High-Point Scrabble Naming
Create distinctive consumer names with rare letters and compact sounds
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
Barton divides consumer naming into literal, repurposed, and invented paths. Literal category names are easy to explain but difficult to own, while an existing word used in a new context requires the company to build a second definition. His preferred hard path is an invented word because the company can eventually own its entire meaning. Candidate names should use rare, high-value Scrabble letters such as Z, X, or Q because they stand out on a page and face less mental crowding. Barton then favors two syllables, positive associations, a sound that works when calling a dog, and a form that can become a verb. Double letters and palindromic forms add visual uniqueness and recall.
Origin
Barton distilled the naming rules after creating or helping build brands including Expedia, Zillow, and Glassdoor.
Core principles
- 01Invented words can accumulate exclusive brand meaning
- 02Rare letters are visually and mentally distinctive
- 03Two syllables are easier to remember and call out
- 04Positive associations make an unfamiliar word easier to adopt
- 05Unusual word forms improve recall
How to run it
- 1
Choose the hard path deliberately
Decide whether to invent a word rather than use a literal category label or repurpose an existing word. Accept that an invented word requires the company to teach its meaning.
Pro tip Choose invention when exclusive long-term brand meaning is worth the early explanation cost.
Watch out A literal name may be clear while remaining non-distinctive and difficult to own.
- 2
Start with rare letters
Generate candidate words around visually uncommon letters such as Z, X, and Q. Use their rarity to make the name stand out and stick.
Pro tip Treat high Scrabble point values as a quick proxy for letter rarity.
Watch out Distinctive spelling still needs to be pronounceable.
- 3
Compress the sound
Prefer fewer syllables, with two as Barton's stated sweet spot. Say each candidate repeatedly to test speed and ease.
Pro tip Call the word aloud as though it were a dog's name.
Watch out Barton considers Expedia one syllable longer than ideal.
- 4
Add positive resonance
Check whether the invented word evokes beneficial ideas tied to the product without becoming literal. Expedia suggested speed and expedition.
Pro tip Use associations to help people infer the emotional territory before they know the definition.
Watch out Avoid associations that conflict with the experience the brand promises.
- 5
Test linguistic flexibility
See whether the word can become a verb and whether its written form contains memorable patterns. Favor double letters, palindromes, or other unique forms when they remain usable.
Pro tip A vowel sound at the end may help a name work both as a dog call and a verb.
Watch out Do not add visual quirks that make the word harder to say or remember.
In the wild
Zillow starts with the rare letter Z, uses two syllables, contains a memorable double L, and ends softly enough to call aloud. Barton uses it as the clearest example of his preferred naming form.
→ The invented word became a distinctive consumer brand whose definition the company could own.
Expedia contains a distinctive X and evokes speed and expedition, giving the invented name positive associations with travel. Barton nevertheless judges it to have too many syllables in hindsight.
→ The brand succeeded, while giving Barton a rule to prefer shorter future names.
Glassdoor repurposes existing words to evoke transparency and looking inside a company. It has two syllables and two sets of double letters, though Barton grades it below the invented-word ideal.
→ Strong marketing established the name despite its compromise against the full rule set.
Common mistakes
Choosing only literal clarity
A category label explains the product quickly but creates little exclusive brand equity because the underlying word already belongs to everyone.
Using too many syllables
Longer invented names are harder to say and remember; Barton considers two syllables the sweet spot.
Ignoring spoken use
A name that looks distinctive but cannot be called comfortably or converted into ordinary speech loses practical memorability.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for ambitious consumer brands prepared to teach the market the meaning of an invented word.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when immediate literal comprehension matters more than long-term distinctive brand equity.
From the transcript
“The hard way and the best way I think for consumers is to make up a word.”
“rule number one is pick the super rare letters. and pick them because they're very distinctive.”
“I think two syllables is the sweet spot because I also want it to be a good dog name.”
From the episode
#806: How Rich Barton Built Expedia and Zillow from $0 to $35B — Audacious Goals, Provocation Marketing, Scrabble for Naming, and Powerful Daily Rituals
Rich Barton