NAMES

The Sound of a Name

If you’ve ever named a company or a product, you’ve probably thought about the meaning, spelling, and availability of the names on your list. Here’s something else you should consider: the way the name sounds — and what that sound symbolizes.

Sound symbolism is the phenomenon by which certain units of sound seem inherently associated with certain kinds of information. The association is mostly unconscious; it isn’t infallible, but it often exerts an effect, subtle or powerful, on our perception of a brand name.