Naming Products: Lessons from My Time at Traveloka

[Originally published on my personal blog – September 2, 2020]

During my two years at Traveloka, I’ve had the opportunity to name at least four products or features. It’s been a wild ride, but one that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. For me, naming a product feels like naming my own child. It’s funny, really, because I already have a long list of names I plan to give my future children. But when it comes to naming products, it’s a whole different game and a much more challenging one.

Now, I’m not saying naming a child is easy, but at least you get to choose a name that holds personal meaning to you. With products, however, there are so many aspects to consider that the process becomes a bit trickier.

My experience in naming products revolves around creative workshops and brainstorming sessions. I believe product naming should be infused with creative energy, so I always try to bring that mentality into every workshop. I still remember my very first naming workshop, filled with activities designed to spark the participants' creativity and it was so much fun. Different designers might use different methods, but I believe that when we awaken our creative side, we can come up with a broader range of names, even from the wildest corners of our imagination.

In naming a product, I’ve stuck to several principles that guide the process. While these principles may vary depending on the product, they’ve been helpful, and I hope they’ll be useful to you too. So, what are the key principles for product naming? I’m no expert, but here’s what I’ve learned.

1. Representativeness

The first thing to consider when naming a product or feature is its identity. What do you want this product to stand for? If it’s meant to be fun and friendly, the name should reflect that. If the product is designed to be reassuring, its name should evoke feelings of trust and security. While a name alone can’t tell the whole story, it should represent enough. It’s similar to naming a child – you try to project your hopes and aspirations onto them.

2. Coherency

When you have multiple products or features within one app, coherency is key. Even if each product is different, they should all fit under one cohesive theme that users can easily understand. Imagine running a butcher shop and suddenly selling candy – it would confuse your customers, right? Similarly, your product names need to align and create a sense of unity.

3. Positivity

No one wants to sell a bad product, and your product’s name should reflect that. Even if the product isn’t perfect, you want to project a sense of positivity. That’s essentially what marketing is: convincing people that your product is the best in the market. A positive, upbeat name can go a long way in shaping that perception.

4. Comprehension

A name can sound cool or catchy, but if people don’t understand it, what’s the point? Many designers are tempted to give their products quirky, hard-to-pronounce names because they sound interesting. But if a name confuses users or doesn’t help them understand what the product is, it’s not doing its job.

Naming a product is definitely a long process, especially when you’re trying to check off all these boxes. But I truly believe that keeping the process fun is essential. A lively, creative workshop or brainstorming session will help everyone unleash their wild ideas and come up with unique alternatives. Ultimately, the more name options you have, the better. Just remember: a few well-thought-out, contextual names are always better than a thousand random, confusing ones.