders fall in love with clever. Investors push for obvious. Legal wants safe. But picking the wrong type of name might screw you down the line. We’ve broken down all the types of brand name you might want to consider so you can avoid the pitfalls and focus on the good stuff.

Descriptive

These brand names are like Ronseal ­– they say what you do on the tin. Booking.com, for example It’s great for the early stages, but what happens when you outgrow the label? Descriptive names are safe, but they age fast. They trap you in what you sell today, not what you might become.

Suggestive

A suggestive brand name hints at what you do or how you make people feel. Think Slack or Amazon. They’re flexible, but they take skill to nail. Suggestive names invite curiosity, signalling more than they say. Done well, they open doors. Done badly? You’re more likely to confuse everyone.

Invented

These are made-up words like Google (yes, we know it’s vaguely based on the term googol, but it’s made up!) or Kodak. High ownability, but zero meaning – until you build it. Invented names win big if you’re ready to invest in meaning but if not, you’re just making noise.

Experiential

LinkedIn, Snapchat, or Airbnb are brand names linked to the experience. These are great when the product’s strong, but weak when it’s not. Experiential names force you to deliver – fast. They live or die on product truth. No pressure or anything, right?

Acronyms

Shortcut names like IBM or HSBC are easy to say, but meaningless until you’re huge.
Acronyms are for legacy players – don’t start here unless you plan to become one.

Founder-led

Brands named after people, such as Ford, Dyson or Cadbury are classic, but limiting if you want the brand to stand alone. Founder names work when the founder is the product, but they can get messy fast when the business scales. That’s why we encouraged Nephos to head outside the traditional accountancy naming conventions.

Metaphorical or symbolic

These names tap into mythology, emotion, or cultural reference to get people on board. Some good examples are Nike (goddess of victory), Red Bull (energy, power), and Apple (discovery, freshness). These names carry weight, but only if the story’s strong and the market gets the reference.

Compound or hybrid

These names are two words combined to create a new space – Facebook, YouTube, FedEx. These work when the combination sparks recognition and freshness. Forcing it too hard? It’ll be instantly forgettable.

So which one’s right for you?

This one depends on a few different factors: your ambition, your market, your audience and your growth plans. You don’t pick a name type because it feels right – you pick it because it aligns with where you’re going.

The bottom line

The type you choose shapes how the world sees you, and how far you can go.
Choose the wrong one? You’ll be rebranding sooner than you think. Choose right, and your name grows with you, not against you.

Don’t worry – we’ll help you come up with the right name from the off so you’re only spending the budget once. Drop us a line and let’s get cracking on a brand name with impact.