The Word

Thoughts and news. All about the language of brands.

Why AI Stinks for Brand Naming — Part 1 of a Series

We like AI.We use AI. We talk to AI more than is probably healthy.But after watching hundreds of teams try to name...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● Naming Hot Takes

February 5th, 2026

Looking Back: Tanj & 2022

Wow, 2022 was a blur. Compared to 2020 and 2021 (or because of?), this year flew by. And that’s a good...

By Scott Milano ●News ● Naming ● Brand Language ● Chatnamer

December 23rd, 2022

It's Here: Our Brand Naming Review for 2022

If you read only one report on brand naming this year, make it this one. You’ll learn what happened across the...

By Scott Milano

December 12th, 2022

Lay of the Land: DTC Cookware Naming

Direct-to-consumer cookware brands have been around for a while, but 2020 was a turning point for the category. Covid...

By Liz Yap ●Lay of the Land ● Naming ● Naming Trends

November 9th, 2022

Tanj Recognized by Clutch for Naming Excellence in 2022

We’re proud to be recognized as a Clutch Global Leader for Naming in 2022.This recognition reflects another year of...

By Liz Yap ●News ● Press

November 9th, 2022

Between Two Names: Zoom & Loom

Between Two Names is a new series on The Word by Tanj. The column takes a lighthearted look at two brand names we’ve...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● Between Two Names

November 7th, 2022

Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Brand Names

The Kardashians. Not so great at choosing spouses. Pretty darn good at choosing brand names.They come by it...

By Jill Stanewick

November 3rd, 2022

In the News: The Double O

Jill Stanewick — Tanj's Naming Director — was quoted in a new piece by Rosa Shipley and the Dirt Substack...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● News ● Press

November 2nd, 2022

Make a Name for Yourself: The Definitive Guide to Naming & Renaming Your Company

Naming or renaming a company requires a very different approach from developing names for a new product or service....

By Scott Milano ●Naming

October 28th, 2022

Now Name It: A Marketer's Guide to Naming New Products & Services

Introducing a FREE, comprehensive guide from the naming experts at Tanj covering all sides, all angles and all...

By Scott Milano ●Naming

October 27th, 2022

Lay of the Land: Celebrity Spirits Naming Trends

When you’re a celebrity, one of your most important assets is your name. It’s natural, (and evidently, profitable) to...

By Liz Yap ●Naming ● Naming Trends ● Lay of the Land

October 11th, 2022

Lay of the Land: Femtech Naming Trends

Familiar with femtech? It’s exactly what it sounds like: an army of robots being programmed to take over the world...

By Jill Stanewick ●Naming ● Naming Trends ● Lay of the Land

October 4th, 2022

Between Two Names: Dasani & Liquid Death

Between Two Names is a new series on The Word by Tanj. The column takes a lighthearted look at two brand names we’ve...

By Liz Yap ●Naming ● Between Two Names

September 16th, 2022

Lay of the Land: Supply Chain Tech Naming Trends

Even before Covid, the global supply chain was ripe for innovation. Some sectors — like commodities for instance...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● Naming Trends ● Lay of the Land

September 15th, 2022

.COM Naming Stats You Need to Know

Let me guess… you need an exact .COM for your new brand name? And it has to be 3-4 letters, super easy to say,...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● Domains

September 12th, 2022

Lay of the Land: EV Naming Trends

I’ll admit it. I was a Tesla fanboy. But after watching Elon Musk’s various exploits on (and involving) Twitter...

By Scott Milano ●Naming ● Naming Trends ● Lay of the Land

September 8th, 2022

Naming Research: Good or Bad?

Within the practice of brand naming, few areas are as polarizing as researching names with consumers. Some brand...

By Cesar Hernandez & Liz Yap ●Brand Research ● Naming

September 5th, 2022

Lay of the Land: Fintech Naming Trends

We’ve never tried to map out the contents of a rainforest, but trying to map out the world of fintech and payments...