A cricketer named Onions

How would you react if your dad had named you, Onions? I bet you would have thrown a tantrum. Or at best, lost some sleep. But Graham Onions has no such problems. His Allium Cepa surname might have come in handy in getting that extra attention from the Guardian and other newspaper hacks who revel in writing headlines like 'English selectors know their Onions'. Where he wouldn't have scored is - with women. It doesn't look good when you say: I am dating Onions. Right?

Name Trivia: Blu-Ray

"The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write to this type of disc. In part because of the shorter wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on a DVD, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A dual-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a dual-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD."

Source: Wikipedia.

Chanderpaul gets his own street

New Garden Street in Georgetown, now sports a new name. It's called the Shivnarine Chanderpaul Drive,a nod to Guyana's most famous cricket son. With this honor, Chanderpaul becomes the fourth cricketer of Indian origin to have a road/street named after him. The other three being: Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev & Sunil Gavaskar.

Redneck Bank: Banking idea of the year

How does a staid boring bank get noticed in these times? Bank of the Wichitas has the solution. It's launched its internet bank under the name Redneck Bank. Ya, not kiddin. Redneck Bank for Joe the Plumber.

Just a naming idea and a tagline that says: Where banking is funner. Everything else is the basic internet bank that anyone else offers. Apparently there are 9000 banks on the internet offering the same product. Wade Huckabay of Bank of the Wichitas was looking at a way to differentiate the brand. And he hit upon the name Redneck after sifting through many unused website names.

Looks like the humour ploy has really worked for him. The bank with laughing horse as mascot (spouting the cheesy 'we want to be your mane bank') has already become popular in 45 states across the US and on the Internet.

I read somehwere that Mr. Wade faced many objections from his board. But he overruled them. I am not sure how many banks in India will approve of such a name or strategy. I personally remember being greeted with cold silence by a Bangalore-based bank when I suggested humour as a route. May be there's a lesson in this for all of us.

An agency named Republic of Everyone

Nice name, ain't it? These bunch of good-hearted ozzies started RoE, 3 years ago. The thing I like about them is they only focus on doing decent work for green, sustainable and ethical brands. Check out these blokes, here.

Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year

Shimit Amin of Chak De fame has given his forthcoming flick an interesting title - Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year. The title's so intriguing, I am certain it'll generate buzz. I like it better than the dyslexic Singh is Kinng.

Xavier Tras

Just launched a comic strip on the funny side of cricket called 'Xavier Tras'. Would love to know what readers of this blog think of it. Note: The name, not the blog.

A perfume named 786

I've always wanted to use this name for a brand, but political correctness prevented me from doing so. But now I notice someone has picked this for an Arabic-Western perfume. I wonder if the mullahs might issue a fatwa 786.

Names for the 'Cow Urine' soft drink

Not that anyone asked, but can't help think this would make for a most interesting naming exercise. So here are five suggestions from yours truly. Feel free to piss all over them. (a) Pssst, (b) Cow-wow, (c) PSS, (d) PJP, (e) Moojo

Factonama: 9rules

The site 9rules which prides itself in spotting the best content from indie blogs gets its name from a set of 9 rules, the founders set themselves. They are:

1. Love what you do.
2. Never stop learning.
3. Form works with function.
4. Simple is beautiful.
5. Work hard, play hard.
6. You get what you pay for.
7. When you talk, we listen.
8. Must constantly improve.
9. Respect your inspiration.

2-Word Brand Names

Allen Solly
Alta Vista
Axis Bank
Blue Dart
Charles Schwab
Coca Cola
Color Plus
Delhi Daredevils
Fidelity Investments
Giorgio Armani
Hot Breads
India Bulls
Jet Airways
Kenneth Cole
Louis Phillipe
Mary Kay
Merrill Lynch
Morgan Stanley
Perri Ellis
Perry Alley
Peter England
Red Bull
Salvatore Ferragamo
Share Khan
Singapore Airlines
Tata Indicom
Van Heusen
Western Union
Kenith Parker
Van Heusen
Calvin Klein
Dindigul Thalappakatti
Bajaj Allianz
Shahnaz Husain
Gokul Santol
Johnnie Walker
Waterbury’s Compound
Tommy Hilfiger
Mercedes Benz
Cartoon Network Marc Jacobs
Bonne Bell
Surf Excel
Kwality Wall's
Channel V
Burger King

Why Aggi, why?

