I'm so incredibly sick of these "Teletubby" company names.
Granted, I'm a cynical thirtysomething so maybe I just don't get it. Maybe Ooma, Lala, Tinker, and Bebo ARE great company names. I don't think so, though. I was rolling my eyes during the last internet bubble too, when everything was iVomit.com and ePuke.com, etc. In retrospect, I think most people will agree that most of those names WERE stupid.
Like the author of the article, I do realize that many of the 'great' names have been taken and that the vast majority of domains seem to be held by ___domain squatters...
BUT
I think that using coined, nonsensical names is extremely counterproductive. Names should be memorable, easy to spell, and not have obviously bad connotations. It's not that hard to come up with an original name that is appropriate for what you're doing, is it?
I've worked as an entrepreneur/hacker, as a VC, and as a naming consultant. I have a long list of unused names that I think would make great company names. I think of new ones on an almost weekly basis. So many that I will never be able to use them all in this lifetime. Maybe coming up with names is just a skill that many hackers don't take the time to develop?
If a company is unable to come up with even a 'decent' name for what they claim is their all-consuming passion, it makes me seriously doubt their ability to ever properly execute their business plan. I consider it a failure in the marketing department (and marketing is a core function, whether you actually have a 'marketing department' or not.)
If your company name sounds like a Teletubby, maybe you should just hire (or consult with) a marketing person before you launch...?
> If a company is unable to come up with even a 'decent' name for what they claim is their all-consuming passion, it makes me seriously doubt their ability to ever properly execute their business plan.
My experience is that they're unrelated skills. Google is a pretty bad name, actually. It has prestige now from its associations, but a misspelling of Googol? If a YC startup came up with that name I'd tell them it was ok, but to keep trying.
I'll grant that they're unrelated skills, but I still think that it is a skill that can be developed and a skill that is worth investing in. It may not be a smart time investment for a hacker to cultivate that skill themselves, but it is probably a good investment to hire or consult with someone that can come up with a a quality name FOR them. [Business and marketing geeks need love to, you know? There are branding geeks on every college campus too, believe me.]
I think the importance of a good name is often underestimated in the overall scheme of things. Founders and VCs don't flinch too much when they spend several grand hiring a legal specialist to draw up incorporation documents (which is another story)...but it never even occurs to them to spend more time and/or money on something that will likely have a greater impact on their overall success, such as their identity in the marketplace.
I'd also argue that part of it goes to TASTE, PG :-)
> Google is a pretty bad name, actually.
I couldn't agree more. But they're one of the instigators of this current naming trend (two O's, seemingly nonsensical), so they almost have grandfather status. It's all of the followers that make these naming trends pathetic. You don't get lost in the shuffle if you're one of the first. After a certain point, it's the volume of the similar names that is comical. During the electronics boom, everything was -etics this and -tek that, then you had iThis and eThat during the late '90s. Now it's Teletubby names. Why get lost in the shuffle? Why choose obviously bad names?
It's like a mother that goes through 9 months of pregnancy, X hours of labor, and then names her kid Harry Richard McNuttsac or something because she was too lazy to think it through or consult a book of baby names.
>Clearly you are much better at thinking of names than most people.
I wasn't trying to brag...I think naming and marketing are skills that can be cultivated, just like learning to be a better public speaker or learning to write well. You just have to determine if it is worth your time, relative to your other skills. People are gifted in different areas. I'll never be a GREAT hacker, for example...but I still found it worthwhile to learn how to program.
> How much does a name consultant cost?
Naming consultants charge whatever they can get away with, just like most consultants. There is a very wide variance in costs because it is an obscure specialty with lots of 'voodoo.' I know of services where you can find ___domain name suggestions for free or just a few bucks, and I know of naming agencies (Lexicon, etc.) that won't even talk to you unless you have six figures to spend. Some companies spend into the millions on branding efforts that largely hinge on coming up with a new name and then researching that the name is not offensive in other languages,etc. I haven't worked in the field directly in years, but the firm I worked for was pretty high-end.
You should talk to business/marketing geeks on campus or in your neighborhood to try to save money on naming/branding work. Maybe you could even work something out for free or arrange a barter relationship...just make sure you secure all rights if you find a name you like.
If I have no intentions of using a name, and I know of a deserving start-up, I might give away a name. I've given away company names, product names, ___domain names and registered trademarks. Some of the companies I've named have become very successful, and it's a little bit of a vicarious thrill each time. It's fun, just like acting as an angel/VC investor.
Right now, for example, I have a decent name for a music recommendation service. The entire music/collaborative filtering space is too crowded for my tastes, so I won't be working in that arena. I would be willing to share the name with a deserving company - especially if I had a relationship with them, etc.
It's just like anything else: be creative and don't give up until you're happy with the end product.
Granted, I'm a cynical thirtysomething so maybe I just don't get it. Maybe Ooma, Lala, Tinker, and Bebo ARE great company names. I don't think so, though. I was rolling my eyes during the last internet bubble too, when everything was iVomit.com and ePuke.com, etc. In retrospect, I think most people will agree that most of those names WERE stupid.
Like the author of the article, I do realize that many of the 'great' names have been taken and that the vast majority of domains seem to be held by ___domain squatters...
BUT
I think that using coined, nonsensical names is extremely counterproductive. Names should be memorable, easy to spell, and not have obviously bad connotations. It's not that hard to come up with an original name that is appropriate for what you're doing, is it?
I've worked as an entrepreneur/hacker, as a VC, and as a naming consultant. I have a long list of unused names that I think would make great company names. I think of new ones on an almost weekly basis. So many that I will never be able to use them all in this lifetime. Maybe coming up with names is just a skill that many hackers don't take the time to develop?
If a company is unable to come up with even a 'decent' name for what they claim is their all-consuming passion, it makes me seriously doubt their ability to ever properly execute their business plan. I consider it a failure in the marketing department (and marketing is a core function, whether you actually have a 'marketing department' or not.)
If your company name sounds like a Teletubby, maybe you should just hire (or consult with) a marketing person before you launch...?