EDITORIAL FEATURE
QVC stands for quality, value, and convenience.
Pepsi Cola was first introduced as “Brad’s
Drink” in New Bern, N. Carolina in 1892 by
Caleb Bradham who made it at his drugstore
where the drink was sold. In 1898, it was renamed after the digestive enzyme pepsin and
kola nuts used in the recipe.
Reebok is Afrikaans for the grey rhebok, a
type of African antelope.
Sharp was named for one of its founder’s first
inventions, the Ever-Sharp mechanical pencil.
Skype, a telecommunications application
software product was originally named Sky
peer-to-peer, which was then abbreviated as
“Skyper”. However, some of the domain names
associated with “Skyper” were already taken. By
dropping the “r”, domain names for Skype were
available.
Sony came from the Latin word for sound,
“sonus”. It was also chosen for the English slang
word “sonny” since the founders, Akio Morita
and Masaru Ibuka, considered themselves to be
“sonny boys”, a loan word used in Japan which
was connoted as smart and presentable young
men.
Starbuck’s was originally was to be called
Pequod, after the whaling ship in the novel,
“Moby-Dick” but some of the co-founders rejected the name. Instead, the name of the chief
mate on the Pequod was chosen instead: Starbuck.
Verizon is a combination of the Latin word
veritas (truth) and horizon.
Virgin Records was the name suggested
to founder Richard Branson because they were
new at the record business.
Volkswagen, the German words for “people’s car” in English was originally created in
1937 by the German Labour Front and designed by Ferdinand Porsche who had been
trying for years to get a manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family. Prototypes of the car were called the “KdF-Wagen”,
the abbreviation for the German words, Kraft
durch Freude, which is “strength through joy”
in English.
Here are the characteristics and
philosophies of good company names:
• Focuses upon the customer.
• Honors the employees.
• Shows business as a process not a
quick fix.
• Portrays their company as a contributor not a savior.
• Clearly defines their niche.
• Says things that inspire you to think.
• Compatible with other communications.
• Remains consistent with their prod ucts, services, and track record. SBT
Hank Moore has advised over 5,000 client o ɝ