8 genius naming strategies for your new app
Ever wondered how the big guns in the App Store came up with their catchy names? Let’s take a fun stroll through these 8 naming strategies and see what makes them work!
1. Mashups: The art of wordplay
Compound Names: Formed by combining two or more words to create a new name.
- Facebook: Face + Book
- Snapchat: Snap + Chat
- Doordash: Door + Dash
- Linkedin: Linked + In
- Ticketmaster: Ticket + Master
- Youtube: You + Tube
- Paypal: Pay + Pal
- Minutemailer: Minute + Mailer
- Mailchimp: Mail + Chimp
Portmanteaus: A word blending the sounds and the meanings of two words.
- Expedia: Exploration + Speed
- Venmo: Ven (from vendere + Mo (for mobile)
- Netflix: Internet + Flicks
- Pinterest: Pin + Interest
- Duolingo: Duo + Lingo (from linguistics)
2. Play on words: The clever twist
- Tiktok: Echoing the ticking of a clock.
- Reddit: Read it, get it?
- Google: Play on googol which is 1 followed by 100 zeroes
- Lyft: Play on the word lift
3. Paying tribute: A nod to inspiration
Tribute to the Past:
- Peacock: A nod to CNBC’s logo.
- Starbucks: Starbuck from “Moby Dick”
- Apple: Tribute to Newton’s apple
- Tesla: Tribute to Nikola Tesla
Personal Tribute:
- Roku: Means six in Japanese. Roku was the founder’s sixth startup
- X: Elon’s homage to his past venture.
- Yuka: Named after the founder’s wife’s birth city
4. Aspiration: Names with a mission
Expression:
- Uber: Above and beyond. From the German word über.
- Target: Hitting the retail bullseye.
Personification:
- Nike: Victory personified in the greek goddess.
- Amazon: As vast and diverse as the rainforest.
5. Easy to remember: Short and sweet
- Names like Temu, Hulu, Tubi, and Shein.
6. Value/Service descriptor: Straight to the point
- Think Threads, Telegram, Zoom, Shop, Discord, Messenger, Impulse and Audible.
7. Domain name: SEO gold
- Unique examples include Character.ai and Customer.io.
8. Abbreviation: When simplicity wins
- VRBO, CVS, ADP… you get the gist.
So, there you have it - a whirlwind tour of the naming strategies behind the App Store’s top chartbusters. Remember, a great name isn’t just a label; it’s the beginning of a fantastic story. And who knows, maybe your future app will be part of this illustrious list!
Also read Don’t skip these steps when naming your product or company
