This guy named BlackBerry, Febreze and Swiffer, here’s his exact 3-step naming formula
Your company name is the highest frequency leverage point in your brand - used more often and for longer than anything else. The difference between a comfortable name and the right name compounds over time. Don't ask "is this a good name?" - ask "is this the RIGHT name?" The right names do three thi
57mKey Takeaway
Your company name is the highest frequency leverage point in your brand - used more often and for longer than anything else. The difference between a comfortable name and the right name compounds over time. Don't ask "is this a good name?" - ask "is this the RIGHT name?" The right names do three things: they're original in context, processing fluent (surprisingly familiar), and unexpected. Start by mapping your entire naming landscape, then commit to generating 2,000+ possibilities before narrowing down.
Episode Overview
David Placek, founder of Lexicon Branding (creators of Swiffer, Impossible Burger, Pentium, Blackberry, and hundreds more iconic names), shares his systematic approach to naming. He reveals why most founders settle for comfortable names that blend in, how to search the "deep blue sea" of naming possibilities, and the frameworks his team uses to generate names with asymmetric advantage. The conversation breaks down the specific process: from initial landscape analysis, to generating thousands of options across multiple teams with different constraints, to the critical distinction between evaluating and speculating on creative work.
Key Insights
Names create compounding asymmetric advantage
Nothing in your brand will be used more often or for longer than your name. The difference between an okay name and the right name compounds over time. A name like Swiffer created instant value - making a $5 billion brand while competitor "Ready Mop" reached only a couple hundred million with essentially the same product.
The three requirements of right names
Right names must be: (1) original in their category/context, (2) processing fluent - surprisingly familiar, using linguistic principles so brains can easily process yet find interesting, and (3) unexpected, not comfortable or popular. This is why "Azure" worked for Microsoft but wouldn't for Google - unexpectedness is context-dependent.
Quantity leads to quality in naming
Most teams generate 50-100 names and get stuck. Lexicon generates 2,000+ names per project by treating it as a treasure hunt. They use multiple two-person teams (not brainstorming sessions) working in parallel with different constraints - one team knows everything about the product, another team has one ingredient changed, a third team approaches it from a completely different angle.
Separate speculation from evaluation
The key to managing creative people is leading versus managing, encouragement versus evaluating. Instead of saying "that's too expensive" or "that'll never pass legal," say "I wish we could make that less expensive" or "how do we modify this so it's legally available?" This reframes criticism as problem-solving, which humans naturally love.
Focus on ultimate benefit, not feature
Most fiber brands describe having fiber (Metamucil, Benefiber, Fiber One). The breakthrough comes from moving up the ladder to the ultimate benefit - not "gut health" or "regularity" but the feeling of being "lighter." This opens entirely new naming territory like "Feather" instead of competing in the crowded "fiber-something" space.
Notable Quotes
"Nothing that you will do in your brand will be used more often or for longer than your name."
"We don't know where we're going, but we know we're not going there."
"In this business, and it's very counterintuitive, quantity leads to quality."
"The root word of encouragement is courage."
"Our goal is to always create asymmetric advantage."
Action Items
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1
Map your naming landscape first
Before generating names, analyze your category completely. List all competitor names and categorize them into buckets. Identify where NOT to go - this clarity on what to avoid is as valuable as knowing where to explore. This prevents you from blending into the sea of sameness.
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2
Ask the three strategic questions
For any naming project, ask: (1) How do you define winning? (2) What do you have to win? (3) What do you need to win? Get everyone aligned on these answers before starting creative work. Different stakeholders will have different definitions - surface this early.
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3
Generate 2,000+ options using parallel teams
Don't stop at 50-100 names. Create three two-person teams working simultaneously: Team 1 knows everything about your product, Team 2 has one key ingredient/constraint changed, Team 3 approaches from a completely different angle (e.g., if you're in fiber, they focus on athletic performance). Aim for 2,000 total options.
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4
Reframe evaluation as speculation
When reviewing creative work, start with "that's interesting" or "I wouldn't have thought of that." Replace "that's too expensive" with "I wish we could make that less expensive" or "that'll never work" with "how might we modify this?" This keeps creative flow alive while still moving toward solutions.