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How Tech Brands Got Their Names

Looking to Crowdsource a Name for Your Business? Here Are Your Top 4 Options

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Crowdsourcing has evolved as an innovative way to achieve a business goal  — be it raising funds, marketing, or even finding an effective and brandable business or product name. The process essentially means gathering the required inputs from a crowd. 

When it comes to crowdsourcing a name for your business or product, it starts with you — as the business owner or marketing head — going on a crowdsourcing website and sharing a detailed brief of your expectations. You would then begin receiving entries from a creative community, based on which you can make your final choice. 

In this article we discuss the top four crowdsourcing websites for naming your business or product:

  1. Squadhelp – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Started in 2016, Squadhelp is the world’s largest business naming platform and the numbers justify it. It has served well over 35,000 clients including the likes of Dell, Pepsi, Nestle, Alibaba and so on. Further, its creative community  — aka the “crowd” — comprises 200,000 skilled individuals. 

What has led to Squadhelp’s popularity among an expanding customer base is its seamless and efficient business naming contest process, which places user experience at the center. It assigns a branding consultant to work and interact with you every step of the way. 

Further, it provides services for an end-to-end naming process that includes a trademark check, audience testing, and validation. Squadhelp also offers other branding services such as logo design and tagline creation. More importantly, it offers its own marketplace of domains for sale so you don’t have to struggle to find a matching domain for your business name. 

In terms of pricing, Squadhelp is highly attractive with plans starting as low as $299. What’s unique is that the team can finish a crowdsourced naming campaign in 3-4 days. And, if you are looking for an even quicker turnaround, it offers an instant, ready-to-buy business name list. 

In a nutshell, Squadhelp is a leader in crowdsourced naming that can also meet your other branding needs. When I read the 4.9/5 star reviews by its customers, I found that Squadhelp primarily stands out because of its speed of execution, breadth of ideas, a structured approach and agency-quality results. 

  1. Crowdspring – ⭐⭐⭐

Crowdspring is a primarily design crowdsourcing website that also offers the option for you to find a name for your business or product. Among its most popular categories are logo design, graphic design, web design, packaging design, and product design. Launched in 2008, it has a client base of over 60,000 users from various fields and backgrounds. Its designer community has more than 220,000 individuals from all over the world.

Crowdspring follows a straightforward 3-step process that involves Brief → Collaborate (with designers) → Wrap-up. This typically extends over 7 days.

The one drawback was that although they endorse a 100% money-back guarantee in design projects on their website, when reading multiple reviews online, we found that wasn’t necessarily true. 

Prospective users can choose to work one-on-one with a creative for $200 while its other plans for crowdsourcing start from $299 all the way to $1249. 

  1. Ink and Key – ⭐⭐⭐

Ink and Key is a small naming platform started in 2016 by Lynn, a former educator. Its primary categories are: Branding, which includes name and logo; Design & Development to create a website; and Messaging and Marketing to create effective brand messaging. 

As Ink and Key’s founder explains, it’s not technically a crowdsourced naming platform but rather a “mini-crowdsourcing” team that helps you with your naming project. Hence, they do not use a large creative community for crowdsourcing names or creative designs. While at Ink and Key, you will have access to a boutique agency set-up, its pricing may prove to be a deterrent to small and young businesses. 

The plans start at the basic level, which includes naming and is priced at $699. The most premium plan, known as The White Glove, includes Name, Consultant, and Brand Identity, and is priced at $4,999. On average, a naming project takes two weeks to complete.  

  1. Naming Force – ⭐⭐

Naming Force is a straightforward and purely naming crowdsourcing platform for a business, product or website, who help you get a name through hosting crowdsourced naming contests. They also use thousands of creatives, who submit names based on the client’s brief. 

Most contests receive well over 1,000 name suggestions. Over 500 “namers” or creatives compete in each naming contest.

Naming Force has a 3-Phase process for naming in which Phase 1 takes 7 days, Phase 2 can be done in 3 days and Phase 3 gets completed in 7 days. In Phase 2, they conduct a market survey on all the submitted names. Their prices start at $200. However, a disadvantage is that the platform does not offer any additional branding services. In its top two naming packages priced at $300 and $600 respectively, they do check the name for trademarks and domain names. 

Final words 

Naming a business is an interesting yet complex process. As a startup owner or brand marketer, you may have a bias for the name or think within your industry only. A crowdsourcing naming platform, on the other hand, can help expand your search for an impressive brand name by converging inputs from a variety of creative individuals. When evaluating your options for the best crowdsourcing websites, based on our research, you can look at Squadhelp, Crowdspring, Ink & Key, and Naming Force. 

Happy naming!

