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Books about brand naming (Useful List)

April 3, 2019 · How Brands Are Built
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Despite how difficult naming can be, and the fact every brand needs a name, a quick Amazon search reveals surprisingly few books on the topic. Here’s a list of everything we can find, which we’ll add to as new books are published. (FYI, this list excludes downloadable PDFs like naming guides and our own ebooks about naming.)

Some of these books are meant to guide professionals through the naming process while others, like Wordcraft and From Altoids to Zima, simply provide insight into the wild world of brand names.

So far, three authors on the list below have been interviewed on the podcast:

  • Eli Altman, author of Don’t Call It That: A Naming Workbook
  • Brad Flowers, author of The Naming Book: 5 Steps to Creating Brand and Product Names that Sell
  • Jeremy Miller, author of Brand New Name: A Proven, Step-by-Step Process to Create an Unforgettable Brand Name

Also, note that one of these books, Hello, My Name Is Awesome, is available in summary form (both text and audio) on Blinkist.

 

List of books about brand naming

CoverTitleAuthorAudiobookSummary
Brand Naming by Rob Meyerson Brand Naming: The Complete Guide to Creating a Name for Your Company, Product, or ServiceRob Meyerson––
Brand New Name, recommended on How Brands Are Built Brand New Name: A Proven, Step-by-Step Process to Create an Unforgettable Brand NameJeremy Miller––
Don't Call It That by Eli Altman Don't Call It That: A Naming WorkbookEli Altman––
Famous Brand Names and Their Origins by Kathy Martin Famous Brand Names and Their Origins
Despite its title, this book is really about the origins of some old brands, not necessarily their names. It sometimes touches on the stories behind the names, however, so we're leaving it here. Buyer beware.
Kathy Martin––
From Altoids to Zima by Evan Morris From Altoids to Zima: The Surprising Stories Behind 125 Famous Brand NamesEvan Morris––
Hello My Name Is Awesome Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That StickAlexandra WatkinsYesYes
Merriam's Guide to Naming Merriam's Guide to NamingLisa Merriam––
The Name of the Beast by Neil Taylor The Name of the Beast: The Process and Perils of Naming Products, Companies and BrandsNeil Taylor––
Names That Sell: How to Create Great Names for Your Company, Product, or Service

Names That Sell: How to Create Great Names for Your Company, Product, or Service
(Note: This book was published in 1995. New copies may be difficult/impossible to acquire.)
Fred Barrett––
Naming by Interbrand Naming
(Note: This book is out of stock and may be hard to acquire.)
Interbrand––
The Naming Book by Brad Flowers The Naming Book: 5 Steps to Creating Brand and Product Names that SellBrad FlowersYes–
Starke Namen book Starke Namen: Mit der Namestorm-Methode Firmen- und Produktnamen entwickeln
(German only. Strong names: Develop company and product names using the Namestorm method)
Mark Leiblein and Gila Dassel––
Why Did They Name It...? by Hannah Campbell Why Did They Name It...?Hannah Campbell––
Wordcraft by Alex FrankelWordcraftAlex Frankel––
Word Glue Word Glue: Find Your Million Dollar Brand Name
(Note: This book is priced at $98.)
Louise Karch––

Books about brand naming

Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links, meaning How Brands Are Built receives a commission if you make a purchase through the links, at no cost to you. Please read our disclaimer for more information.


This Useful List will be updated periodically with new list items. Please share any suggested additions in the comments section.


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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ana Carolina Mosimann says

    June 4, 2019 at 6:08 am

    I do recommend: My Name is Awesome and Don’t Call it That. Rich amazing!

    Reply
  2. Rob Meyerson says

    October 7, 2019 at 9:32 am

    Added today: Brand New Name, by Jeremy Miller. Hear more about it on today’s episode of How Brands Are Built: Jeremy Miller helps you unlock your team’s creative genius.

    Reply
  3. Rob Meyerson says

    April 7, 2020 at 5:39 pm

    Just added: The Naming Book, by Brad Flowers.

    Reply

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