A recent survey by Autobytel.com discovered that consumers are 72% less likely to buy a car if they don't like the name. Debbie Kelley writes about it on her blog Gazette Business. Who had the worst rated names?

Toyota Yaris
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Volkswagen Touareg

The best name? Ford Mustang!

So the name makes a difference.

Puts a lot of pressure on those guys sitting in a dark room with a dart board and a bottle of Jack trying to think up new and clever names.

Look at your product line - do you have products with names? Do some move better than others? Have you ever considered that perhaps it is the name that lacks appeal?

Neil Taylor has written a book called The Name of the Beast which offers tips and suggestions for picking the perfect name.

What process have you used? I have participated in the naming of a magazine and a new technology company (both yet to be released so I hesitate to share the name) and in each instance we used a variety of brainstorming techniques. Some produced better results than others.

How have you selected your company/product names?

As a consumer, does the name of the product influence your buying decision?

Deborah Chaddock Brown
Professional Writer, Glad I'm Not a Horse With No Name
AllWrite Ink