• by Yowana Wamala , Yesterday

Naming is one of the toughest exercises in brand strategy. Not only are there legal hurdles to overcome, teams must be aligned and deadlines met. Good names must be evocative and memorable, but not too campy or niche. Here are five tips for how to land the perfect name.

Great names must balance heart and mind. Names must clearly convey meaning, but they also need to make the consumer feel something. An excellent name is emotionally compelling and helps tell the story of a brand. The classic example is Nike; it's quick, sharp, athletic and evokes the Greek goddess of victory. A fun new favorite is Squishmallows—a name as soft and lovable as the viral puffy toy taking your kid's class by storm.

Define territories. Selecting three to five strategic territories based on your brand or product will help create clear guidelines for names. These can be as simple as "summer fun" or as heady as "Greek mythology." Territories will make it easier to quickly generate your long list of initial names. For an insurance company, two of its territories were precious metals and exploration, which helped inform a tiered-based naming system mixing bronze, silver and gold with adventure-themed modifiers.

Get legal clearance early. This is not the fun part of naming, but it's necessary. By getting clearance early, you'll ensure that all your favorite names are available to use. This is especially important in tech-driven industries.

Think outside the box. While names must be clear, this doesn't mean they need to be boring or straightforward. Some of the best names, like Uber and Google, are sticky but unconventional. If your simple in-category names are striking out, don't be afraid to try something unusual. The running gel Gu (pronounced "goo") is a great example; while marathoners take their fueling seriously, the brand pokes fun at its own gooey product.

Drive consensus, not compromise. Early in the process, select your core group of stakeholders and build alignment on goals from the start. This group will narrow down the naming list along the way and guide the strategy. Once you have a shortlist of winners, aim to build consensus to find the winner. The most important outcome is not only that it lands with consumers, but also that it enables your team to navigate a product or brand launch with clarity and confidence.