What’s in a name?

June 21, 2024

 

How much thought goes into the origin of names and labels? How does it factor into the concept known as “brand?”

 

Even fans of the emergence of alternative synth pop in the late 1970’s are likely not familiar with a band of English classmates known as the “Composition of Sound.” When fellow classmate Dave Gahan was invited to join the trio three years after its inception as the group’s lead singer, he suggested a name change was in order. Gahan, working at the time as a guide for window displays at a clothing store, stumbled upon a French fashion magazine, “Depeche Mode.”

 

“What do you think guys?” he asked. It stuck and has continued to through the band’s more than 45 years of success.

 

As for the magazine, upon learning of the phrase translated “Fashion News,” as being adopted by the group, the tabloid unleashed a salvo of lawsuits. Gahan shared, “Once we became successful, the magazine ceased litigation as print sales quickly escalated.” In fact, the publication even made unsuccessful attempts at photoshoots with the band.

 

The magazine remained in circulation until 2001.

 

On a related note, after incurring slight damage to my truck I delivered it to a body shop for an estimate. The service technician was a woman, Brandylynn, who invited me to abbreviate her name to Brandy. Cornily, I could not help but bellow out that she was “a fine girl and what a good wife she would be” with reference to the 1970 song by the Looking Glass. Without skipping a beat, Brandy referenced her mom as being a child of that era and shared that the song was in fact the inspiration for her name.

 

I enthusiastically thanked Brandy for her help in coloring what would influence this piece.

 

Since Gene Roddenberry gave us Star Trek in the mid-1960’s, I’ve found it convenient to distinguish my name from Kurt, Curt, or Kirt through connecting with the commander of the starship Enterprise, Captain James T. Kirk.

 

Sports franchises often have a penchant for nicknaming their teams after a characteristic of the city or region of orientation, or based on an indigenous species that may be native to the locale. Hence, we get the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay Rays, and Chicago Bulls, in reference to the Chicago Union Stockyards.

 

Contrarily there are the three major franchises in Los Angeles having absolutely nothing to do with the Southern California region: the NBA’s Lakers, relocated from Minneapolis, baseball’s Dodgers, moved from Brooklyn, NY and originally named for the act of dodging street cars in that city, and then the Rams, who launched in Cleveland, and were so named

by mimicking New York’s Fordham University’s nickname and because “Rams” “sounded good.” Add to the list the Utah Jazz, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders.

 

Business enterprises often devote clever marketing ingenuity to name development. I think of the old “cook your own steaks franchise,” UR Cooks.

 

Others:

 

· Kodak got its name because the founder thought the letter K sounded strong and incisive.

· WD-40’s formula was finally successful on the 40th try.

· Similarly, Phillips 66 referred to the specific gravity of the gasoline, the car testing the fuel did 66 miles an hour, and the test took place on US route 66.

 

Simpler are the businesses connected with the name of the founder:

 

· Walmart (Walton)

· Dave’s bread

· Marriott

· Ford

· Gallo vineyards

 

The orientation for the name of my own business, The Seed Sower Coach, came from two influences. One, I am an avid gardener. The act of planting a seed and watching it proliferate from such a humble origin is rewarding.

 

Likewise, the parable of the seed Sower from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 8 parallels the notion of a coach/client relationship. Clients often present themselves with raw, yet high potential, in need of further development and refinement. As a coach, my role is to metaphorically provide water, nourishment, oversight, and care for that client to achieve full potential. When that goal is achieved all celebrate in the harvest of that achievement.

 

If you have a business, what does its name represent? Is it symbolic of not only the line of business, but organizational values or interests?

 

If not the proprietor of an enterprise, what does the best version of your name communicate? If you are “John,” how do you live out the Hebrew translation of “God is gracious?” Are you a “beloved” “Mary?” If you are “Robert,” do you present your “fame brightly?”

 

What’s in your name?

 

The Seed Sower