You're not trying to eliminate risk—you know that's impossible. What you're really trying to understand is which risks are worth taking, and which ones will come back to haunt you. Because there's a real difference between the two.
Risky Doesn't Mean Reckless
A risky name can actually be a smart choice. It might push the category forward, signal ambition, stretch perception, or invite meaningful conversation. The key is that you can explain why it exists, articulate the upside, and point to the thinking behind it. Even if not everyone loves it, the logic holds. That's risk with intention.
Indefensible Is Something Else Entirely
An indefensible name isn't bold—it's fragile. It's the name that requires constant explanation, context before it makes sense, and apologies before confidence. Not because it's misunderstood, but because it was never fully resolved.
When challenged, the room goes quiet. Not thoughtful quiet—uneasy quiet. Because no one quite knows how to justify it without circling back to how the decision was made, rather than why it was the right one.
Where the Line Actually Is
The line between risky and indefensible isn't about creativity—it's about clarity. A risky name can be defended under pressure. An indefensible one collapses the moment scrutiny increases.
You feel the difference when someone asks: "What happens if legal pushes back later?" or "How does this scale if the product expands?" or "Why did we choose this over the safer option?" If the answers are clear—even if the choice is bold—the name holds. If the answers rely on vibes, exhaustion, or "we were out of time," it doesn't.
Why This Matters to You Specifically
Because you're the one who has to carry it. You'll be the one in the boardroom, in the investor update, in the leadership meeting six months from now. You're not worried about someone disagreeing—you're worried about being exposed.
A risky name is something you can stand behind. An indefensible one leaves you standing alone.
The Red Flags
You already know when a name is drifting into indefensible territory. It sounds like: "It'll make more sense once people get used to it," or "We can always tweak the messaging," or "Legal says it's probably fine," or "Let's not overthink it."
Those aren't confidence statements—they're coping mechanisms.
What Makes a Name Defensible
A defensible name has clear decision criteria, known and accepted risks, alignment across brand, legal, and leadership, and a rationale that survives skepticism. You don't need unanimity—you need shared understanding. You need to be able to say: We knew the tradeoffs, we chose this anyway, and here's why.
The Relief of Knowing the Difference
Once you see the difference, everything sharpens. You stop arguing about taste, stop chasing consensus, and stop pretending risk can be designed away. Instead, you focus on what actually matters: choosing a name you can defend—not just today, but later, when the questions get harder.
Because in high-stakes naming, the real danger isn't taking a risk. It's taking one you can't explain.