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Call me Mr. Pickles
August 13, 2007


I've taken no small amount of teasing about the name Relish. Seems most of my crowd has had a tough time getting their heads out of the jar and into the limo. But naming anything is a challenge. A name is something you have to live with potentially forever. You'd better really like your choice and never, ever be anything but confident in the face of certain criticism.

My kitty has had her current name for 4 of the 5 years she's allowed me to live with her. However, she suffered through (well she never really suffers, no matter what she leads you to believe) at least 4 names before I settled on Tao. But thank you for that, otherwise I might still be calling her Zipper. I mean, zipper is a fun word, right, but it never captured her desire to be worshipped. So, most important is that the name feels right. Does it resonate or fall flat?

I think names should be short and surprising. After several years in the marketplace no name will still be surprising, of course, but it's that first impression that the reader will remember. Example? When Wallpaper debuted -- I was floored. It broke all the rules. A completely whacked-out name and content that sizzled. It's no longer the brilliant magazine Tyler Brule created back when, but I still read it.

So my point is this: No matter what you're naming -- magazines, companies, boutiques or kitties -- take the time to consider all the different ways the name will be used, write down everything you (and your friends) come up with no matter how silly, then choose one you really like but are just a little afraid of.  

The next Relish hits the street the first week of September.

Ciao!

My potential new favorite web site: Domustica.com  


Posted by Wes Kennedy on August 13, 2007 | Comments (3)


September 2, 2007
In response to: Call me Mr. Pickles
Ronn Ives/FUTURES Antiques commented:

Wes, You're right, of course. However, sometimes a decision is made in one world, and finds itself in another - which is difficult to foresee. When I chose the name for my Modernist Antique, Art, and Design store - "FUTURES Antiques" - the web was not a factor. Within less than ten years that would change (and I had a site on the web by 1996!). Search engines became THE factor, and suddenly the term "FUTURES" was represented by investments in corn and pig parts. Ugh. Too many years had passed for me to change the name of my store (which I still LIKE independent of this problem), and I've had to make peace with the web, search engines, and the confusions. Fortunately, search engines are more thorough, and out of necessity I've learned more about meta-data, etc. My one piece of advice to anyone facing such a decision is to spend a few days working the search engines with your "finalist terms", including any reasonably common missspellings that might occurr, if you catch my point. Ronn Ives, owner FUTURES Antiques www.futuresantiques.com




September 2, 2007
In response to: Call me Mr. Pickles
Wes commented:

My friend, Ronn, makes an excellent point. Checking prospective names on the web is easy and good idea. But don't be put off when your really clever and completely original name turns up on Google. There are plenty of pretenders. My latest search for Wes Kennedy turned up more than 10 pages, but I've no plans to change my name.




September 5, 2007
In response to: Call me Mr. Pickles
Ronn Ives/FUTURES Antiques commented:

Mr. Pickles, When I was very young, I changed the spelling of my name from "Ron" to "Ronn" in one of those adolescent Twitches of Individuation. It stuck. Over the decades, I met 3 other "Ronn" people. Meeting just ONE was a shock to my sense of uniqueness (yeh, as IF a 12 year old COULD make an internationally unique statement) (a monkey on caffeine at a typewriter could've come up with an extra "N"). But, it STUCK. This is my main point. The web gives you both the opportunity and challenge to not simply be "unique", and not merely "searchable", BUT FINDABLE, which is the true meaning of the web as a venue. Had I been the most insightful, psychic 12 year old on the planet, I would've chosen THREE N's for my name. (Hey, wait! I HAVEN'T checked Google for that one! (DANG!!) Ronnnn Ives, owner, FUTURES Antiques, www.futuresantiques.com





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