The Naming Group

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Overview

2 - 9

Employees

2009

Year Founded

ABOUT THE NAMING GROUP

Brand Naming Partner to Fortune 500 co's

As a leading global naming agency, The Naming Group has collaborated with top Fortune 500 companies such as Capital One, General Motors, Reebok, and Kohler to develop distinctive names like the Venture Card and Chevrolet Sonic, among many others. The Naming Group operates across a wide range of industries and is known for founding The Namescape School of Thought, which emphasizes that each brand consists of a set of named offerings that should work cohesively to convey the overall meaning of the brand. Our specialized approach to namescape ensures that every name we create aligns with surrounding names to narrate a unified story and strategically promote our clients' brands. Our comprehensive process encompasses naming strategy, creative development, initial trademark checks, and global linguistic assessments, allowing us to produce impactful names and frameworks while guiding clients through the complex corporate decision-making landscape.

Languages Spoken

English

HIGHLIGHTS

2 - 9

Employees

2009

Year Founded

Services

Focus

Industries

Clients

Services Provided

70% Brand Identity Design

30% Brand Guidelines Development

About the Team

OUR STORY

TNG is a dedicated naming consultancy that blends brand strategy, organizational psychology, and language expertise to serve brands at various stages—from startups naming their first products to global enterprises establishing naming systems at scale. With 20 years of leadership by Nina, who has led naming projects for renowned companies like Procter & Gamble and HP, TNG brings strategic rigor and facilitation skills to transform naming into a clear competitive edge. The team includes John Elliott, a linguist and strategist experienced in multiple languages; Elaine Smith, a seasoned account director ensuring project efficiency; Liz Castleman, a naming expert responsible for names like Thinx and Avelo Airlines; and Trevor Caudle, trademark counsel with a practical methodology for screening. Their work has earned

Portfolio

Reebok: Directing all footwear, naming, & strategy

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With numerous new product and technology names introduced annually, Reebok recognized the need for a systematic overhaul of its naming process. Lacking a consistent naming strategy, marketing teams faced challenges in getting approval from leadership, and the existing namescape failed to effectively convey brand meaning. With the introduction of the bold brand positioning "Be More Human," Reebok was ready for a fresh naming strategy, along with new product names and guidelines. When they brought us on board, Reebok had just articulated a clear and inspiring brand message: "Be More Human," aimed at encouraging individuals to be their best—physically, mentally, and socially. While their advertising campaigns and digital content effectively communicated this message, the product names did not align. Additionally, naming within Reebok had often been a complex internal process, lacking consistency and clarity across different business units. As a leader in the industry, releasing 15 new names for models and franchises each season, it became crucial that these names accurately reflected the brand's positioning and the distinct identities of the five business units, enhancing consumer comprehension, internal workflow, and the establishment of enduring franchises. We collaborated with Reebok to develop a comprehensive namescape strategy for these business units. After assessing the existing naming process, we provided revised guidelines and defined the roles and responsibilities involved in the naming procedure. The extensive naming handbook we created served as a resource for both new and existing employees, covering every stage of the naming process from creative brainstorming to legal considerations. We also developed decision-making frameworks to assist in determining when to create new names versus retaining existing ones, while effectively navigating the complexities of technology-related naming extensions. By establishing brand-aligned naming themes for each business unit, we generated a vast array of future product names for upcoming seasons.

Kohler: Directing all naming and strategy

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Throughout our multi-year collaboration, The Naming Group partnered with Kohler to refresh their namescape strategy and create over 30 product names. Kohler, a renowned home fixture company, engaged us at a pivotal moment for their brand. As European design trends took precedence, the traditional American-style names that Kohler was known for began to lose their appeal. We guided the brand into a contemporary era of global sophistication by embracing Romance language influences, resulting in a strong namescape featuring a distinct European touch. Our collaboration not only included developing names for many of Kohler's innovative new products but also transforming their overall approach to naming. The goal was to establish a more relevant and distinctive naming convention that aligns with Kohler’s BOLD positioning and product design aesthetic. Some of the names we've created for Kohler include ELEVANCE for their innovative rising-wall bath, REFINIA and ALTEO for premium bathroom fixture lines, with more names set to be launched soon. In line with Kohler's refined naming strategy, each name carries deeper significance beyond mere aesthetics, moving away from the common trend of generic place- and heritage-inspired names to more meaningful and evocative expressions.

Epson Brightlink

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Over the years, Epson has relied on us to create important product names across various sectors, including two printers and a groundbreaking overhead projector. They entrusted us with the significant task of moving away from the typical spec-driven, alphanumeric naming conventions. The term "truly revolutionary" is often used so freely that it can be hard to take it seriously when applied to a product. However, this overhead projector genuinely lives up to the label by completely removing the necessity for an expensive interactive whiteboard, thus enabling budget-conscious schools to access innovative learning opportunities. The name BrightLink effectively conveys the projector’s main advantage: bridging the gap for students to engage with interactive content through a bright connection. This name is perfect for the energetic educators who utilize BrightLink to transform the classroom experience. From a branding standpoint, BrightLink aligns well with EPSON’s educational initiative, Brighter Futures. The shared theme of "brightness" cleverly links the brand’s identity with a term that suits an imaging company exceptionally well.

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