Agnello Dias & Santhosh Padhi are the two most admired souls in advertising in India today. When they announced they were starting their own outfit, it captured the imagination of the nation. Everyone was keenly awaiting THE NAME. We namasutrists, even had a shortlist in our heads. Now we hear, they are calling their outfit ROOTS INDIA. That's a great brief, Aggi. But not a great name. A simple online check will tell you there is already a Roots Advertising in Delhi. You can't have two Roots, can you? Also, there is a plastic precision component company by the name Roots India. As agencies, when we counsel our clients to be unique, isn't it our job to be unique? We like you, Aggi. We like you, Paddy. But we think, you should have done a little research before making your name public. In any case, best wishes for your new venture.

Just for pun

I think of myself as a fairly punny guy. Punnily enough, most people in the writing profession don't care much for puns. We think it might have something to do with the fact that coming up with a good pun takes some skill, and they aren't quite upto it. Pokes apart, here's a collection of fine, and not-so-fine, names that pun. Have pun. (Image courtesy, Torontoist. Find courtesy, the NYT Freakonomics blog.)

Atlas of True Names

Kalimedia has released a new kinda map with original meanings of names. Put together by German cartographers Silke Peust & Stephan Hormes, the Atlas has generated a buzz of sorts. Here are a few interesting etymological meanings extracted from the map:

Azerbaijan: Land of the Fire Keepers.
Baghdad: God's Gift.
Buenos Aires: Good Breeze.
Chicago: Stink Onion.
Great Britain: Great Land of the Tatooed.
Hong Kong: Fragrant Port.
Idaho: Gem of the Mountains.
Libya: Heart of the Sea.
London: Hill Fort.
Malta: Isle of Honey.
Manila: Here are Root Trees.
Mauritius: Island of the Dark One.
Miami: Great Water.
Nauru: I go to the Beach.
New York: New Wild Boar Village.
Nicaragua: Here are People.
Paris: City of Boatmen.
Persian Gulf: Gulf of the Pure Ones.
Somalia: Go and Milk.
Vancouver: From the Cowford.
Zimbabwe: House of Stones.

Names We Like: Plan B

Okay, let me clarify. This is not an unusually uncommon name. I've heard many Plan B's. But for a morning-after pill, it's maha approporiate. Why I like it is, the name is easy on the mouth and there's no unpleasantness when you utter Plan B. It's neither too clinical nor too provocative. One can slip this into a cryptic conversation, without raising any eyebrows. Don't you think 'did you try plan b?' sounds infinitely better than 'did you take the pill?' So.

What a bunch of sports

I work in sports. I used to be a sports writer. I still, on occasion, write a column on three on cricket. But, I'm no longer a paid sports writer (hey, I'm no hack). Does that exclude me from the hallowed clan of sports writers? I hope not. Because if there's one thing I love more than writing, writing blogs and writing other stuff that few people read, it's being offered up the opportunity to watch sport in the midst of thousands of passionately cheering fans and being asked to write about it. Throw in the myriad pleasures of travelling to different venues and I'd call it an perfect life. Almost. (What did you expect, perfect? Naah. Honestly, perfection is bloody boring.) As it is, I have a far, far, far from perfect life. So when I read something like this that makes me laugh heartily, it makes up, even if only momentarily, for some of the shit I have to endure on a daily basis. Here's a far from exhaustive list of really weird names for sports team. Enjoy. And, as always, feel free to add to it. (Don't know why I said that. Heaven knows no such thing is going to happen.) Image courtesy, www.faniq.com

What do you get when you invert Maytas?

Maytas Infra, the Hyderabad-based company that has been mysteriously bagging airport, port and railway projects without any prior experience, was recently in the news because of Satyam's botched up acquisition deal. I was initially a bit curious about the name. Now it all falls in place. Maytas is Satyam read the Arabic way. And you know what Satyam has been up to, right?

Factonama # 10

Asics, the shoe company, began its life as Onitsuka Tiger. In 1977, it merged with GTO and Jelenk to form ASICS Corporation. Asics is an acronym of the Latin phrase "anima sana in corpore sano" which translates to "a healthy soul in a healthy body" or "a sound mind in a sound body". Source: Wikipedia.

Remember how people remember

If this is how people who have to memorise new stuff ever so often help themselves remember names, and faces, it's something people entrusted with the task of coming up with memorable names would do well to remember. In simple English: If you know what people do to remember, you'll find it easier to come up with things people will remember. Umm ... ok, maybe the English wasn't so simple. Still, you get the drift.

