Naming projects are often the most challenging briefs that a freelance copywriter will ever face. But there’s a knack to nailing them.
And today I’m going to share with you what that is…
Firstly, let’s point out the elephant in the room. Naming is subjective. Everyone perceives words and phrases differently, and everyone has their own tastes and preferences. The next challenge is that it’s 2026, and every time you hit the eureka moment and stumble upon that genius name that no one else has ever thought of - someone has already trademarked it and got a domain for it.
So what do you do when all the good names are taken already?
Firstly, don’t settle. Just like when you created your first ever email account and didn’t want a bunch of hyphens, numbers and underscores crowding your style, you need to remember this name is going to stick around.
You’ll be typing and reading this name aloud. Clients will see this name and form an impression around it. And when you look back in 5 years, even if you’re rebranding, you’ll want to feel like you have a logical rationale about why you chose it.
Secondly, hire a freelance copywriter.
Freelance copywriters have formulas for creating strong, memorable names. Even if you have to go through 3 rounds of names, creating hundreds of alternatives, you’ll still land on something that feels original and aligned to your brief.
How is that possible, you ask?
A brief obsession with creative resilience.
Let me explain…
Great freelance copywriters doesn’t just come up with names. They obsess over the brief, dissecting every detail, before coming up with a group of territories. These territories are the themes that will align your name with what the brief is asking for.
Under each territory, your freelance copywriter will list the names that fit, and play around with varying formats - classic names, Latin names, compound names and wild cards that push boundaries for challenger brands.
Next comes the creative resilience. Even if all of those names come back from legal screening as taken, your freelance copywriter will come back with more names. They’ll look into more territories, they’ll brainstorm more themes, digging deeper for something more distinctive, that will split the sea of sameness.
I know this because I’ve put my own name to these naming projects. I’m a perfectionist about everything I do, and as a freelance copywriter, every project I work on reflects the passion I have for my work.
So while naming projects can feel like looking for a needle in very crowded haystack, all you need is a freelance copywriter with the right formula and the right commitment, to win the name game.