After work one day, I was riding the bus home and saw an article in my newsfeed titled “The Story Behind Google’s Name.” The article explained how Google was supposed to be called Googol (1 followed by 100 zeros), but Larry and Sergey misspelled it. Being a bit of a branding nerd, I started researching the stories behind other tech names, but after several queries, I couldn’t find a site or blog that focused on aggregating naming stories.
This experience inspired the topic “Why is it called that?”
Now I had to determine the answer to my next question “What should I name it?” Admittedly, I had never named a blog or business and embarrassingly, I failed to even research what elements made a strong brand name. I was just excited to get started.
So since I was rewinding readers back to the origins of the company while trying to craft content that would capture their attention, I combined the words to serve as a reminder for developing unique content.
Fast forward a couple years…
We’ve now revealed the stories behind nearly 100 tech brands, each containing a unique story. And more importantly, along the way, I’ve learned how to name. From reading naming books, to brilliant articles by The Name Inspector, to valuable conversations with startup founders.
Full transparency, I’ve never loved the name Rewind & Capture. I always look at it and wish I spent more time brainstorming other potential names. Don’t let this happen to you, set aside a few weeks to ensure the creative process has been met.
I launched this naming tool to help first time tech founders better understand what’s important in a name. The score just partially reveals that quality in the name. The real value in the tool is to get you thinking like a namer and how to effectively approach the process so you can focus on what matters most.
If you need help naming shoot me an email: Adam (at) rewindandcapture.com or team up with one of our trusted naming partners.
Founder/Contributor: Adam Lang
Adam Lang is the founder of Rewind & Capture. He is passionate about branding, design and writing stories about tech companies. In his spare time, he enjoys sitting dogs on Rover.com, playing soccer and hanging out with friends at the Angry Beaver
Contributor: Chloie Parsons
Chloie Parsons is a contributor for Rewind and Capture. She is the Chief Creative Mind at C2C Designs. When she is not merrily building brands, you can find her painting, illustrating, kayaking the lakes, or at the river fly-fishing.
Contributor: Travis McDonald
Travis McDonald is a professional freelance writer who creates content for a wide variety of clients. He received his bachelor’s in English from The University of Texas at Austin and his MFA in creative writing from Virginia Tech.
Contributor: Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts is a freelance writer and editor who is passionate about learning, traveling, and language. She received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at Brigham Young University.