Books about brand naming (Useful List)

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

Cover	Title	Author	Audiobook	Summary
	Brand Naming: The Complete Guide to Creating a Name for Your Company, Product, or Service	Rob Meyerson	–	–
	Brand New Name: A Proven, Step-by-Step Process to Create an Unforgettable Brand Name	Jeremy Miller	–	–
	Don't Call It That: A Naming Workbook	Eli Altman	–	–
	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: The Surprising Stories Behind 125 Famous Brand Names	Evan Morris	–	–
	Hello, My Name Is Awesome: How to Create Brand Names That Stick	Alexandra Watkins	Yes	Yes
	Merriam's Guide to Naming	Lisa Merriam	–	–
	The Name of the Beast: The Process and Perils of Naming Products, Companies and Brands	Neil Taylor	–	–
	Naming (Note: This book is out of stock and may be hard to acquire.)	Interbrand	–	–
	The Naming Book: 5 Steps to Creating Brand and Product Names that Sell	Brad Flowers	Yes	–
	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...?	Hannah Campbell	–	–
	Wordcraft	Alex Frankel	–	–
	Word Glue: Find Your Million Dollar Brand Name (Note: This book is priced at $98.)	Louise Karch	–	–

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.

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

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