We’re not offended when someone refers to us as perfectionists. We’re even okay with occasionally being labeled OCD. Given the obstacles involved in name development—legal and domain availability, subjective preferences, multiple messages, not to mention creating an engaging and memorable name—more is usually more. So we tend to over-deliver. For most naming projects, we create thousands of names and end up screening hundreds.

Our process is multidimensional and highly collaborative (both with clients and internally). For instance, our series of proprietary, right-brain exercises elicit brand insights from clients on a deeper level than they might ordinarily access. (We promise it doesn’t hurt a bit.) We also show name candidates in a variety of contexts that allow clients to really gauge their emotional and strategic potential. (Check out our Name Visualizer for a sense of what we’re talking about.) This degree of engagement not only makes for richer, more targeted creative; it also helps ensure our naming solutions have solid internal buy-in.

You can call it perfectionism, but we just think of it as standard operating procedure.