Gyaanama: Marty on Brand Names that Zag

The author of Zag and Brand Gap has some very strong views on what constitutes a strong name. He's of the view that a Strong name should be:

1. Differentiated. It should stand out from competitors’ names, as well as from other words in a sentence. This is sometimes called “speech-stream visibility”, the quality that lets the eye or the ear pick out the name as a proper (or capitalized) word instead of a common word.

2. Brief. Four syllables or less. More than four, and people start to abbreviate the name in ways that could be detrimental to the brand.

3. Appropriate. But not so descriptive as to sound generic. A common mistake is to choose a name that doubles as a descriptor, which will cause it to converge with other descriptive names. Actually, a strong brand name can be “blind”, meaning that it gives no clue as to its connection with the product, service, or company it represents, yet still “feels” appropriate.

4. Easy to spell. When you turn your name into a spelling contest, you introduce more confusion among customers, and make your brand difficult to access in databases that require correct spelling.

5. Satisfying to pronounce. A good name has “mouthfeel”, meaning that people like the way it sounds and are therefore more willing to use it.

6. Suitable for “brandplay.” The best names have creative “legs”—they readily lend themselves to great storytelling, graphics, PR, advertising, and other communications.

7. Legally defensible. The patent office wants to make sure that customers are not confused by sound-alike names or look-alike trademarks. A good name is one that keeps legal fees to a minimum.

He illustrates his points with some valid examples. Go here to take a peek.

If it flows, it must be a hostel at IIT Madras.

South India's Ivy League Engineering Institution - IIT Madras, has a very interesting naming architecture for its hostels. The common thread is Indian river names. In all there are 13 hostels and they've been christened:

1. Alaknanda
2. Brahmaputra
3. Cauvery
4. Ganga
5. Godavari
6. Jamuna
7. Krishna
8. Mandakini
9. Narmada
10. Saraswathi
11. Sarayu (Girl's hostel)
12. Sharavati (Girl's hostel)
13. Tapti

I hear, four more hostels are on the anvil. They've been named: Sindhu, Pampa, Tamraparni & Mahanadi.

Think about it, Donna

When Donna Karan decided to shorten her name, I am sure someone whispered into her ear that DK might sound like Decay. May be that's why she went in for DKNY. But now, emboldened by her success, she seemed to have decided to milk her name. Hence DK Men. Dunno how many guys would want the smell of Decay? Rotten stuff Donna. Might as well call it, DKaran Men or Donna for Men. What do you say, Donna?

Factonama # 9

Delsey, the No.2 luggage manufacturer in the world had its origin in the Delahaye company which, in 1911, specialized in the manufacture of cameras, typewriters and record players. Mr. Delahaye and the Seynhaeve Brothers joined forces in 1946 to set up Delsey. Their individual and joint experience lead to them setting up a department producing moulded plastic "travel items" in 1965. This resulted in the introduction of the first Delsey hard-side suitcase. Courtesy: Wikipedia.

Factonama # 8

Lieven P. Van Neste is the man who owns the most number of domain names in the world. Some say this Belgian natural medicine doctor has well over 200,000 domain names in his kitty. Originally, his intention in amassing the names was to sell and make enough money for his wellness resort. One wonders, whether he ever achieved his goal. The easiest way to find out is to make a bid for one of his dot coms.

Instore labels now in vogue

The meltdown has started affecting people's buyer behaviour. Instore labels have caught the shopper's fancy. Same quality for less, seems to be the mantra now. MSNBC has filed a story on this trend. I don't particularly like the headline they've used. Gives an impression that brand names don't work. The fact of the matter is, a brand is much more than its name. And brands are struggling now only because they are not able to cogently communicate their value perception. Store labels are just exploiting this value gap. If store labels opt for better brand names, their chances of being lapped up is even more.

Eureka, here's another Mysskin!

Mysskin, the director of Anjathey, didn't want to be one more Raja. So he chose to rename himself after Prince Lyov Nikolaevich Myshkin, the protagonist of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's The Idiot. Looks like, it has set off a trend in Kollywood. The debutant director of Madurai Sambavam is said to be a gentleman named Eureka! At this rate, Karunanidhi will have to soon announce a tax sop for those who choose Tamil pseudonyms.

