If the perfect name for your product is “Blue,” but you have a naming convention that only considers geometric shapes and sounds, not colors, then you have an arbitrary filter in place that is limiting the names you can even consider. The only filter that matters is the Supports The Positioning filter – all other filters, like “the name needs to be serious” or “it should start with a letter A” are arbitrary, exclusionary, and will lead you into a morass of bad name choices.
What is the Manifesto?
The Naming & Branding Manifesto is a live, ongoing exploration of Zinzin's philosophy of naming and branding, presented here with the latest Manifesto bites at the top.
Get the Manifesto PDF
On our Downloads page, you can get The Naming & Branding Manifesto PDF, which is in chronological order, or the standard naming guide, which includes The Manifesto.
5 Random Manifesti
5Language Is Dirty.
Language is messy. It is governed by rules that are often broken and riddled with exceptions that give it life. In order to create the best possible name for a company, product, baby, horse, character, or other, you have to … »»»
10Show Me, Don’t Tell Me.
Great names demonstrate your brand positioning. Weak names force you to explain your brand positioning, and that’s called advertising. It is very expensive, and not nearly as effective as demonstrating. Bear this in mind when considering the cost of a … »»»
36Tell A Good Story.
Stories are how we connect with each other, and how people become emotionally engaged with brands. Successful brands tell the most and the most compelling stories. Since your name is the face of your brand, names that tell stories are … »»»
22A Word That Paints A Thousand Pictures.
Old cliches never die, but they can often be turned inside-out. So while it’s true that a picture might be worth a thousand words, a great name is a word or two that can paint a thousand pictures in the … »»»
34We Don’t Need No Stinking Demographics.
It’s not enough to just “produce” products for “consumers” to consume. You need to foster engagement with your audience. Live in the big world and be a part of it, treat individuals with consideration, and be open, transparent and helpful. … »»»

