4. Craft a Catchy Appellation
If you are able to devise a name that is notably catchy, it can become significantly simpler and more enjoyable for people to recall. For example, the deliberate employment of alliteration and clever wordplay represents two effective methods for achieving this kind of memorability.
Alliteration
You can employ alliteration, which involves the recurrent use of similar consonant sounds, to forge a name that is easily remembered. For instance, Wealth Without Wall Street and Beyond the Brushes serve as two excellent illustrations. These community names possess the additional benefit of also clearly describing their respective functions.
Wordplay
Engaging in playful manipulation of words offers another avenue for making your community name distinctly memorable. As an illustration, one academic group designated their science club “Bond, Hydrogen Bond,” as a clever take on the renowned phrase from James Bond films (a line also featured in the 2019 animated movie Spies in Disguise).
Outer Work, alternatively, is a community that has opted to invert the more conventionally used phrase “inner work” to render it memorable and to accurately articulate its mission of addressing societal racism.
The foremost principle in naming anything is ensuring absolute clarity. The alliterative groups mentioned previously utilized names that also effectively described those particular groups. When incorporating puns or wordplay, it is essential to verify that you do not compromise any clarity if maintaining such clarity is paramount.
5. Reflect on Your Branding
If your community is fundamentally built around your existing brand, you might want to seriously contemplate incorporating your brand identity directly into the community’s name.
For instance, support-focused communities prove to be highly effective mechanisms for assisting users with various products like software applications, household appliances, or motor vehicles. These online forums typically attract a wide spectrum of individuals, from complete novices to highly experienced users, and are frequently driven by member contributions.
Here are several illustrative examples:
- Thinkific Studio caters to course developers who utilize the Thinkific Platform, and their associated Facebook group enables users to exchange their experiences and pose questions.
- Ninja Foodi Family represents an ideal gathering place for home cooks who use the Ninja Foodi appliance, as this group allows them to explore their devices and share culinary recipes.
- CR-V Owners Club is designed for drivers who possess a Honda CR-V. This particular forum permits them to share vehicle photographs and ask pertinent questions. Honda does not officially own this community, which demonstrates that one can successfully establish a community centered around a brand not personally owned.
6. Acknowledge Diverse Viewpoints
As your online community expands, you will naturally attract a greater number of members hailing from various backgrounds. The diverse life experiences of your audience might lead them to interpret your community name in a manner you had not originally foreseen. This situation can potentially lead to misunderstandings or even cause offense.
Undertaking thorough research on potential names beforehand can significantly help you circumvent such confusion.
- If a similar entity already exists, you have the option to differentiate your community from a potential competitor by choosing a distinctly different naming direction.
- If it does exist but carries an entirely unrelated meaning, you can then make a well-informed decision based on whether this creates any significant ambiguity.
Your investigative efforts might also bring to light words that are potentially offensive or problematic. For example, the term tribe carries racial sensitivities, and its usage could expose your community to the risk of severe criticism.
7. Evaluate Search Engine Discoverability
If you harbor the ambition to cultivate a substantial global community and desire for people to locate it via Google searches, it is wise to consider how easily searchable your chosen community name will be. You will want to thoughtfully integrate relevant keywords and also secure an appropriate domain name for your group to enhance its overall online visibility.
You do not necessarily need to aim for an exact keyword match to achieve a good ranking in Google search results. Instead, think about employing a more general keyword within your community’s name. This approach can also make your community’s primary goal or mission more readily identifiable to potential members.
The School of Self-Image is an organization that assists women in elevating their lives through the provision of monthly classes and an actively engaged community.
The founder strategically incorporated the keyword “self-image” into her group’s name and successfully secured the domain name schoolofselfimage.com. Similarly, the CR-V Owners Club adopted the same strategy with crvownersclub.com.
Bonus Pointer Solicit Assistance
Ultimately, you might consider reaching out to your audience directly for their assistance in the process of naming the community. There are certain advantages and disadvantages associated with taking this particular approach. For example:
- On the positive side, it has the potential to generate considerable excitement and significantly improve member participation levels.
- On the negative side, members might not entirely share or understand your overarching vision for the community.
A more prudent strategy could involve inquiring with your members about what specific elements or features they would appreciate seeing more of within the community, and then basing your naming decision on that valuable feedback.
Alternatively, you could opt to make the selection process more democratic by proposing several distinct options and then inviting the audience to express their preference among them.
Synthesizing All Considerations
Your community possesses the inherent potential to evolve into a secure and welcoming environment where members can freely share information and cultivate meaningful relationships founded upon their shared passions and common interests. Selecting an appropriate name is the crucial initial step towards making this vision a reality.
Sometimes, we might not immediately discover the perfect fit. Simply reflect on this historical fact: John Lennon’s initial musical group was known as the Blackjacks, and subsequently, they became the Quarrymen. Later on, he connected with the other members of his band, and together they decided to call themselves Johnny and the Moondogs, then the Silver Beetles, and eventually, the Beatles.
If a musical ensemble as renowned as the Beatles needed to experiment with a few different names before settling on the ideal one, it is certainly perfectly acceptable if you find yourself doing so as well.
Should you require additional assistance, we have developed a helpful checklist for you to utilize while navigating the process of naming your community: obtain your complimentary copy at this link.
And if you find yourself in need of further inspiration, feel free to explore these examples of successful communities and their respective names.
We are eagerly anticipating the discovery of the name you ultimately choose for your community. If you would like to receive feedback on any potential names you are considering, please do not hesitate to share them in the comments section below!