Gyaanama: Steve Baba on Domain Names

The name Steve Baba has something going for it. It makes him seem like a realised soul with a 10-foot blonde beard and a 10 mega watt aura. Jokes apart, Steve is a Ph.D in Economics and the reason why we've featured him in Namasutra is his free and very handy ebook titled How to Select and Buy an Elite Domain Name. The book makes some interesting observations. Sample these extracts:

A domain name can either make you look like a fly-by-night email spammer or an established company. A company with a domain name like AmericanWidgetsOnline.net, tells people that they could not obtain the .com, could not obtain AmericanWidgets.com or American.com.

Generic names such as Hotels.com are not entitled to any trademark protection. Ownership of the .com name can only prevent people from using the same exact domain name. Others can use Hotels.NET, Hotel.com (singular) and so on. On a positive note,
since no one owns generic names, trademark lawsuits are unlikely.

When buying a used car, one could look in the paper for the prices of similar cars. There are publications summarizing the price of used cars. Both buyers and sellers know the prices of similar cars. In contrast, a domain name speculator is comparing your offer with what he thinks someone may offer him in the future. This is often
optimistic, wishful thinking. A speculator may have read that a domain name sold for $100,000. But this is like a beginning novelist hearing that another novelist earned $100,000 and expecting the same, when most novelists get a tenth of that if anything.

Amateur do-it-ourselves naming often leads to discovering "fool's gold" domain names. "We found this great name, and it was free." This reminds me of someone who had his wife make his TV commercial for free, but wasted $100,000 broadcasting the third-rate commercial. An inferior domain name is a drag on all your other efforts.

Assume that you are only going to spend $1,000 to $5,000 for a domain name. If someone else had trademark rights to the name – in a different industry – and really wanted the domain name, they should have been able to obtain the domain name by paying the same $1,000 to $5,000. Or they could use a legal procedure to recover the name from a cybersquatter for $1,000-$5,000. One would assume that no other trademark owner wants the domain name, but this is only an assumption. But as long as you have legitimate trademark rights for one industry, another trademark owner in a different industry can’t take the domain name from you.

If a great domain name compared to a good domain name will increase sales 2% and the margin is 50%, then a great domain name is worth 1% of sales.

Piqued enough to read more? Go here.

Sound barrier

Was reading my fellow namasutrist's (?) most informative find on material names, the preceding one, when I had this epiphany of sorts. I haven't researched it all that much, hardly actually, but I have a theory on names, which needs more than a bit of time to prove. (And perhaps a lot less to disprove.) Still, I'm going to put it out for those of you who care enough to think about these things. Take a nuther look at these names (I've aligned them into two categories for the purposes of my fledgling theory): in the first corner we have Lycra, Velcro, Tyvek, Formica, Kevlar, Spandex and in the other corner Teflon, Nylon, Cellophane, Styrofoam, Tweed, Linoleum. Maybe it's not that obvious, but put very, very simply what I'm saying is this: 'Hard' sounds like, for instance, 'k' suit a particular kind of product better and soft sounds, like 'ph', for instance, work better for another kind of product. Moving forward, the next time you visit a 'fine dining' resto, yeah, those places where they give you very little for way too much, look carefully at the menu card. I'd be surprised if you found too many dishes with 'hard' sounds in their names. Next, go to a hardware store. There's a distinct likelihood you'll find more 'hard' sound names there. The human mind attaches certain product qualities to the sounds built into a brand name. A brand name that doesn't consider these aural quirks of the brain, trained perhaps to feel this way over years of brand-naming, will be attempting to fight an uphill battle to make an impression. My hypothesis is certain sounds make more sense for certain product categories. Perhaps it's a naming theory someone might find worthwhile to research and debunk. It involves a far bit of research all right. Something I'm too hard-pressed to undertake gratis. (What to do, we all have our day jobs that take up the majority of our time.) Image from here.

Gyaanama - Material Naming

Lycra, Velcro, Teflon, Tyvek, Nylon, Cellophane, Styrofoam, Formica, Tweed, Linoleum, Kevlar and Spandex - they don't sound like puppy names, do they? There's a technical ring to it. Why have people named Velcro as Velcro? Why not Zipnot? Peter Karlen of Neonym dissected this very issue in a lovely piece for Brandchannel. Digest it if you want some raw material on naming materials.

While we were lost in our world # 1

A lot has happened in the last few weeks. Betty James, the lady who gave the Slinky toy its name, is dead. Polaroid has launched a mobile printer called PoGo. And Anheuser-Busch & InBev have merged to form a new entity, Aninbev. A big thank you to Name Wire for keeping us in the loop.