How to choose a quirky brand name in 5 easy steps

Author: Leanne Knowles

6 - 8 minute read

Start making a real impact with a brand name that sticks. Your business name isn’t just a label — it’s the first step in building a brand that customers remember and trust. The process doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right approach, you can craft a name that’s unique, memorable, and ready to grow with your vision. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a standout brand name in just five simple steps, saving you time and money while setting the foundation for long-term success.

Why a great business name is so important

A great name can tell a story, evoke emotion, and convey what your business is all about in a single word or phrase. It serves as a shorthand for everything you stand for, making it easier to build trust, connect with customers, and create a loyal following. The right name also plays a crucial role in marketing, helping you rank better in search engines, look professional, and be memorable in a crowded marketplace.

A great business and brand name offers numerous benefits that can significantly impact your success. Here’s a list of key advantages:

• Instant brand recognition: A unique and memorable name helps your business stand out, making it easier for customers to remember you. It creates a strong first impression that can leave a lasting impact.
• Sets you apart from competitors: In a crowded market, a distinctive name can differentiate your brand, highlight your unique value proposition, and make it easier for potential customers to choose you over competitors.
• Builds trust and credibility: A professional, well-chosen name conveys legitimacy and quality. It instills confidence in your target audience, making them more likely to engage with your brand.
• Easier trademark and domain availability: A unique, creative name is often easier to trademark, protecting your brand legally. It’s also more likely that matching domain names and social media handles will be available. 

• Boosts perceived value: A great name can elevate the perceived value of your business, making your brand appear more established, professional, and premium, even if you’re just starting out. 

These benefits illustrate why investing time and effort into choosing the right business and brand name is crucial for long-term success.

The hybrid words approach

The hybrid words approach blends parts of two or more words to create a completely new, unique name. This method combines syllables, roots, or fragments from relevant words to form a brand-able, memorable name that can be easily trademarked and stands out in the market.

Creating a hybrid words brand name is a creative and strategic process that involves blending parts of two or more words to form a unique, memorable name.

Note: This method is also sometimes called the portmanteau or blended approach.

The 5 Step Process

Here is a five-step process to help you develop an effective hybrid words brand name:

Step 1: Identify key words and concepts

Start by brainstorming a list of core words related to your business, industry, product, or brand values. Think about the emotions, benefits, or characteristics you want your brand to convey. These could include descriptive words, industry terms, or words that reflect your brand’s mission.

Step 2: Break the words into components

Split your chosen words into smaller parts, focusing on syllables, roots, or phonetic segments that stand out. You can experiment with breaking the words at different points to see what sounds and combinations work best.

Step 3: Blend the components to create new name ideas

Start combining the segments you’ve identified to form new, blended names. Play around with different pairings until you find combinations that sound natural and catchy. Focus on names that are short, easy to pronounce, and have a pleasing rhythm.

Step 4: Test for pronunciation, spelling, and meaning

Test your shortlisted names by saying them out loud and asking others to pronounce and spell them without any cues. Check for any unintended meanings or negative associations, especially if you plan to operate internationally. This step also includes researching existing businesses to ensure the name isn’t already in use.

Step 5: Check availability and finalise the name

Before making a final decision, ensure that your chosen name is available as a domain and on key social media platforms. Perform a trademark search to verify that the name isn’t already legally protected by another business. Once you’ve confirmed availability, you can move forward with confidence.

The pros and cons of this approach

Here’s the pros and cons of this approach.

Pros:

There are some real positives to using this approach:

• Unique and brand-able: The new word is likely to be unique, making it easier to trademark and stand out in brand specific search results.
• Memorable: A well-blended name can be catchy and easy for customers to recall.
• Versatile: The name isn’t tied to specific products, allowing room for business expansion.
• Creative identity: Portmanteau names can convey innovation and creativity, appealing to modern and tech-savvy audiences.

Cons:

There may also be some down sides to using this approach:

• Potential confusion: The name may not immediately convey what the business does, requiring additional brand explanation.
• Pronunciation issues: Blended names can sometimes be difficult to say or spell correctly.
• Higher branding costs: You may need to invest more in marketing to build recognition and explain the name’s meaning.

Here’s some examples

There are some industry sectors that are perfectly placed to use this approach to creating a brand name.

