Naming billion dollar companies isn’t just vibes, here’s the science behind it.

TL;DR

David, a professional namer who created names like Swiffer, BlackBerry, and Impossible, argues that a startup's name is critically important because it is the highest-frequency leverage point and compounds over time. The right name provides asymmetric advantage by being original, processing-fluent, and unexpected, while comfortable names like "Ready Mop" get lost in sameness.

Key insights

• A name is the highest-frequency leverage because it is used more often and for longer than any other brand element.
• Names create cumulative advantage; the longer the right name is in the market, the more valuable it becomes.
• A right name does three things: gets attention, holds attention via processing fluency, and is surprising (unexpected).