Naming a science-based company presents a unique challenge for even the most creative entrepreneur. In any industry, a business name needs to be memorable, original, succinct, and consistent with the company’s brand personality. But science-based companies must go above and beyond, distilling complex concepts and big ideas into just a few syllables.
Whether you’re blazing trails in medical science, computer science, environmental science, or any other scientific field, NameStormers can help you create the perfect name for your brainchild. Here are some tips from our naming experts.
Take Yourself Seriously
While coming up with names can be a fun, playful exercise, it shouldn’t always yield a fun and playful name. Many companies feel their name and branding need to have pizzazz in order to succeed. But if a science-based company leans too hard in that direction, it can compromise the impression of trustworthiness, accuracy, and competence.
Striking a balance between having no personality and having too much personality is difficult but achievable. Just look at these client examples:
- Capstone Turbine Sevin Rosen funds approached NameStormers about creating a name for a turbogenerator company. Their product would serve as a backup generator for hospitals and care facilities, which meant the name needed to convey reliability. “Capstone” indicates strength and solidity, which suited a product that would potentially save lives.
- Vanguard Boston Scientific (at the time called Meadox) needed a name for a new treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysms in high-risk patients. NameStormers chose Vanguard, which connoted not only strength and reliability but aggression and being on the front lines of the action. Patients would feel reassured that they would receive excellent care and that protecting their health was of the utmost importance.
Don’t Get Too Technical
It’s important to be accessible to your target audience and avoid alienating anyone who might lack advanced technical knowledge of your field or products. Be careful about using complicated industry jargon or too literally describing what you do. Here are examples of audience-friendly names:
- Science on Tap The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) needed a name for an online newsletter that would help millennial readers keep up with science-related news. It needed to be accessible to new, casual readers as well as loyal readers in an older demographic. NameStormers came up with “Science on Tap,” which stayed true to the content but was also accessible for people who wanted to “tap in” without investing an intimidating amount of time and energy.
- HeartHub, Take Control, and Heart360 The American Heart Association approached NameStormers about creating a user-friendly suite of names for different aspects of a patient portal. The names needed to empower patients to get more involved in their personal health decisions, and the three names they chose implied access to information as well as control over it.
Capture the Excitement of Innovation
Many scientific companies struggle to capture the excitement they feel for their products and inventions in a name. Don’t settle for a name that’s merely sufficient — go for an inspiring choice, like these names:
- Ignite CABC wanted to change their name from a confusing and hard-to-remember acronym to something more engaging and disruptive. Additionally, they wanted a name that felt energetic and innovative. Ignite was the perfect choice.
- SolidEdge When Intergraph asked NameStormers to create a name for a new 3-D CAD/CAM, they wanted something that communicated leadership and cutting-edge technology. While “solid” suggests reliability, “edge” hints at excitement and boundary-defying innovation.
Don’t Shy Away from Metaphors
Many science people are just that: science people, not poets or linguists. And yet playing with language is a key component of creating names. Instead of getting too literal or overly descriptive, feel free to play around with words. Pyramis is a great example of a name that both relies on and redefines a symbol that everyone is familiar with: the pyramid — a solid, long-lasting, and multi-faceted structure. The name set up Cardiac Science Corp’s new data management system for success.
How NameStormers Can Help
At NameStormers, we understand your passion for what you do — we feel the same passion about naming companies, brands, and products. We’ve been in the business for more than three decades and have developed a proven, seven-step process that yields unique, creative, and viable names.
Are you ready to name your science company? Get in touch with us today.