AI has revolutionized many aspects of branding and marketing, including naming. For companies juggling multiple products, services, or features, AI can be a valuable tool to kickstart the creative process. But while it’s tempting to lean heavily on AI for all your naming needs, it’s important to recognize its limitations. For low-level, low-impact names like minor feature names or secondary products, AI might be just the right tool. But for high-profile brand names that define your company’s identity and future, you need an entirely different level of creativity, strategy, and organizational engagement.

Here’s an FAQ-style breakdown of when and how to use AI for naming—and when to rely on human expertise.

Q: When does it make sense to use AI for naming?

AI tools excel in situations where speed and volume are priorities, and the stakes are relatively low. Examples include:

  • Feature Names: Adding a new functionality to an app or software platform? AI can quickly generate names that align with existing branding.
  • Internal Projects: Need a placeholder name for an internal initiative? AI can offer creative suggestions without requiring a lengthy process.
  • Minor Products: Launching a small-scale product with a limited audience? AI can help brainstorm ideas efficiently.

For these types of naming needs, AI provides quick inspiration, helps explore creative directions, and delivers a solid starting point.

Q: Why shouldn’t companies rely solely on AI for high-profile brand names?

High-profile brand names require more than a clever idea or a catchy phrase—they need to:

  • Tell a Story: A brand name should encapsulate your company’s mission, values, and vision.
  • Resonate Emotionally: Great names forge a connection with your audience, something AI struggles to do without human guidance.
  • Align Strategically: A name needs to work across multiple channels, markets, and cultural contexts, requiring deep strategic alignment.
  • Clear Legal Hurdles: High-profile names must undergo rigorous trademark and domain availability checks—a task AI can’t handle comprehensively.

AI tools simply lack the strategic and emotional depth needed to create names that perform at the highest levels.

Q: How can AI and human expertise work together in the naming process?

AI is best used as a starting point, not the final word. Here’s how it can complement a human-driven process:

  • Idea Generation: Use AI to explore a wide range of naming possibilities, uncovering directions you might not have considered.
  • Pattern Recognition: AI can identify trends, linguistic patterns, and associations that humans might miss.
  • Efficient Exploration: Save time by generating a list of initial ideas that can be refined and built upon by a human team.

The most effective naming processes blend the efficiency of AI with the creativity and strategic insight of human experts.

Q: What’s the risk of using AI for all naming tasks?

Relying too heavily on AI can lead to:

  • Generic Outcomes: AI often produces names that lack originality or fail to differentiate in competitive markets.
  • Missed Nuance: AI struggles to account for cultural, emotional, or contextual nuances that are critical for high-impact names.
  • Legal and Trademark Issues: Many AI-generated names don’t pass legal checks, posing potential risks for your brand.
  • Organizational Disconnect: High-profile naming often requires buy-in from multiple stakeholders, a process that AI can’t facilitate.

These risks can undermine the success of your brand’s most important assets.

Q: Why does high-profile naming require organizational engagement?

Naming a high-profile brand isn’t just a creative exercise—it’s a strategic process that involves:

  • Building Consensus: Aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared vision for the name.
  • Driving Buy-In: Ensuring the name reflects organizational goals and garners enthusiasm internally and externally.
  • Strategic Alignment: Connecting the name to broader business objectives, such as positioning, growth, and market entry.

A human-led process ensures that these elements are addressed, creating a name that’s not only creative but also strategically sound.

Q: What should companies look for in a naming partner?

When the stakes are high, you need a naming partner who brings:

  • Strategic Expertise: The ability to align names with your brand’s vision, audience, and goals.
  • Creative Depth: The skill to craft names that are memorable, impactful, and culturally resonant.
  • Collaborative Approach: The experience to navigate team dynamics and facilitate stakeholder alignment.
  • Legal and Trademark Knowledge: The tools and expertise to ensure your name is viable and protected.

The Bottom Line

AI has its place in the naming process, especially for low-impact needs where speed and efficiency are key. But for high-profile brand names, the stakes demand a different approach—one that combines creativity, strategy, and human insight.

At Tanj, we understand the art and science of naming. Whether it’s a minor feature or a game-changing brand launch, we help companies find names that stick, scale, and inspire. Ready to create a name that does more? Let’s talk.