Some of the best known and most valuable brand names have surprising histories and unlikely provenances. Few came from high-priced naming consultants. Here is the brand name history for some well-loved brand:
| 7-Eleven | Named for stores new extended hours from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. |
| Adidas | Named for nickname of Adolf “Adi” Dassler |
| Altoids | Made up name suggesting a medicinal benefit |
| Amazon | Most voluminous river for a site with hoped for voluminous sales |
| Apple | Steve Job’s favorite fruit, simple and not cold or unapproachable like IBM |
| Arby’s | Enunciation of founders’ initials Raffel Brothers |
| Bally | Named after Lion Manufacturing’s popular pinball machine: Ballyhoo |
| Bic | Marcel Bich used his own name, but dropped to H so as not to offend |
| Bridgestone | Is translation of Japanese name that means “bridge of stone” |
| Budweiser | Named for famous Bohemian town in Pilsen region now known as Budejovice |
| Canon | Japanese name of Buddhist bodhissatva for mercy Kannon |
| Caterpillar | A photographer said the tractor looked like a creeping caterpillar and the name stuck |
| Cisco | Short for San Francisco, also the Stanford Department Computer Information Services |
| Coca-Cola | Made from coca leaves and kola nuts—coca-kola |
| CVS | Convenience, Value and Service |
| Danone | Named for nickname of founder’s first son Daniel—Dan + One |
| eBay | Was originally Echo Bay, but that was taken, so Echo was shortened to e |
| Fuji Film | Named for highest mountain in Japan |
| A misspelling for math term “googol” | |
| Grape Nuts | Original formula used grape sugar as an ingredient; product had nutty taste |
| Häagen Dazs | Completely made up name that sounds Northern European and rich |
| Harpo | Oprah written backwards |
| Kinko | Nickname of founder with wild, curly hair |
| Marlboro | Named after streets in London |
| M&Ms | For partners Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie (son of Hershey president) |
| Nabisco | Short for National Biscuit Company |
| Pepsi | Named for digestive enzyme pepsin |
| Qantas | Short for Queensland & Northern Territories Aerial Service |
| QVC | Quality Value and Convenience (not to be confused with CVS) |
| Reebok | Named for African antelope rhebok |
| Snapple | Named after first flavor Spice N’ Apple |
| Samsung | Korean for three stars |
| Sun Microsystems | Stanford University Networks |
| Toyota | Founder name Toyoda turned out to be hard to spell |
| Volkswagen | German for peoples’ car |
| Volvo | Latin for “I roll” |
More naming resources:
Naming How-To:
Naming Mistakes
Six Factors for a Memorable and Motivating Name
History of Best Known Brands
Styles and Types of Brands
Choosing a Name
Try a Recycled Name
Web 2.0 Naming Considerations
What is Brand Architecture
Approaches to Brand Architecture
Brand Architecture and Business Strategy
Companies and Products:
MSNBC vs. msnbc.com and The Bigger Naming Problem
Macy’s Blunder with Marshall Field’s Name Change
Banks and the Name Game from Bank Marketing Magazine
AIG Name Change to AIU
Breaking Up the Motorola Brand
Google’s Speedbook Disaster
Renaming a Small Business
Proxios CEO Talks About Renaming Process
Naming a Green Sportswear Company
Unintentionally Funny Names-BARF
Unintentionally Funny Names-Putzmeister
Unintentionally Funny Names-Bimbo
Renaming a $2 Billion IPG Agency
Renaming Iraqi Freedom
Selected Naming Portfolio