Here’s Why Valuer’s Brand Name Works

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“Our main goal is to matchmake the brightest startups with the right corporation, at the right time.” — Valuer.ai

The global economy is evolving, technology is growing fast, and disruption is inevitable. Every company in this race for survival must seek startups with the talents that can transform their business and give it an edge in the market, and to do this, one place they turn to is startup accelerators.

But, just like these companies, if there’s anything that has plagued startup accelerators and incubators, it’s the fact that it’s becoming increasingly easy to waste time, energy, and finances finding and coaching a startup that only ends up failing. Remember ScaleFactor and Goko?

Today, there are countless startups popping up across the world at alarming rates. These startups are pouring in so fast that it’s becoming challenging for business incubators and accelerators to identify truly promising startups from the flood of fragile ones out there.  

And that’s where Valuer.ai comes in. Valuer is a powerful startup intelligence platform that allows investors, enterprises, and corporations to connect with unique high-performing startups to boost their growth and innovation.

Valuer’s AI-powered platform has been a game-changer for corporations trying to recruit startups into their innovation labs. It also helps accelerators consistently identify unique startups to include in their next round of accelerator programs.

But that’s not all, Valuer.ai is a key element that has helped countless angel investors find startups that embody striking opportunities in a niche that interests them.

Valuer’s Mission in a Flooded Startup Economy

Group of Friends Hanging Out

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“The world does not lack ideas; the world needs to know where those ideas are, and what they can be used for.” – CEO of Valuer, Dennis Juul Poulsen

With over 407 million entrepreneurs and 305 million startups created every year, big businesses are anxious to innovate and develop in order to remain relevant in our ever-evolving economy. 

And to help businesses achieve this goal, Valuer aims to make it easier for corporate companies and accelerators to find, access, and connect with promising startups. 

Valuer.ai does that by leveraging its expertise in the startup sector and engaging its massive database of 650,000 startups.

Companies relying on Valuer.ai get a monthly analysis of a select number of startups that’d be perfect for future innovation, cooperation, and investment.

Valuer.ai is an excellent tool that has helped several corporations transcend the chaos and identify the best startups that were perfect for their needs. 

How Valuer’s Brand Name Reflects its Mission

Man in Black Suit Achieved an Accomplishment

Courtesy: Pexels

Everyone who’s ever built a successful business understands that setting up a clear mission statement for your company can instantly unite your brand to its target customers. 

And once you’ve established your brand’s mission statement, it becomes a lot easier to connect everything your brand does to that singular mission.

Now, when it comes to Valuer, the company doesn’t just promise to connect corporations with the brightest startups; it also incorporates this mission into its brand name — Valuer.

Valuer is a powerful name that doesn’t just communicate what the company does, evaluating startups, but also instantly communicates the brand’s mission to its customers, which is helping them find valuable startups.

One look at the name and investors, business incubators, and accelerators get an instant understanding of what the brand can help them achieve, how it can help them save time, energy, and of course, finances.

Valuer is the perfect name for a brand seeking to connect great startups with the best investors, accelerators, and incubators in the market.

Why is Lollapalooza Called Lollapalooza?

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The annual music festival, Lollapalooza, has become a much-loved event. The four-day festival has been operating since 1991 and yet it still attracts people from across the USA and around the world. This enduring success is an impressive feat, so we’ve taken a look at the way the Lollapalooza brand was established, the meaning behind the name, and how the festival has managed to remain relevant even after all of these years.

The Origin of Lollapalooza

The idea for Lollapalooza was born in 1990 when co-founder, Perry Farrell, decided to do a farewell show for his band Jane’s Addiction. The concept of the event was quite unique at the time. Unlike other big music festivals like Woodstock that operated as a one-time event, Lollapalooza was designed as a touring show. The first Lollapalooza consisted of numerous shows held at different venues across the USA and Canada between mid-July and late August. With a diverse lineup of impressive acts across the alternative rock, rap, and industrial music genres, the inaugural Lollapalooza was a huge success, even being dubbed by MTV as the “tour of the summer”. 

In addition to the extended design of the festival, Lollapalooza stood out from the crowd due to the inclusion of non-musical features. The music was obviously the focus, but there were also circus and freak sideshows, virtual reality gaming, stalls promoting political awareness, and art exhibitions. The collection of activities established the Lollapalooza brand as more than simply a music festival, but a cultural event that drew like-minded individuals together.

The triumph of the initial Lollapalooza event was supported by the popularity of alternative rock, with the genre exploding during the early 1990s. Even now, that first tour is renowned for being hugely successful. It was rated as the best concert in the last 35 years by Spin, a title that demonstrates the festival’s impact and long-lasting reputation.

