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Processing Fluency in Brand Names

by David Plasik on June 29, 2025

The Science of Naming: Creating Strategic Brand Names That Resonate

A great brand name is not just a label but a strategic asset that creates cumulative advantage over time. David Plasik, founder of Lexicon Branding, reveals that effective naming is a disciplined process combining linguistics, psychology, and strategic thinking.

The Three-Step Naming Process

1. Identify

  • Focus on behavior and experience rather than positioning or values
    • "Talk to us about how you behave now and how you want to behave in the future"
    • Consider how the marketplace behaves toward you and how you behave toward the marketplace
  • Analyze the competitive landscape to ensure distinctiveness
    • Map existing names and language patterns in the space
    • Look for opportunities to stand out rather than blend in
  • Create a "creative framework" that serves as a window for exploration
    • Avoid narrow objectives that limit creative thinking
    • Establish parameters that guide without constraining

2. Invent

  • Use small creative teams rather than large brainstorming sessions
    • Work with 2-3 teams of two people each
    • Give each team a different briefing to encourage diverse thinking
    • One team knows everything about the project
    • Another team thinks they're working for a competitor
    • A third team works on something completely different (e.g., naming a bicycle instead of software)
  • Apply linguistic science to guide name creation
    • Leverage sound symbolism - each letter evokes specific feelings and associations
      • V is the most "alive and vibrant" sound (Corvette, Viagra, Vercel)
      • B conveys reliability (Blackberry)
      • Z is "noisy" and attention-grabbing (Azure)
      • X is fast and crisp, associated with innovation
    • Prioritize "processing fluency" - how easily the brain can process the name
    • Generate thousands of ideas, not just hundreds

3. Implement

  • Help clients sell the name internally
    • Create prototypes showing the name on products, in ads, etc.
    • Develop rationales explaining why the names make strategic sense
    • Frame decisions around marketplace impact, not internal comfort
  • Conduct customer research focused on imagination, not comfort
    • Don't ask "does this fit the concept?" (leads to descriptive names)
    • Look for responses like "I don't know much about that product, but I know they're not like the other guys"

Key Principles for Effective Naming

Embrace Discomfort

  • "There is no power in comfort" - the best names often feel uncomfortable at first
  • "If your team is comfortable with the name, chances are you don't have the name yet"
  • You won't "know it when you see it" - great names require processing and consideration

Look for Polarization

  • Tension and disagreement about a name indicates strength
  • When a team argues about a name, it shows the name has energy
  • As Andy Grove said about Pentium: polarization signals potential

Create Asymmetric Advantage

  • Start with a distinctive name that gives you an edge before launch
  • Descriptive names (like "Cloud Pro") blend in; distinctive names (like "Azure") stand out
  • A great name starts a story rather than making a statement

Think Beyond Descriptors

  • Avoid names that merely describe what you do
  • Choose names that evoke experiences and emotions
  • Consider compounds (like Windsurf, PowerBook) which multiply associations

Don't Obsess Over Domains

  • The .com has become "like an area code" - it doesn't really matter anymore
  • Get the right name first, then figure out the domain strategy
  • With AI search, SEO will become less important

The Diamond Exercise for DIY Naming

When naming on your own, start with this framework:

  1. Draw a diamond shape with four points
  2. At the top: How do you define winning?
  3. Right point: What do you have to win? (current assets)
  4. Bottom: What do you need to win? (required resources)
  5. Left point: What do you need to say to win? (key messages)

Then generate names that reflect the experience you want to create, not just what you do.

Lenny Rachitsky: "Most people listening to this are founders, lot of PMs on product teams, let's say they have a couple weeks, gotta come up with a name, what should they do?"

David Plasik: "Humans only pay attention to what is new or what is different... look for what is really different between the names that you have on your list but also what's different from what's out in the marketplace."

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