Misspelled names are the worst, amiright? Lots of people say they hate them — namers and naming clients alike. There’s plenty to dislike about them, but we see a bit of nuance in the issue. During a naming kickoff, a client of ours had a great stipulation when we were discussing their likes and dislikes: “No misspellings for no good reason.”
That gets right to the heart of it, as evidenced by a study published in the Journal of Marketing in 2023 that explored consumer response to names with unconventional spellings. The researchers found that consumers prefer conventionally spelled names, evidently because misspellings are seen as gimmicky. However, they also found that “unconventionally spelled names do not produce a backfire effect when the motive for selecting the name is seen as sincere.”
Sincerity — or having a “good reason” — is a smart filter to have when considering an alternative spelling for a name. With that said, here are a few misspelled names we’re not mad about:
goodNes - Nestle’s website featuring recipes and tips on eating well on a budget chops off the last ‘s’ from “goodness” and adds a capital N. It sounds a bit cringe when you say it like that, but in context it’s simply a clear and sincere reference to the Nestle name. It’s sweet, and it works.
Beleaf - This vegan meat brand changes the spelling of “belief” to telegraph a message about their belief in the power of plant-based foods for health and sustainability. The “leaf” here enhances the name by adding a layer of meaning.
Babbel - Okay, this name is a little annoying because it misspells two words in one, but it’s also smart for the same reason. It straddles “babble” and “Babel” to infuse references to both while also creating a unique name.
Bilt - Bilt Rewards is a loyalty program that enables renters to earn rewards on their rent payments. Their logo of bricks emphasizes the meaning of “built,” but the misspelling feels a bit elevated, with ties to “gilt” (coated in gold) as well as “Vanderbilt” and his lavish Biltmore Estate.
Google - Who could be mad at a name that actually feels more correct than the real spelling? The original real word “googol,” referring to the number 10^100, was coined only about 100 years ago. The spelling of “Google” makes more sense in the English language (think giggle, gaggle, goggle), so we take zero issue with this nice, simple change.
While these names are all wins in our book, unfortunately not all misspelled names are so successful. Want to get me fired up? Just show me a picture of Downy Unstopables. Why did they spell “unstoppable” wrong? Why?! It comes across as an embarrassing mistake that no one at P&G caught. There’s also an endless sea of names like Zypp, Stensul and Avicado — names that appear to be creatively spelled simply for uniqueness and URL availability rather than an intent to add meaning or simplify — meaning they don’t come across as sincere.
Want a correctly spelled name? Or perhaps a smartly and sincerely coined one? We can do that. Get in touch.