>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.
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.