Test the name, not the prettiest mock-up

Written and reviewed by Art and the City · Updated August 2026 · 8 minute read

Avoid the simple vote

“Which name do you like?” produces personal preference, not useful evidence. Ask what each name suggests, how respondents would spell it, what kind of organisation they expect and which option they remember later.

Choose relevant participants

Test with people who resemble the intended audience or must use the name in practice: customers, sales staff, partners or employees. Friends can spot obvious issues but may know too much about the concept to represent a first encounter.

Present candidates neutrally

Use the same typeface and layout for every name. Randomise the order where practical. Do not explain one candidate more enthusiastically than another. A fully designed logo can cause people to rate the visual treatment instead of the word.

Run four useful tests

1. Association: what three qualities or categories come to mind?
2. Pronunciation: ask people to read the name aloud without guidance.
3. Spelling: say the name and ask them to write or search it.
4. Delayed recall: ask which candidates they remember after another task or the next day.

Test realistic sentences

Place the name in an introduction, recommendation, URL, support email and product extension. Ask participants to use it in a sentence. Awkward grammar, ambiguous pronunciation and embarrassing abbreviations become visible quickly.

Interpret patterns, not isolated comments

One unusual association is not necessarily decisive. Repeated confusion across several participants matters. Compare findings against the naming brief and scorecard rather than selecting whichever name wins a small-sample popularity poll.

Combine research with judgment

Testing reduces uncertainty; it does not make the final decision. A distinctive name may initially feel less familiar than a generic one. The team must balance audience evidence, strategy, availability and the brand story it is prepared to build.