The Ups and Downs of Lollapalooza

Despite the significant and surprising success of the first Lollapalooza music festival, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the event. The first tour attracted crowds interested in alternative bands, those that weren’t entirely visible in the mainstream music scene, however, the second Lollapalooza featured headline acts that had already experienced considerable success on the music charts. This disappointed many of the original fans and the subsequent tours in 1992 and 1993 did not perform as well as the inaugural event.

These tours did, however, see the introduction of interactive activities. It was during these years that Lollapalooza expanded to become more than just a music festival, and instead a participatory, cultural experience. While attendees were generally happy with these additional activities, they were not happy with the associated increase in ticket prices. Patrons were also disgruntled by the expensive price tag on food and water.

By 1996, Farrell had taken a step back from Lollapalooza to focus on other projects. The producers of that year’s event made the controversial decision to book Metallica as the headlining act, which angered fans and the cofounder. Farrell played no part in the planning of the 1996 event, yet he made it clear that he disagreed with the decision by quitting the tour altogether. 

After heavy criticism, the event coordinators attempted to return to Lollapalooza’s roots in 1997. The tour went ahead with a mixed response, but as fate would have it, the event was the last. It obviously didn’t achieve the success it needed as the producers were unable to book a headlining act for 1998 and the tour was cancelled.

Following a hiatus that lasted several years, Lollapalooza was resurrected by Farrel when he gathered Jane’s Addiction once again in 2003. The event performed moderately, with the high cost of tickets discouraging many people from attending. In 2004, the event was cancelled mid-tour due to a lack of ticket sales.

The event wasn’t truly revived until 2005 when Farrell joined forces with Capital Sports and Entertainment to produce a two-day festival in Grant Park, Chicago. It proved to be a success and since then, Lollapalooza has gone from strength to strength, establishing itself as an iconic festival that is known the world over.

Where did the Lollapalooza name come from?

The name ‘Lollapalooza’ was chosen by Perry. He has said that he heard the word when watching a Three Stooges movie and it stuck with him. The term dates back to the 19th Century and means extraordinary or impressive, and Perry thought this was well suited to his festival vision. Over the years the word has also been used to describe a large lollipop, which is why Lollapalooza’s initial logo consisted of a figure holding a lollipop.

How has the Lollapalooza name played a role in the success of the brand?

There’s no denying that Lollapalooza has experienced a rollercoaster when it comes to its success over the years. It has had some serious lows and some serious highs, but in the end, prevails as one of the largest and most well-known festivals in the world. This is largely in part to the Lollapalooza name and the important role it has played in branding.

Despite the downfalls of the festival, the name still conjures up images of the wildly successful first event and the positive history of the brand. It’s unique, catchy and sounds fun, making it the perfect name for an event that is as engaging and diverse as this festival. Without it, the festival may not have bounced back from the challenges it experienced quite as easily. In fact, it might not have recovered at all.

We understand what it takes to find the perfect name for your business to give it every chance of sustained success. Check out our tips to find an enduring brand name idea like Lollapalooza. Still struggling to find that perfect name? Try utilizing a powerful AI-driven business name generator to use as a springboard for creativity.

Why is Lululemon Named Lululemon?

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Lululemon is an athleisure wear giant, with the brand becoming a household name across the globe. So how exactly did it reach this level of success?

About Lululemon

The company was founded in 1998 by Chip Wilson. Originating in Vancouver, Canada, the brand was initially inspired by the practice of yoga, with the design studio operating as a yoga studio at night. The intention was to create athletic wear that was fashionable and comfortable for yoga, while also building a community where people could discuss health and fitness.  

The premises, which initially served the dual purpose of being a site for both design and yoga, became Lululemon’s first store in 2000. As the company grew, so did the number of stores and online presence, leading to the hugely successful brand we know today. 

How Lululemon Got Its Name

The iconic Lululemon name was derived from an unconventional, and somewhat insulting, background. Wilson had previously experienced success in the Japanese market with a skateboard brand, ‘Homeless’, something he partially credited to the fact that the name had an ‘L’ in it. The Japanese alphabet does not contain this sound, making the pronunciation of this letter foreign and therefore quite difficult. Wilson believes that the exotic nature of a brand name with an ‘L’ sound allowed Homeless to stand out from the crowd as no Japanese company would create a name with this letter.

When Wilson was looking for a brand name for his new activewear company, he had this theory in mind and sought to find a name with an ‘L’ in it. In 2004, he spoke to National Post Business Magazine about the name ‘Lululemon’, explaining that he wanted to create a name with “three Ls [to] see if [he could] get three times the money”. Wilson was playing around with the L sound when he came up with Lululemon, a name that does indeed contain three Ls. He further added that “it’s funny to watch [the Japanese] try to say it”, which is perhaps not the most moral reason to name a company.

