We’ve all been in that room.
“We need the brand name by next week. We’re going live at the end of the month.”
Sounds familiar?
The pressure to name a brand quickly is one of the most common mistakes businesses make. But here’s the truth: you’re not just picking a name, you’re picking your identity. Your intellectual property. Your first impression. And in many ways, your future battles.
A name isn’t born out of a lucky guess or your CEO’s nephew’s nickname. Behind every strong name is hours of brand strategy, naming architecture, domain and handle checks, IP and trademark research, cultural vetting, and legal diligence. Skip this, and the cost isn’t just confusion; it could be lawsuits.
Think about Burger King. When it tried expanding to Australia, it discovered the name was already trademarked. Instead of fighting a legal battle, they launched as Hungry Jack’s, which is now iconic in its own right. A naming miss turned into a win only because they respected the process.
Or take Apple. The name is deceptively simple, yet its strength lies in being memorable and ownable (watch the 1997 “Think Different” campaign). It stood out in a landscape of complicated tech names, and it still does.
On the other hand, when PepsiCo tried launching Mountain Dew’s “Rise Energy”, it was hit with a lawsuit from a smaller coffee brand named “Rise.” The rebrand wasn’t just costly; it diluted momentum at launch. That’s what happens when speed trumps strategy.
Naming is about finding that sweet spot, ownable, memorable, and aligned. It’s about standing out without stepping on someone else’s toes. If you’re naming just to go live in five days, pause and ask: Are you building for launch, or building to last?
At Origami Creative, we call this the discipline of naming. Because when done right, a name isn’t just a word, it’s the foundation of trust, recognition, and growth.