The Word

Thoughts and news. All about the language of brands.

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When Your Portfolio Sounds Like Internal Code Names

It starts innocently enough. Someone on your team says, "We're rolling it into Orion next quarter."...

RECENT POSTS

When You Keep the Acquired Name... and Pay for It Forever

Keeping the acquired name usually feels like the right decision—at least in the moment.It protects revenue, keeps...
January 29th, 2026

Why AI Stinks at Brand Naming - Not a Rant

AI does many things well. Naming brands is not one of them.We’ve tried it. A lot. And we’ve worked with countless...
January 29th, 2026

Is This a Platform—or a Collection of Acquisitions?

You can feel the question forming before anyone asks it.It happens when the portfolio slide comes up, when the...
January 28th, 2026

When Everyone Has an Opinion—and None of Them Agree

This is the part of the naming process no one prepares you for. Not the creativity, not the pressure, but the moment...
January 27th, 2026

When Naming Becomes a Board-Level Conversation

You can feel the shift before anyone says it out loud. The questions get tighter. The room gets quieter. The deck...
January 26th, 2026

How Naming Portfolio Confusion Becomes Sales Friction

At first, it looks like a sales problem.Deals slow down. Calls run long. Prospects ask the same clarifying questions...

Why "Just One More Round" Rarely Changes the Outcome

You don't say it because you're indecisive. You say it because you're responsible."Let's...
January 23rd, 2026

The Naming Architecture Test: Can This System Handle 10 More Products?

You don't feel the problem when you have three products. You feel it with growth, when the roadmap gets real,...
January 23rd, 2026

The Difference Between a Risky Name and an Indefensible One

You're not trying to eliminate risk—you know that's impossible. What you're really trying to...
January 22nd, 2026

The Day Your Portfolio Stops Making Sense to Anyone Outside the Company

It doesn't happen all at once.There's no dramatic meeting where someone announces, "We've lost...

Why More Naming Options Rarely Make the Decision Easier

At first, more options feel like progress. The list is growing, people are engaged, and no one can say you...
January 20th, 2026

When Naming Inconsistency Starts Showing Up on the Balance Sheet

At first, it didn't feel like a problem. Each acquisition made sense on its own. Each product kept the name it...
January 19th, 2026

Sixty Days Out—and the Name Still Isn't Settled

You're not behind. But you're not comfortable either.The launch date is real now. The roadmap is locked....
January 15th, 2026

CES 2026 Musings: Best Product Names

I like lots of different styles of names, I promise, but all of my favorites from CES this year are short, suggestive...
January 14th, 2026

What Boards Actually Worry About When You Name Something New

No one on the board is arguing about syllables. They're not debating whether it "sounds modern...
January 13th, 2026

CES 2026 Musings: New Products from Petkit

I wrote previously about AI Tails — a pet tech brand with a name I think is a winner (though I question the product’s...
January 12th, 2026

How Naming Becomes the Proxy Fight for Bigger Strategic Tension

This meeting was supposed to be about a name. But five minutes in, you can tell—it's not.Someone's arguing...
January 11th, 2026

Afeela Disappointment

Guys, I have to tell you: I don’t Afeela great about the name for Sony Honda Mobility’s new EV line. While the name...
January 11th, 2026