The ultimate startup naming guide (must watch for founders)

25 snips

Oct 2, 2024

Discover key strategies for naming your startup, starting with three types of names: bad, good, and forgettable 'tofu' names. Explore winning naming techniques like descriptive, phrase-based, and funny names, with examples that illustrate their effectiveness. Learn from both bad and good name cases, and benefit from practical tips, including using AI for brainstorming. Plus, get insights from a personal name list that showcases creativity and uniqueness. Elevate your branding game with actionable advice!

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Scroll-Stopping Names

Startup names are now more important than ever for grabbing attention.
A memorable name is crucial in today's fast-paced digital world.

ADVICE

Name Categories

Consider three name types: descriptive, phrase-based, and funny.
Avoid "tofu" names—bland and forgettable ones.

ADVICE

Descriptive Names

Use descriptive names like "@somewhereilive" to clearly communicate value.
This allows people to instantly understand what you offer.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

In this episode, we dive deep into my process for naming my startups and businesses. I share my 4-step guide for coming up with memorable names for startups and how you can apply these principles to come up with your own scroll stopping name.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:09 types of names
01:53 Naming Strategy 1: Descriptive
03:11 Naming Strategy 2: Phrases
05:39 Naming Strategy 3: Funny
08:17 Bad Name Examples
12:19 Good Name Examples
16:53 Tofu Name Examples
18:10 Hack your way to a novel name
20:25 Use AI for brainstorming
22:22 Greg's personal name list

1) 3 types of names:
• Bad names
• Good names
• "Tofu" names (bland, forgettable)

2) 3 winning name strategies:
• Descriptive (e.g. @somewhereilive)
• Phrases (e.g. Boss Babe)
• Funny (e.g. You Probably Need a Haircut)

3) Bad name examples:
• WhatsApp (fails telephone test)
• GameStop (negative connotation)
• Google Bard (sounds like barf)

4) Good name examples:
• Perplexity (matches brand promise)
• Bump (action-oriented)
• Autopilot (clear value prop)

5) Hack your way to a novel name:
• Create "Name Game" note on your phone
• Jot down catchy words/phrases
• Check handle availability bi-weekly
• Test with friends/family
• Create logo mockups

6) Use AI for brainstorming:
• Prompt Claude: "I'm brainstorming names around [your topic]. What are some interesting, clear, direct names that speak to this community?"

7) Greg's personal name list sneak peek:
• AfterParty
• PrettyPerfect
• InvitationOnly
• InCred

8) Pro tip: It's okay to have bad names on your list. Keep refining!

9) Remember: A great name can be the difference between viral growth and crickets.

Want more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)

Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideas

🎯 To build your own portfolio businesses powered by community you might enjoy my membership.

You'll get my full course with all my secrets on building businesses, peer-groups to keep you accountable, business ideas every single month and more!

Spots are limited.

https://www.communityempire.co/

📬 Join my free newsletter to get weekly startup insights for free:

https://www.gregisenberg.com/

70,000+ people are already subscribed.

To improve your rankings your business on Google and using AI for SEO, sign up to

http://www.boringmarketing.com/

FIND ME ON SOCIAL

X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenberg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/