Here’s another excerpt from our handy dandy naming manual – it’s like a car manual, only about naming! We’ll be posting 10 different sections on a weekly basis, so please come back every Friday for more. If you like what you see, please download a copy of your very own, or write to us and we’ll mail you a paper copy (it has a glossy cover!).
CAR NAME THEMES
Of all consumer brand names, car names are perhaps the most recognizable. Online, TV and print advertising make it hard to ignore the most exciting new “rides,” and daily commutes ensure real-life interactions with these brands. Who hasn’t heard of a Camaro? Responsibly considered an Accord? Dreamed of owning a Miata?
So, what are the most common car name “Themes”– i.e, the concepts, messages or constructions used most frequently? For the fun of it, we did a bit of research (actually, a whole lot of research) and provide below the results of our investigation.
Theme: ANIMALS
The quintessential name: MUSTANG
One of the most popular car name themes, Animals convey everything from speed and strength (e.g. Mercury Bobcat, Dodge Ram) to grace and innovative design (e.g. Nissan Gazelle, Volkswagen Beetle). Sure, everyone knows what a Mustang is, what a Cougar is, what a Pinto is. But did you know that Corcel is Spanish for “steed,” that a Thunderbird is actually a mythical bird, that an Impala is a type of antelope, or that a Tamaraw is a small water-buffalo found only in the Philippines?
PREDICTION: with the ever-growing awareness and development of “greener” cars, expect to see fewer fast, strong, predatory animal names, and more intelligent, wise, innovative animal names. The Toyota Dolphin anyone?
| Volkswagen | Beetle | Car looks like a little bug |
| Chevy | Bison | A humpbacked, shaggy-haired wild ox |
| Nissan | Bluebird | A songbird |
| Mercury | Bobcat | A small, North American wild cat |
| Chevy | Bruin | A bear, especially in children’s fables |
| Ford | Corcel | Means “steed” in Spanish |
| Mercury | Cougar | A large wild cat |
| Ford | Falcon | A bird of prey |
| Pontiac | Firefly | A luminescent beetle |
| Volkswagen | Fox | Proverbially cunning animal |
| Nissan | Gazelle | A small, slender, horned antelope |
| Chevy | Impala | A type of antelope |
| Chevy | Kodiak | A bear found on the islands south of Alaska |
| Nissan | Leopard | A large wildcat also known as a panther |
| Mercury | Lynx | A wild cat; also a northern constellation |
| Ford | Mustang | A wild horse, typically small and nimble |
| Ford | Pinto | The combination of white and another color on any breed of horse |
| Ford | Puma | Another term for cougar |
| Volkswagen | Rabbit | Cute, furry little mammals |
| Dodge | Ram | A male sheep |
| Buick | Skylark | A lark known for its prolonged song during flight |
| Alfa Romeo | Spider | The eight-legged arachnid |
| Pontiac | Sunbird | A small, brightly colored songbird |
| Toyota | Tamaraw | A small water-buffalo found only in the Philippines |
| Ford | Thunderbird | Mythical bird |
| Hyundai | Tiburon | From the Spanish word for “shark”; also a CA town |
| Volkswagen | Tiguan | A coining of tiger and leguan (German for “iguana”) |
| Dodge | Viper | A venomous snake |
| Buick | Wildcat | A small wild cat noted for its ferocity |
Last week: Operation in Foreign Countries
Next week: More Car Name Themes
