Comments on: What's in a name? http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/ A blog about marketing, online communities and other business musings. Come join the fun! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:14:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tommy http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-113056 Tommy Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:32:56 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-113056 I think the name is difficult to find now- so many of them:-) If it is sharp it is better, but still idea and plan are more important. I like new : http://blog.lendingclub.com/ Best wishes for everyone!!! I think the name is difficult to find now- so many of them:-) If it is sharp
it is better, but still idea and plan are more important. I like new : http://blog.lendingclub.com/ Best wishes for everyone!!!

]]> By: Omar Hakim http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-113049 Omar Hakim Sun, 01 Jul 2007 08:46:36 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-113049 The name should be easy to pronounce and - this is often overlooked - not mean anything weird or derogatory in a foreign language. We're in a global marketplace and who knows if/when your product/service/company will "go global". Chevrolet didn't think of that when the came up with the name for the Chevy Nova. It seems no one in Detroit spoke Spanish (No-Va = "doesn't go")... The name should be easy to pronounce and – this is often overlooked – not mean anything weird or derogatory in a foreign language. We’re in a global marketplace and who knows if/when your product/service/company will “go global”.

Chevrolet didn’t think of that when the came up with the name for the Chevy Nova. It seems no one in Detroit spoke Spanish (No-Va = “doesn’t go”)…

]]> By: Noah Kagan http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112523 Noah Kagan Fri, 29 Jun 2007 23:28:01 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112523 EyeNoah. Anyone get it? EyeNoah.

Anyone get it?

]]> By: Devin http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112476 Devin Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:10:53 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112476 ReamsDreams... rolls right off the tongue. Wink wink? ReamsDreams… rolls right off the tongue. Wink wink?

]]> By: Devin http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112475 Devin Fri, 29 Jun 2007 20:09:57 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112475 I think we all agree to some extent. We're just saying it a bit differently. The point being: we could've named 'Google' and 'Yahoo' totally differently (and obscure) words, but they'd still be popular and successful. The name is going to be used either way--whatever it may be. ;) I think we all agree to some extent. We’re just saying it a bit differently.

The point being: we could’ve named ‘Google’ and ‘Yahoo’ totally differently (and obscure) words, but they’d still be popular and successful. The name is going to be used either way–whatever it may be. ;)

]]> By: Will http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112416 Will Fri, 29 Jun 2007 17:48:00 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112416 Devin, I tend to agree with you, to a certain extent names do not matter. It helps though to have a catchy name, it is something for people to remember you by, but if your product sucks, they will soon forget no matter what the name is. In this day and age of creativity, it may almost work to your advantage to go old school and name your product something simple, like for instance if you were launching say a riske YouTube like site, you could call it ReamsDreams ;-) Will Devin,
I tend to agree with you, to a certain extent names do not matter. It helps though to have a catchy name, it is something for people to remember you by, but if your product sucks, they will soon forget no matter what the name is.
In this day and age of creativity, it may almost work to your advantage to go old school and name your product something simple, like for instance if you were launching say a riske YouTube like site, you could call it ReamsDreams ;-)

Will

]]> By: Deron http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112365 Deron Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:23:07 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112365 I agree in that names do not matter. I think it helps if you have a name that's short and/or has a catchy ring to it, but it's not a necessity. If you provide a good product and word gets out about your product/business, people will use your services regardless of the name, and when your service explodes and becomes popular, the name will become second nature and wont seem 'weird' at all. I mean, if a new retailer opened that had prices there are half the price of Wal-Mart's, but the name of this new place was "blahblah," would that really stop you from shopping there? It's all about getting recognized. I agree in that names do not matter. I think it helps if you have a name that’s short and/or has a catchy ring to it, but it’s not a necessity. If you provide a good product and word gets out about your product/business, people will use your services regardless of the name, and when your service explodes and becomes popular, the name will become second nature and wont seem ‘weird’ at all. I mean, if a new retailer opened that had prices there are half the price of Wal-Mart’s, but the name of this new place was “blahblah,” would that really stop you from shopping there? It’s all about getting recognized.

]]> By: Damon Billian http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112328 Damon Billian Fri, 29 Jun 2007 12:09:50 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112328 I think we're seeing a lot of names w/o context these days because of people that buy up domains & squat on them. No, Flickr doesn't capture what they do entirely...but it doesn't entirely not make sense... The other thing: a lot of companies, at least online ones, generally want to become a verb at some point (twitter=tweets, paypal=paypaled). I think we’re seeing a lot of names w/o context these days because of people that buy up domains & squat on them. No, Flickr doesn’t capture what they do entirely…but it doesn’t entirely not make sense…

The other thing: a lot of companies, at least online ones, generally want to become a verb at some point (twitter=tweets, paypal=paypaled).

]]> By: Sean Tierney http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112252 Sean Tierney Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:24:08 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112252 depends on the context- meaningless names are stronger brands because you homestead that mental real estate and own it (in the case of our company, "JumpBox vs. VirtualAppliances.net" - we create a term for something new and then own the term. that's a way stronger position to hold). what's funny is i had planned to write a post by this exact same title only on a different subject: would the Patriot Act ever have passed if it had been called something like the "Forceful abdication of privacy Act?" In that case the name proved to be everything in convincing the public to accept a horribly ill-conceived and invasive restriction of privacy. Names matter but it depends entirely on the context and the motivations of the naming party. sean depends on the context- meaningless names are stronger brands because you homestead that mental real estate and own it (in the case of our company, “JumpBox vs. VirtualAppliances.net” – we create a term for something new and then own the term. that’s a way stronger position to hold).

what’s funny is i had planned to write a post by this exact same title only on a different subject: would the Patriot Act ever have passed if it had been called something like the “Forceful abdication of privacy Act?” In that case the name proved to be everything in convincing the public to accept a horribly ill-conceived and invasive restriction of privacy.

Names matter but it depends entirely on the context and the motivations of the naming party.

sean

]]> By: Andre Nosalsky http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/comment-page-1/#comment-112234 Andre Nosalsky Fri, 29 Jun 2007 04:28:14 +0000 http://okdork.com/2007/06/28/whats-in-a-name/#comment-112234 Devin, nice try with your rebuttal!! :) but I'm standing by what I wrote, although I'll expand a bit. 1) You're right in a sense that names can mean nothing, they are just letters put together. But if a "name" is properly branded, it can mean a lot. One example I can give you is of the "mother". Everybody has a "complex" in their mind of this word. It's not just a word, it carries with it a lot of emotion, thoughts and imagery. This can happened either on purpose or as a default if the company sticks around. 2) If you don't assign a good name to a product or a service, the users will do it for you. This is because how humans are programmed. People need a something to group their experiences around. When you provide a name, they group all of their experiences under this name. And if you "guide" how they should feel about the name, you're branding. 3) iPhone Devin, nice try with your rebuttal!! :) but I’m standing by what I wrote, although I’ll expand a bit.

1) You’re right in a sense that names can mean nothing, they are just letters put together. But if a “name” is properly branded, it can mean a lot. One example I can give you is of the “mother”. Everybody has a “complex” in their mind of this word. It’s not just a word, it carries with it a lot of emotion, thoughts and imagery. This can happened either on purpose or as a default if the company sticks around.

2) If you don’t assign a good name to a product or a service, the users will do it for you. This is because how humans are programmed. People need a something to group their experiences around. When you provide a name, they group all of their experiences under this name. And if you “guide” how they should feel about the name, you’re branding.

3) iPhone

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