Service · Naming
Naming and brand name creation
The first word already tells a story.
Naming is the process of creating and selecting a name for a brand, a product or a service. At Mariona Agency we approach it through strategy: what it needs to express, who it is for and the contexts in which it will have to work. We look for names with personality that are easy to use and consistent with the brand’s future.
Choosing a name is deciding how the relationship begins
A name turns up in a conversation, a recommendation, a search or on a pack. It has to live alongside the visual identity and stay useful as the applications change. Choosing it deserves more than a list of bright ideas and a quick vote.
From Barcelona, we create names for new businesses, product ranges and brands in transition. We define territories to explore and assess each proposal against shared criteria. Sound, meaning, differentiation and ease of use are weighed together with the languages and markets that matter to the project.
How we see naming
A good name is rarely the first one that comes up.
We explore widely and discard with judgement: meaning, sound and use.
What remains is a name that makes sense when you say it and works when you write it.
Animation: dozens of proposals move forward through three filters (meaning, sound and use); most fall by the wayside and only one reaches the end, where it begins to sound.
Clear Flow and Human First
A clear name saves years of explanations. We look for words people can pronounce without hesitation and write without having them spelled out, words that leave room for the brand to grow.
A name is going to be spoken by people: the team when they introduce themselves, customers when they recommend it. That is why we imagine every proposal said out loud and in context, not just written in a list.
What we work on in a naming project
Verbal brief
We set out the purpose of the name, its audience, the tone and the constraints. We agree whether it should describe, suggest an idea or open up a territory of the brand’s own.
Creative exploration
We develop proposals along different routes of meaning and word construction. Each route answers to an intention; creativity works within a framework that allows the options to be evaluated.
Reasoned shortlist
We present a selection with its rationale, pronunciation and expressive possibilities. The decision rests on fit with the brand and on how the name will be used, as well as on personal preference.
Preliminary checks
We look for obvious potential conflicts and check digital availability when these are part of the scope. Legal clearance and trade mark registration are handled by the specialist agreed for that phase.
A name made to be said and used
We test how it sounds in an introduction, how it is remembered in conversation and how it combines with a descriptor. We also consider its relationship with future product lines. These tests help you choose with perspective and avoid names that only work with a long explanation or a very particular design.
How we reach the shortlist
Understand
We review the business, the category, audiences, languages and existing names.
Clarify
We define the selection criteria and the verbal territories.
Design
We create and develop name proposals and possible descriptors.
Refine
We weigh up the options and carry out the agreed preliminary checks.
Launch
We prepare the chosen name for final clearance and for the development of its identity.
Case study
Naming and brand system
Sand Farcit
The name Sand Farcit ties the product to its setting in Sant Cugat. From that idea we developed the visual identity and its applications, with a language of colour and shape that echoes the generosity of its sandwiches.
See the project: Sand FarcitQuestions about naming
Does creating the name include registering it?
The creative process and registration are separate pieces of work. We can include coordinating the clearance, but legal availability must be confirmed by a specialist before the name is adopted.
If the domain is available, does that mean the name is free?
No. An available domain does not prove that a name can be registered as a trade mark. The two checks must be handled separately and in the relevant markets.
Do you also create names for products or new lines?
Yes. In those cases we study the relationship with the main brand and with the rest of the range. The name should help people understand the offer and leave room for future additions.
Let’s find the name to start from
Tell us what you are creating, who it is for and what you want it to mean. That will be the starting point for the search.
Let’s talk about the name