Startup Naming Trends For 2015
One of the things that make a company stand out from the crowd is its name. Dozens of thousands of startups are being created every day and it’s somewhat natural to assume not all of them will be able to come up with a unique name. On the other hand, the competition is so tough that there are noticeable patterns in startup name creation.
Some think that a name should resonate well with the consumer. That it should convey some sort of emotion. Others believe that you should take a more straightforward approach. They want the product itself described within the very name. There are also those who just copy successful companies’ approach and this is why there are a lot of similar startup names out there.
So who’s right?
The truth is, all those strategies for name creation are legit. The one you choose must depend on the type of product you’re offering. Of course, this is not always the case. Some companies make up nonsensical words in hope that their name would be more noticeable. Others add suffixes and use compounding and other processes of word formation. Let’s see what they come up with.
1. Namifying
This is a huge trend in the tech industry. A surprising number of companies use the suffix “-ify” to create their names. Can we blame this one on Spotify? Not really, because this is a convenient way of turning almost any word into a verb. Such names also, to some extent, describe what the products are about. Should I exemplify?
One of the many companies that were obviously influenced by Spotify is called Simpolfy. It is an app, created for members of a political party in Seattle. It simplifies their communication and their understanding of politics. So now, their name makes more sense: Sim(plify)pol(itics)fy. Or does it?
It’s true that namifying has gotten out of control and it is only a matter of time when startups will stop looking up to companies such as Spotify. Let’s face it, trends come and go, and this one is definitely ready to go.
2. Compounding
Facebook is a compound word. It is a word created out of two seemingly unrelated words. The result is a new one with a completely unique meaning. This has proven to be a popular strategy in the business world because compound words are illustrative and can be used to effectively describe what a company is all about.
A new company called Headspace also utilizes this type of word formation. It is a combination of two words – head and space. From this we can conclude that the company deals with decluttering of the mind. We could be way off as well. Headspace is an app that helps businessmen meditate. After knowing this, the name actually starts to make much more sense. It also becomes very easy to remember.
3. Blending
This is also a popular approach in naming startups, which proved successful for Wikipedia, Instagram and many others. Unsurprisingly, a lot of new companies decided to follow suit. One of the examples is Instacart, an app that enables one to order groceries online with a delivery time of one hour at most. In December 2014, the startup raised an incredible $100 000 round of funding!
Another interesting example of a successful startup that used blending to form its name is Satellogic. Conveniently, it describes what the company is all about – making and deploying of satellites. Satellogic already launched three satellites in 2014. Now, the company is ready for more. It plans to launch a constellation of satellites in the near future. They would monitor activities on earth by the minute. We will have live updates for the current state of the earth. It would cover social outbreaks, disasters and much more.
4. Adding dots
There are many examples of companies whose name includes their domain extension, which is another trend that creates new branding opportunities. As long as the extension is meaningful, of course.
This is usually the case with startups that use .me domain, which enables them to come up with a highly intuitive and personalized name. One of the best examples of this naming principle is Fits.me, a dressing room app that enables you to try on the clothes you would like to buy in a virtual fitting room. The startup will greatly benefit from its name because it’s memorable and directly connected to its product.
Another great example is a popular web app Homescreen.me that lets you share your iOS devices’ homescreens with the world. Again, straightforward and personal, just like their service.
5. Misspellings and other trends
Some other naming trends of 2015 include misspelled words and words with omitted vowels. Some use names that sound cute, others use names that sound like gibberish, etc. However, a large portion of startups follow no naming trends whatsoever and they’re still able to come up with a unique name.
6. Real Names
Some startups have real people’s names. An example for such company name is Alfred, a service that provides basic home maintenance for $99 per month. How does it work? The user gets weekly visits from one of Alfred’s professionals. They take care of the user’s groceries, laundry, packages, dry cleaning, etc. What’s interesting about their name is that they used a common name to make their service personal, and they did it well!
Another example is a health insurance company called Oscar. By using a personal name, the company humanized itself and is now more appealing to their target audience because people put more trust in a company that carries the name of someone they already know. After all, a brand should be a concept you can relate with and this form of personalization certainly helps in achieving this.
7. Gibberish
What does Klets mean? I can’t figure it out, but their startup is quite interesting indeed. They offer a landing page for businesses to talk to their clients. The app is mobile friendly and the user is not even required to install a chat program. The sleek design is what helps making this startup a success, yet their name might be a problem in case they’re not ready to invest significant amounts of money into branding it.
Note: One of our readers informed us that “Klets” actually means “chat” in Dutch, so it actually has a deeper meaning. And here is another idea – using translations from different languages as cool names for you startup! Thank you, Ginny, for the info!
Any conclusions?
The name of a startup has a great influence onto how a product or service will further be marketed and adopted by end users. Therefore, it is equally important as the product or service it stands for, especially if it’s created in such a way to reflect the company’s vision.
The lesson? A startup should have a unique name, because it has to represent a unique product. So, start your own trends and contribute to the world instead of mimicking it.
