1. Pronounceability
A name that's hard to say on the first try loses part of the audience before they even get to know the product — people are reluctant to recommend something out loud when they're not confident how to say it. Simple test: read it out loud to five different people without hinting at the stress.
2. Spelling by ear
If someone hears the name in conversation or a podcast, can they type it correctly into a search bar? Names with unconventional spelling lose search traffic to plain typos.
3. Legal clearance
The name needs to be checked against the trademark registry and domain availability in the relevant zones before it's locked in — not after the brand book is already ordered. Redoing an identity because of a trademark rejection is an expensive mistake.
4. Meaning shouldn't cap future growth
"Siberian Furniture" works great while the company sells furniture from Siberia. The moment a second product category or regional expansion shows up, the literal name starts getting in the way. A good name is either abstract or describes a value, not a specific product.
5. Distinctiveness from competitors
If five brands in a niche already sound alike in structure or tone ("Smart-something", "Bio-something"), a new name in the same pattern will get lost in the noise, even if it doesn't legally infringe on anyone.
6. Works across languages if there are international ambitions
A name that sounds neutral in one language can carry an awkward meaning or sound in another. If expansion into other markets is on the roadmap, this is worth checking early.
7. Gives the designer something to work with
Some names are a gift for the designer — they carry an image, a shape, a character (like "Ё" for a honey brand — it's immediately obvious how to play with the letter in the logo). Perfectly neutral names work too, but they'll need more effort to become memorable.