Wilson is not backward in sharing his opinion and has become known for lacking political correctness, however, he was more careful with his wording when talking about the brand name in 2009 following some backlash to the 2004 interview. While Wilson acknowledged that the ‘L’ sound “does not exist in Japanese phonetics”, he stated the Lululemon was simply created for the 3 ‘Ls’ and means “nothing more and nothing less”.

Despite the arguably inappropriate theory that led to the name Lululemon, there’s no denying its success. It would appear that there may in fact be some truth to the idea that a name with an ‘L’ stands out in a Japanese market, and that this helped Lululemon get the attention required to catapult it to the level of success it experiences today. 

The Power of a Brand Name

While some of the strength behind the Lululemon name might be linked to the three ‘L’ sounds, we can assume that there are also other factors at play. The name itself gives no indication that the brand is focused on athleisure, yet it has managed to establish this association regardless.

This is for a number of reasons. Firstly, the made-up name is unlikely to be confused with anything else. It is engaging and distinct, allowing a strong brand to be established. Secondly, it is easy to remember. It’s not boring, but it’s also not so obscure that people cannot understand it. Finally, it passes the ‘crowded bar test’. If you say it in a noisy room full of people, most people will be able to comprehend what you’ve said.

All of these components make a strong business name, and when paired with a strong strategic direction like Lululemon, can help a company to experience significant and sustained success. 

If you’re looking for the perfect business name for your company, try utilising a powerful and effective brand name generator. A name can be the determining factor in whether or not a company succeeds, so you want to make sure you get it right!

Why is Spotify Called Spotify?

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Spotify is the most popular audio streaming service in the world. It’s an impressive title and one that comes with an interesting story. We take a look at the history of this innovative organisation to understand how ‘Spotify’ became a household name and the role this title has played in the company’s success. 

The Story of Spotify

There has long been a demand for digital audio streaming, however, it hasn’t always been legal. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, programs like Napster, Kazaa and Limewire were extremely popular, allowing users to download songs and audio files of their choice directly to their computer. This was a real novelty as people now had access to a wide range of free music, rather than having to purchase tapes and CDs from their local entertainment store. The problem was that this form of music download was illegal. Digital streaming broke piracy laws and meant artists were not getting appropriately compensated for their work, until Spotify was born. 

Daniel Ek identified this problem and worked to address the gap in the market. There was a real demand for digital music streaming, yet the only way to deal with the piracy issue was to create a legal solution that worked better and satisfied users. In 2002, as many of the illegal streaming programs were ceasing to exist, Ek came up with the idea of a music streaming platform that gave users access to a catalogue of music while also paying artists. 

In the beginning, many people were doubtful of the concept. The music industry was struggling and Ek had to work hard to convince record companies to license their songs for use on the platform. Despite some bad press and continued scepticism, Spotify hit 1 million paying subscribers in September 2011. They signed a deal with Facebook and reached 2.5 million paying users by November 2011. The rest is history. 

Competitors like Apple Music have since entered the market and threatened the success of Spotify, yet the company has maintained its position. It currently has a user base of 345 million people, with 155 million of them paid subscribers. 

How Spotify got its name

Sometimes a name is just a name, and yet it works. With Spotify, there is no magical story or special meaning behind the term. In fact, the name was born from Ek mishearing a suggestion from Martin Lorenzton, the co-founder of Tradedoubler. The pair were calling out ideas when Ek thought he heard Spotify, seemingly a combination of ‘spot’ and ‘identify’. In reality, this wasn’t what Lorenzton had said, but Ek liked the name and decided to use it. 

Generic Brand Names and How to Make Them Work

There’s no telling what Spotify is or does from the name alone. If you’re not familiar with the brand already, you’d have no idea that it is associated with music or streaming or anything in the field. Yet, it works. Spotify has been hugely successful despite having a seemingly generic name and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, it’s different from anything else. Spotify, being a made-up term, isn’t easily confused with other words or brands, and therefore it stands out from the crowd.

Secondly, it’s easy to remember. The fact that it is unique means people are more likely to remember it, but it also isn’t too long or complex. 

Finally, it passes the crowded bar test. Even in a noisy room full of people, the term Spotify is easy to distinguish and understand. It’s not difficult to pronounce or spell, which means people are more likely to be able to find it when they search online.

Finding the perfect brand name is no easy feat, but the story of Spotify demonstrates just how important the task is for ongoing success. Squadhelp can help you find the right name for your company, so get in touch today.