The Art and Science of Naming Your Property: How We Get It Right

Whether it’s for a residential development, a commercial property, or a mixed-use project, finding the perfect name is no small feat. But with a proven process, we’ve successfully named nearly 100 properties and real estate companies in the past decade.

Naming: Where Creativity Meets Strategy

Let’s be real—naming can be challenging. If you’ve ever tried to name a property or project, you know the struggle of landing on something that’s not only memorable but also conveys the spirit of the place and aligns with your vision. That’s why we treat naming like any other creative process: it’s rooted in strategy.

While the name should be creative, distinctive, and easy to remember, it also needs a purpose behind it. This is why we begin with a solid Brand Strategy—it gives us a foundation and provides a framework for deciding if a name truly fits the property’s goals and identity.

Where We Begin: The Process

With the Brand Strategy in place and a clear understanding of your project’s goals, preferences, and any guidelines, we jump into the creative process. We start by creating “buckets”—broad naming categories that help us explore different themes and directions.

For property names, our buckets might include:

• Local Landmarks and History to emphasize the importance of local landmarks or historical elements

• Architectural terms or themes that highlight the design and aesthetic

• Lifestyle-focused words that appeal to prospective tenants or buyers

• Natural elements that reflect the surrounding environment or landscape

Within each bucket, we brainstorm dozens of names—often generating anywhere from 40 to 100 options. While many names will be eliminated early on, this gives us a strong starting pool. From there, we vet and refine the list, narrowing it down to 10–20 names that feel most aligned with the property’s brand.

The Gauntlet: Vetting Your Property’s Name

Our finalist names then enter “the gauntlet.” We conduct searches to ensure each name isn’t already taken or conflicting with existing trademarks. We also conduct basic SEO research to see if the name can perform well online and assess if it might be overly competitive in the digital space.

Only the names that pass through this vetting process make it to the presentation phase. In Round 1, we usually present six to eight options, providing a range of names that feel both safe and bold to ensure a good mix.

Naming Rounds: Refining the Options

While we may find the perfect name in the first round, more often, we go through additional rounds. Each round allows us to refine the options based on what resonated with your team and what didn’t quite hit the mark. Through these rounds, we can narrow down the names, digging deeper into fewer, more polished directions.

And don’t worry—we understand the question, “What if we go through several rounds and still haven’t found the right name?” With a strong Brand Strategy as our roadmap, we can recalibrate at any point to get back on track.

Final Steps: Trademarking and Legal Considerations

Once you’ve chosen a name, you can feel confident it’s been thoroughly vetted. However, we always recommend taking it a step further. While we conduct initial checks, we encourage you to consult a Trademark Attorney to confirm that your name is legally clear. Even if you don’t plan to trademark it, ensuring it’s safe to use is essential.

Moving Forward with Confidence

With a name in place, your property is ready to take the next steps, and the real fun begins: building out your property brand.