Industry sectors

Consider what type of industry you are operating in and how well this approach will work.

This method may be a good a fit for certain sectors:

• High technology and tech enabled startups: Innovative companies looking for a unique, memorable name that conveys creativity (e.g., SaaS, fintech, health tech).
• Consumer products: Brands focused on lifestyle, convenience, or unique value propositions (e.g., beverages, snacks, gadgets).
• Creative and design services: Agencies that want to stand out with a modern, catchy name (e.g., graphic design, branding agencies).
• E-Commerce: Online stores that sell niche or specialised products and want a unique, brand-able identity (e.g., subscription boxes, boutique shops).

Examples:

Here’s a selection of business name examples that have applied this method:

• Snapple (A blend of “snappy” and “apple,” referring to a carbonated apple juice product)
• Innocent Drinks: The name blends the idea of “innocence” with natural, healthy drinks.
• KiwiCo: A subscription box service for kids, blending “Kiwi” (NZ symbol) and “Company”.
• MediLink: A healthcare platform, combining “Medical” and “Link” to imply connected healthcare solutions.
• Pinterest: Combines "pin" and "interest" to convey its use as a visual discovery tool)

• Microsoft: Combining "microcomputer" and "software," Microsoft reflects its focus on developing software for personal computers.
• Instagram: A blend of "instant" and "telegram," Instagram emphasizes the platform's capability for instant photo sharing and communication.
• Netflix: Merging "net" (internet) and "flicks" (movies), Netflix highlights its service of streaming films over the internet.
• LivCor: First aid training and supplies company. Combines the Swedish word for ‘life’ (Liv) with the shortened name for a company (Co).

 Commonly used tools:

There are plenty of online tools available to support your process, and we have listed a few here to get you thinking.  Do your own research to decide if any of these tools are a good fit for you:

• Name generators: Namelix, Wordoid (specifically for creating blended names)
• Domain checkers: Name.com, LeanDomainSearch
• Trademark search: USPTO (USA), UK Intellectual Property Office, IPONZ (New Zealand), IPOS (Singapore), IP Australia

Testing the strength of your business name

Once you have a shortlist, it is important to get some feedback and test the strength of the name with your target audience where possible.

Here are five methods to consider:

Audience feedback and focus groups

Gather feedback from potential customers, not just friends and family. Create small focus groups made up of people who match your target demographic and ask for their honest opinions on your top name choices.

Domain and social media handle check

Verify the availability of the domain name and social media handles for your business name. Use tools like Instant Domain Search, Namechk, or KnowEm to see if the name is free across multiple platforms.

Pronunciation and spelling test

Ask people to say the name out loud and spell it without seeing it first. This test will help you identify any potential issues with pronunciation or common misspellings.

Brand story alignment

Ensure the name aligns with your brand’s story, mission, and vision. Write a brief brand story using the chosen name and see if it fits naturally. Ask if the name conveys the right message and tone.

SEO and online search test

Conduct a Google search for the name to see what comes up. Check for any existing businesses, common associations, or negative connotations. Also, use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to assess keyword competitiveness if your name includes popular terms.

This list provides a comprehensive approach to testing your business or brand name, helping you ensure its memorable, clear, and resonates with your audience before you make a final decision.

Summary

The hybrid words method for naming a business or brand is a great approach when you want to present a quirky name to your target audience. When you experiment with different combinations, you can craft a distinctive name that captures the essence of your brand.

This approach is ideal for businesses seeking a brand-able, one-of-a-kind name that stands out and leaves a lasting impression, making it especially popular among tech startups, consumer products, and creative services.

About Leanne Knowles

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn

Leanne Knowles is a former professional skydiver turned Business Growth Strategist, who

started two successful businesses in the adventure sport industry at 24 years old and sold them both ten years later.  Leanne founded Headswitch as a marketing consultancy in January 2000. She now helps small business owners in low tech sectors to grow and scale using tech enabled strategies.

Leanne does this by sharing her decades of experience, hard work and research.  The information and strategies are delivered primarily through online business training, private coaching programs, and The FreedomROI Newsletter, that connects a business community dedicated to business success.

These strategies have been responsible for helping Leanne to grow and scale her own business, without the stress and overwhelm.