The Art and Science of Naming
summary
Argues that naming succeeds only with a repeatable process and gives a concrete workflow: create naming conventions, write a brief (context, scope, competitors), run timed post‑it brainstorming, use sound‑symbolism to seed abstracts, then refine with voting and small user tests and full stress testing (literacy, size, translation, SEO/legal). Cites Lyft renaming from suggestive to descriptive to reduce confusion, shows making one clear recommendation speeds approval, and insists on active rollout and usage guides to achieve adoption.
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chapters (11)
- 0:00Introduction to naming
- 2:56Why naming matters
- 7:50Types of names explained
- 10:21Naming conventions process
- 13:10Creating a naming brief
- 15:42Brainstorming techniques
- 17:28Refining name options
- 19:56Stress testing names
- 21:41Getting approval
- 22:23Driving adoption
- 23:04Final takeaways
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