Mark Peters is a namer and writer from Chicago, IL. He is the author of the book Bullshit: A Lexicon and has been a language columnist for The Boston Globe, Copyediting, The Golfer’s Journal, and Visual Thesaurus. He also worked for five years as a naming consultant for a major tech company and currently partnering with More By Us as a writer and namer.
Hi Mark, it’s a pleasure to have you here. So, is naming truly a ‘job’? I mean, it sounds more like an intuitive art, doesn’t it?
There’s an art to it for sure, but it’s definitely a job (thank goodness). Namers go to work when a company or group needs a moniker for themselves, their products, their events, or what have you.
What kind of person makes a good namer? Besides being a word nerd, of course! Is it more about creativity, or is there a certain kind of mind that excels at this?
Naming is very creative, and I think of it as a micro form of writing. I’ve done a lot of writing, from long form (books, a dissertation) to short form (many articles and columns). I’ve even written really short stuff, such as copy that appeared on socks. But nothing is shorter than naming, when the writing task is to crank out a list of words.
You’ve worked with some incredible brands. What makes a name truly strong? Is it memorable, or is there more to it than that?
Memorable is a great start. A name should also leave some room for the company or product to grow
The naming process can’t always be a walk in the park. What are some of the biggest hurdles you encounter when trying to find the perfect name?
The biggest issue is probably the legal aspect. You may think of the perfect name, but if it isn’t trademarkable, then it’s useless.
You’ve authored several books on etymology, including works on grammar and style. What inspired you to write ‘Bullshit – A Lexicon’?
The fact that there are so many cool words that mean BS: balderdash, twaddle, truthiness, drivel, horse hockey, fiddlesticks… I could go on and on. In fact, I did. I’m proud to be a leading expert on bullshit–also known as poppycock, mumbo jumbo, and crapola.
Your PhD brings a unique perspective to your work. How does that academic background influence your approach to naming?
I think my PhD helps me in the research department. I’m willing to dig deep for naming ideas. My personal favorite resource is the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). This ongoing attempt to record the full history of English is mind-blowing, and I always refer to it when naming. Of course, there are many other dictionaries that are helpful. Namers tend to be dictionary collectors.
For someone considering working with a naming expert, what kind of results can they expect? Does a good name really make that much of a difference?
Yes and no. A name isn’t everything, but it is the first thing customers or clients will know about you. It’s a powerful tool in branding.
What advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’s just starting out and trying to come up with a name for their new venture?
Naming isn’t about coming up with one, perfect name. It’s about coming up with dozens, maybe hundreds of names, and then whittling down the list to what works, legally and aesthetically. In naming, quantity comes before quality.
I’m curious, how does your partnership with More By Us enhance the naming process for our clients?
I bring years of experience as a namer and published language expert to the table. I’ve studied words very closely as a member of the American Dialect Society, a former language columnist for The Boston Globe, and the author of a column on euphemisms for over 12 years. Clients are getting a top-shelf word nerd.
What are you most excited about in terms of collaborating with us and helping clients build their brands?
Learning about the brands. One exciting thing about naming, like language itself, is that it touches everything. We name everything with words. I’m excited to see what projects are out there in the future.
Thank you so much, Mark. This has been incredibly insightful. I’m confident that our partnership will deliver amazing results for our clients.
