BBC Science Focus recently published a fun article about how a person’s given name can affect their life: The surprising way your name shapes your entire life. It may sound extreme, but a number of studies have supported it: The label we’re given at birth influences the way others perceive us, and the way we perceive ourselves, which in turn influences our behaviors and our path in life.
As the article points out, it’s not just the name, but also the parents who chose the name that exert an influence on their offspring. But we can see the name as a shorthand for the parents’ hopes and expectations of their children. Is this stereotyping? Absolutely. And stereotypes affect the way people are perceived and treated, thus shaping their life to an extent. Think Andrew vs. Axel.
For the brand naming version of this, let’s consider IBM vs. Apple. Completely different perceptions from the jump. Of course, it’s not just the names themselves: it’s also that the founders had very different hopes and expectations for their brands. And again, the name is a shorthand for those differences. IBM is all business ;) while Apple clearly likes to “think different.”
Every single brand name shapes the life of the brand. It functions as shorthand for your values, for the way you run your business. It affects the way the company is perceived from the moment someone sees or hears the name. It affects who wants to work for you, and work with you. And all of these things get internalized into the DNA of your brand, directly impacting the way you show up in the world.
If you’re currently on the hunt for a name for your new company or brand, what an incredible opportunity you have! This is the perfect time to think carefully about what you want this brand’s first impression to be, as well as what you want your brand to become. After all, the name you choose will shape the future.