Thoughts from our Founder.
There are lots of AI tools out there that can be used to generate hundreds of names totally free of charge. But when I look at what these tools can do, I often see names that are expected. Generic. And designed first and foremost to “fit in” with their market space.
And this makes perfect sense. Large language models (the kind of AI used to power most digital name generators) are trained using next word prediction. They are fed enormous amounts of data to learn about the most probable combinations of text, and then asked to predict the next word in a specific sequence of words. Meaning they are literally trained to provide the most predictable answer to your question.
Super cool? You bet. Extremely valuable for a ton of applications? Absolutely. The way to build a tool with the capability to create great names? Not so much.
This is because “predictability” is actually the enemy of great names.
Because predictable means formulaic, widely applicable, and previously seen. Of course, great names are contextually logical. But they are also surprising. Unique to your offering and not necessarily fit to the crowd that surrounds it. And crafted to let you stand out in a way purposefully chosen for its ability to help you succeed.
Now, it’s completely understandable why predictable names might “feel” good. After all, predictability indicates pre-established acceptance. Something can only be predictable if lots of people have already agreed it “makes sense” for some reason. And humans are hardwired with a subconscious bias towards acceptance because, on a primal level, acceptance is equated with safety.
Tanya Gustafson
Founder, CEO
But there are other, better paths a name can take that move users and consumers beyond “acceptance” to a place defined by loyalty, commitment and kindship.
It can be both relevant and delightful. It can provoke new thoughts while simultaneously sharing useful information. It can help drive satisfying purchase decisions. It can make people feel more connected with something they choose to invest time, money and energy in. It can make someone feel seen and understood.
And the names that do those things are never the most predictable.
Online tools driven purely by AI can’t deliver the results your offering deserves.
By applying AI within the context of a proprietary algorithm built to execute the best practices of seasoned naming experts, Aesop is able to offer a range of differentiated, unpredictable names. All tailored to what makes your offering individually special and each stemming from a deliberate naming strategy proven effective at contributing to a specific dimension of commercial success.
This means Aesop’s names don’t just feel “appropriate”, “sensible” or “related”. Rather, they tell distinctive, compelling stories (which are delivered in narrative format alongside each name for you to internalize and understand). They successfully communicate the value of your offering in ways beyond what you or the market would have first imagined. And they help you achieve the broader business objectives specific to your endeavor.
Finding any old name using any old online name generator is easy.
But finding a great name – a valuable, intentional, and highly productive name – using an online resource can only be done in one place.
And that place is here.
Neither can good old DIY.
Yes, there are other ways you could DIY your name. Lots of people name their offering after the street they lived on or their childhood nickname. Lots of people simply find an available URL that “sounds cool” and call it a day. Lots of people get together with some others in their organization and try to “whiteboard it” without the benefit of a proven methodology for finding, vetting and transforming the right language into the right name.
And at the end of the day – they have a name. But much like the outcomes of a free online name generator, those names are almost never as valuable, intentional or highly productive as they could be.
And that’s because naming is a learned skill.
Pushing beyond common cliches, category norm and everyday catchphrases isn’t easy. Finding relevant but underused language in a “white space” is even harder. As much a science as it is an art, the ability to find truly effective names only comes with training, practice, and experience.
Aesop solves this problem.
The great thing about Aesop is that it’s designed to deliver the same breadth of output and standard of quality as a professionally-led naming engagement, but without the timelines and cost associated with hiring a naming or branding agency.
This is how Aesop democratizes the commercial power of great names and the stories they tell. By removing the cost and time barriers that typically prevent people from accessing expert-grade naming solutions.
So everyone can experience what the right name can do for their offering.
Aesop takes naming to the next level.
We leave no stone unturned. We make sure we understand the unique essence of what you’ve made and then thoroughly investigate different ways to impactfully express it. Your results will be diverse, deeply meaningful and personalized to your specific set of circumstances.
We are selective in what we share. We know “more” doesn’t equal “better”. Everything we make doesn’t get thrown on the table for you to shift through and sort out all at once. Instead, we carefully consider the names created. We evaluate them. Rank them. Organize them. And make sure what you see represents our strongest candidates and as well as a wide range of strategic approaches.
We intrigue and educate. Our goal isn’t to get you “in and out” as fast as possible. Aesop is immersive and informative – complete with actionable teachings on naming, engaging real-world case studies, and bite-sized guidance on how to think about and select powerful language. We want you to stick around and learn as much as you can.
We help get everyone aligned. Great names are based on much more than a few throwaway buzzwords. Our Discovery Journey challenges you to put some very specific stakes in the ground defining what you’ve made, what it delivers, how it acts, and who it’s for. An exercise that will streamline future internal alignments and external briefings around things like purpose, positioning and the people you want to reach.