the brandnames essays

Naming science for founders who ship

Sound symbolism, phonetic breakdowns, and case studies, written for founders who want a name that's defensible, memorable, and impossible to confuse with anyone else in the category.

// latest essay · naming methodology

Why some brand names are unforgettable, and the memory science of distinctive names

Some names are easier to pull from memory because they break their category's pattern and because the mind retrieves real words more reliably than invented ones.

11 min · 2026.08.06
// Naming Methodology

Is a brand naming service worth it? The honest math from the buyer's side

11 min · 2026.08.03
// Naming Methodology

The brand naming mistakes that surface months after you pick the name

10 min · 2026.07.30
// Naming Methodology

What 5,000 brand names sound like

13 min · 2026.07.27
// Naming Methodology

When to hire a naming strategist (and the six signs you already need one)

13 min · 2026.07.23
// Naming Methodology

The four ways a brand name fails after launch (and the early signal for each)

12 min · 2026.07.20
// Naming Methodology

Processing fluency in brand names, why the mind trusts what it can say easily

12 min · 2026.07.16
// Naming Methodology

Naming agency vs AI generator vs naming service, by your stage

12 min · 2026.07.10
// Naming Methodology

How much does brand naming cost? A field guide from free to six figures

13 min · 2026.07.06
// Naming Methodology

We analyzed 5,000 DTC brand names. Only 27% are invented words.

11 min · 2026.07.03
// Naming Methodology

The brand naming process, step by step

11 min · 2026.06.29
// Naming Methodology

The naming science glossary

11 min · 2026.06.26