The Word

Thoughts and news. All about the language of brands.

FEATURED POST

Naming a Nonprofit: The Rules Are Different Here
Most naming principles apply across sectors. Clarity, distinctiveness, memorability — these matter whether...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
May 31st, 2026

RECENT POSTS

Naming a Consumer Brand: When Personality Beats Clarity

Consumer naming is where the rules change.In B2B, clarity is usually the first thing you protect. Enterprise buyers...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
May 30th, 2026

Naming a Professional Services Firm: The Founder Trap

It's the oldest naming convention in business. Law firm. Consulting firm. Architecture studio. Accounting...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
May 30th, 2026

Naming a SaaS Brand: The Difference Between a Tool and a Platform

There's a question every SaaS company eventually faces, usually around Series B or the first major product...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
May 29th, 2026

Naming a Healthcare Brand: Why Playing It Safe Can Actually Backfire

Naming a Healthcare Brand: Why Playing It Safe Can Actually BackfireHealthcare has a naming problem. And it's...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
May 29th, 2026

Tanj Named a Clutch Global Winner for Naming — Spring 2026

We'll take it.Tanj has been named a 2026 Clutch Global Winner for Naming — recognized among the top naming...
By Scott Milano ●News
May 22nd, 2026

What Happens After You Hire a Naming Agency

The decision to hire a naming agency is only the beginning. What happens next — how the work actually unfolds, what...
By Jill Stanewick ●About Naming Agencies
May 20th, 2026

How to Choose a Naming Agency

There are more naming agencies than there used to be. That's mostly good news — it means there's real...
By Jill Stanewick ●About Naming Agencies
May 19th, 2026

What You're Really Paying for When You Hire a Naming Agency

The sticker price of a naming engagement is easy to see. What's behind it is less obvious.The fee is not just...
By Tanj Staff ●About Naming Agencies
May 16th, 2026

Why Consensus Kills Great Naming

The worst moment in a naming process isn't when you can't find a great name. It's when you find one —...
By Tanj Staff ●Naming
May 15th, 2026

What's the Difference Between a Naming Agency and a Branding Agency?

Both can create names. That’s the main overlap.The difference isn't just about specialization — it's about...
By Jill Stanewick ●About Naming Agencies
May 12th, 2026

What's Inside a Naming Brief — and Why It Matters

A naming brief sounds administrative. It isn't. It's the document that makes or breaks a naming engagement...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming ● About Naming Agencies
May 4th, 2026

Is a Naming Agency Worth It?

The honest answer: it depends on what you're naming, what's at stake, and what it costs you if you get it...
By Tanj Staff ●About Naming Agencies
May 1st, 2026

Healthcare Brand Naming: Credibility, Compliance, and Clarity

Healthcare brands carry unusual weight. The name is often the first signal patients and providers receive about...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming ● Naming Trends
April 30th, 2026

Can AI Replace a Naming Agency?

Short answer: no. Longer answer: it depends on what you think a naming agency actually does.If you think a naming...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming ● Naming Tools
April 18th, 2026

How Much Does Brand Naming Cost?

The honest answer: it depends. But "it depends" isn't a non-answer here — the variables that drive...
By Jill Stanewick ●About Naming Agencies
April 17th, 2026

What Does a Naming Agency Do?

Most companies spend more on their logo than their name. The logo gets refreshed every few years. The name...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming ● About Naming Agencies
April 16th, 2026

How Do You Know If a Name Is the Right One?

At some point your list of names in consideration gets shorter. Five options become three, three become two, and then...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
April 3rd, 2026

Why Is Naming Taking So Long?

It started simply. A few name options spun up by AI, a few opinions from stakeholders, a few rounds of feedback — and...
By Jill Stanewick ●Naming
April 3rd, 2026