How the World Names: A We Are Naming limited series

TWIST: U.S. partner Caitlin Barrett is the guest this week, interviewed by the great Felipe Valério, We Are Naming’s partner from Brazil. They talk about: - The importance of brands “just being themselves!” and not trying too hard to conform to trends - Paths for brands coming into the U.S. with names that carry less-than-positive associations (Would *you* name your baby-diaper brand GOO.N? Probab...

U.S. partner Caitlin Barrett is joined by Sophie Gay, a naming expert from France and the co-founder of We Are naming, to discuss the intricacies of brand naming in the French market: They talk about: - Sophie's journey into naming and the founding of her agency, Namibie. - Four major naming trends in France - The rise of French-English hybrid names and their impact on brand identity - Exploration...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Pete Dewar about the highs and lows of naming in the U.K.: - The English language as a blessing and a curse when it comes to brand naming - What we can learn from the Aberdeen naming case, as well as other smart ways to modernize an outdated or otherwise limiting brand name - Naming styles that can sound cheap in the U.K.—and when to use those to your ad...

We Are Naming’s U.S. partner Caitlin Barrett interviews Sebastian Hotze and Solveig Palis of PalisHotze, our German partners. They talk about: - Their 18-year naming partnership and what’s made it work - The German language’s ability to be charmingly descriptive (gloves=hand shoes!) - And what that means for naming (balancing clarity with brevity and emotion) - The meaning behind successful German...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Ignasi Fontvila about what makes naming work in Spain: - Spain’s linguistic landscape encompasses so much more than just Spanish - Spanish nickname culture and its impact on brand naming (we loved your name, Mr. Jeff) - The expansion of transgressive and ironic names - Ignasi’s own sources of creative inspiration Plus Caitlin guesses the meaning of the C...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Elles Poiesz about the quirks of naming in the Netherlands: - What locals actually call Amsterdam - The linguistic landscape of the Netherlands - The impact of Covid on naming trends, and what’s changed since then - Exporting the Dutch language and cultural icons via naming Plus, Elles stumps Caitlin with some Dutch boy band lyric realness: Since een dag...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Judy Wang about the many nuances of naming in China: - The fundamentals of Chinese: An ideographic language where speakers often think meaning first - Three strategic approaches for global brands entering China - Why Chinese names are non-negotiable - How cultural preferences shape naming - How to consider dialects when choosing a name Plus Caitlin guess...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Felipe Valério about the ups and downs of naming in Brazil: - The emotional and playful nature of Brazilian Portuguese. - The unique Brazilian love for nicknaming is discussed (who’s “Méqui”? Who’s “Zap”?) - The vigilance of Brazilian consumers, who have well-developed B.S. detectors - The linguistic diversity in Brazil - Tips for international brands en...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Angela Colucci about the twists and turns of naming in Italian: - Why sound and rhythm matter - What’s changed in Italian naming over the last century - The impact and perception of English names - How humor and irony show up in Italian naming (Hint: Toiletpaper Shop probably isn’t what you think it is) - Why a “twist” matters when identifying a great na...

In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Olympia Aivazi about the cultural foundations and nuances of Greek naming: - The richness of the Greek language and its symbolic associations - The Greek identity paradox in branding - Traditional naming patterns, and the trends that break them Plus, Caitlin guesses what Olympia means by "Κάνει πολύ ζέστη οπότε πάω για μια βουτιά.“ (They’re not even clos...

Ready to crack the code of global naming? Join We Are Naming, a network of experts who live international brand name development, for How the World Names. This limited-run podcast series invites you into the world of We Are Naming. Each episode features one of our global partners taking you on a deep dive into their home market. We unpack the unique linguistic quirks, cultural nuances, emerging na...