7 Elements for Effective Name Testing
Naming research is an essential and critical part of the product development process, and we always advise our clients NOT to go with their gut when it comes to names.
Product names can be rational, functional and sensical (think WeatherTech or Smart Water for example) or they can be abstract and made up (Apple or Orange for example). Both types of names can be successful and effective and there are different types of questions we can ask in a Name test to gauge the effectiveness of these names.
This blog focuses on testing names that are more rational and functional. If you want to read about testing names that are more abstract please read our blog post: How To Test Abstract, Made-up Brand Names.
Regardless of the type of names tested it is important to keep in mind that when performing a name test, you are testing the name only.
This isn’t to say you can’t uncover other insights, but the primary goal of these tests is to determine the optimal name.
As with many studies the first goal is to determine whether the test should be Monadic or Sequential. Depending on the number of names tested, budget and timings we will recommend to our clients what the most appropriate methodology is for the specific test.
An important part of a name test is to provide respondents with context - a short description of the product/service that the name is meant to represent. This ensures that respondents can properly assess the name and its full meaning.
Now let’s dive into the 7 elements of a traditional name testing used to test more rational, functional names, and how they ultimately benefit in choosing the optimal name.
1) Uniqueness – How distinct is the name being tested?
The names for a new product or service should not be similar to names of existing products or services in order to help the product stand out.
Also, avoid testing names that are very similar to each other. This could lead to confusion amongst respondents.
2) Fit, Relevance and Understandability – How well does the name fit with the product/service provided?
When testing a rational, functional name name (like WeatherTeach for example) it should be a good fit in the sense it tells people what they expect the product to do.
If it doesn’t perform well here it can often lead to a lower intent to purchase. Is the name relevant to the product/service it’s meant to represent? If not, again it may lead to a disconnect that impacts consumers intent to purchase the product/service.
3) Appeal – How much do respondents like the name?
Appeal is a simple but basic metric to determine how much consumers respond to the name. The more a name is liked, the more open consumers are to a product/service with this name.
This is a great metric to use when gauging names that have performed similarly across other key metrics.
4) Perceptions – What perceptions does the name communicate and how do the names impact perceptions of the brand?
This can help brands align names with how they want their product/service to be perceived.
5) Recall and Pronunciation – How likely are they to remember this name and how easy is it for them to pronounce?
Considering referrals/recommendations are high influencers on purchasing products/services it is important to consider how likely consumers will remember the name and if they can articulate it to friends and family.
6) Intent to Purchase – Identifying how likely consumers are to purchase a product/service with a name.
Much like appeal, including this metric can help identify the top performing names before digging into the other metrics.
If a name is performing poorly in this section, doing a deeper dive into other metrics can help identify why a name is not as motivating as others; this could be due to the perceptions it conveys or that the description / relevance / understandability of the name itself does not align with the product/description provided.
7) Tie-breaker – Always included in Sequential tests for the “just in case” scenarios.
This is where we show all respondents the names they were exposed to and ask them which one they like the most.
Rather than leaning on this one, we prefer to analyze all other metrics and determine the best performing names. If at that point there is a tie, this one may help provide an edge to one name over another.
A good, effective name is one of the most important aspects to a successful brand. If customers are immediately confused, annoyed, or put-off by a brand name, the likelihood of success for that brand is greatly diminished. Name testing is an important tool to use to ensure the name you choose has the highest likelihood of success.
Don’t believe us? Just Google the poor reviews of Twitter X and Facebook Meta.
