How the Biggest Brands Got Their Names
Every entrepreneur wants to someday wind up in the pages of Forbes magazine and ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange. It’s only a matter of time before Etsy can announce its first million-dollar success story started using their e-commerce platform. Experts agree that the first step towards a successful business is choosing a marketable name. But where they don't agree is if made up or familiar names are more effective. We can’t help you choose a name for your business (too much pressure) but we can help you find some inspiration. Here’s a short list on how a few well-known brands chose their names before they made it big.
Spanx
In the advertising world, it’s a trade secret that “k” words are more likely to induce laughter and good feelings. So in 1998 when Sara Blakely was deciding on a name for her innovative support garment, she took a cue from both Coca-Cola and Kodak, choosing the name “Spanks.” Later Blakely dropped the “k” and renamed her company Spanx believing that made up names were more successful. Today Sara is now the youngest self-made female billionaire.
Apple
Before making it big with personal computers, a young Steve Jobs spent his summers working in an apple orchard. Drawing on inspiration from his summer job and the Beatles’ record label, Apple, Jobs and Steve Wozniak named their then-fledgling computer company Apple Computer Company in 1976.
Pepsi
In 1898, North Carolina pharmacist Caleb Bradham developed a tonic from kola nut and pepsin to help aid digestion. Customers were so taken the beverage that they named it “Brad's Drink.” Later seeing the market potential of his product, Bradham later named the it Pepsi-Cola after pepsin, its key ingredient.
Yahoo!
Started by David Filo and Jerry Yang in 1994, what’s now known as Yahoo! was originally named "Jerry and David's Guide to the World Wide Web," a place where they kept a list of their favorite websites. How the Filo and Yang settled on Yahoo! remains murky. Many believe that it’s an acronym for "Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle," but the founders maintain that they favored the name because the word "yahoo" is defined as “rude, unsophisticated, uncouth.”
Did you use Etsy to start your business? Do you need help bringing it to the next level? Contact me with questions and I could include you in an upcoming feature or video.
Nicole Porter is a marketing communications professional with a background in technology, e-commerce, and media. A former print and broadcast journalist, Nicole is a published cookbook author who has been published in The Hollywood Reporter, Back Stage, and the Chicago-Sun Times. A homewares entrepreneur, her products have been featured in over 60 international magazines including Martha Stewart Living, Elle Décor, Red Book, Food Network Magazine, Everyday with Rachel Ray, and Entrepreneur Magazine.
