Memorability is not luck.
It is cognitive design.
Some names catch. Some names spread. Some names become shortcuts for entire stories.
This is the Tanj method for knowing which names peolple remember, and which names fade.
1. Sharpness
How cleanly and quickly the name lands in the brain.
Sharp names are short, smooth, and effortless to process.
They feel intuitive. They feel correct. They feel good to say.
✔︎ Ask:
- Is it short?
The brain favors brevity. Two syllables is often optimal.
Examples: Zoom, Stripe, Lyft. - Is it smooth to pronounce?
Processing fluency research shows that easy to say words are judged as safer, smarter, and more memorable. - Does it have rhythm, repetition, or pattern?
Cadence strengthens encoding through the phonological loop.
Examples: TikTok, Coca Cola. - Is the spelling intuitive?
Confusion interrupts recall. Clarity supports it.
Why it works
The brain prefers low effort input.
Sharp names glide into memory with minimal friction.
2. Stickiness
How well the name holds through imagery or metaphor.
Sticky names activate multiple neural systems at once.
If you can picture it, you can remember it.
✔︎ Ask:
- Does the name evoke a visual?
The picture superiority effect makes imagery far more memorable.
Examples: Apple, Redfin, Shell. - Does it contain a clear or concrete metaphor?
Slack reduces tension. DoorDash moves with speed.
Metaphors create hooks. - Does it imply a place, object, or sensation?
Sensory grounding improves retention. - Can you build a simple story around it?
Story is the most efficient memory system humans have.
Why it works
Words that activate both semantic and visual pathways create stronger and longer lasting memory traces.
3. Spark
The energy, motion, or vitality inside the name.
Spark is the life force of a name.
It is the sense of action, personality, or behavioral energy that makes a word feel alive on the page.
✔︎ Ask:
- Does the name feel active or energetic?
Examples: Lyft, Riot, TurboTax. - Does it behave like a character or entity?
Examples: Casper, Kraken, Puma.
Anthropomorphic qualities deepen encoding. - Is there a flash of tension or boldness?
Slight threat increases attention.
Example: Liquid Death. - Does it feel like it has momentum or direction?
Spark creates neurological priority.
Why it works
The brain has an animate detection system.
Stimuli that feel alive or agentic get processed faster and remembered longer.
4. Strangeness
The purposeful twist or unexpected detail that captures attention.
Strangeness is novelty used with intention.
It is the slight curveball that makes the brain pause just long enough to encode the name.
Names that are at least a little strange work.
✔︎ Ask:
- Does it break category norms?
Lemonade in insurance. Mailchimp in SaaS.
Pattern breaks improve recall. - Does it introduce something unfamiliar in sound or structure?
Novelty interacts with the brain’s dopamine system. - Would people recognize it instantly in a lineup?
True distinctiveness is unmistakable. - Does it create a micro moment of curiosity?
The Von Restorff effect says that anomalies are remembered more strongly.
Why it works
Memory favors contrast.
What stands apart stands longer.
5. Sentiment
The emotional resonance and perceived meaning inside the name.
Sentiment is the feeling beneath the word.
It is also the meaning people project onto it.
A name becomes memorable not only because of how it sounds but because of the story it suggests, the associations it triggers, and the interpretations people build around it.
✔︎ Ask:
- Does the name spark a real emotion?
Examples: Kind, Ally, ThirdLove. - Does it carry an intuitive meaning or symbolic cue?
Names often land harder when people feel they already “get” it.
Example: Robinhood signals fairness and rebellion without explanation. - Is the meaning supported by a story you can tell?
Strong sentiment comes from a simple, repeatable narrative. - Does the meaning people assign align with the meaning you want?
A name is what it communicates, not what you intended it to communicate. - Does it touch identity or aspiration?
When a name feels like who someone is or who they want to be, memory deepens.
Why it works
Emotion activates the amygdala.
Meaning activates semantic networks.
Story activates narrative processing.
Together, they create the deepest and most durable form of memory.
Meaning plus feeling is the memorability multiplier.
Free Scorecard + Custom GPT
- Use this spreadsheet to assess the memorability of a brand name you're considering: https://tinyurl.com/35xr2dbp
- Or try our custom GPT to instantly assess names for you: https://tinyurl.com/tanjmemorability
Based on our scoring methodology, here's some simple performance threshold guidance:
- 30–40 total score → Strong memorability - Clear cognitive lift. Worth advancing.
- 24–29 → Fair potential - Solid foundations with room to sharpen.
- 20–23 → Borderline - Needs strengthening to stand out.
- Below 20 → Low memorability - Likely too flat or generic.
Examples of Memorable Names
Lastly, here are 10 modern brand names that score pretty high on the Tanj 5S memorability assessment:
- Stripe (31/40 points total) — Sharp, metaphorical meaning, elegant
- Lemonade (35/40) — Vivid imagery, refreshing meaning in a dry category
- Liquid Death (36/40) — Emotional shock, symbolic meaning, intense spark
- Slack (31/40) — Metaphor of reducing tension, story rich
- Robinhood (38/40) — Identity coded meaning, cultural narrative attached
- Casper (27/40) — Warm personality, friendly metaphoric ghost
- Zoom (31/40) — Motion loaded meaning, instant clarity
- Red Bull (39/40) — Powerful imagery, high energy symbolism
- Oura (29/40) — Symbolic meaning, sensory and spiritual cues
- Mailchimp (33/40) — Playful meaning, unexpected character-driven vibe
* Special thanks to our naming friend Rob Meyerson at Heirloom for his work on memorability — his thinking inspired us to create the Tanj 5S Memorability Framework and Tools above 🙏