Great brands are like big pine trees, they work year round. I sometimes refer to these as “perennial” brand names, since they don’t have to be “replanted” every new season, or every time a company changes it products and/or services.

What is the basis for an “evergreen” brand name?

First and foremost, it must be built around positive connotation words that have stood the test of time. Here are just a few…

Star
Life
First
True
One
Blue
Bright
Sun

What these words have in common is their ability to instill a new company name with positive associations immediately. Rather than waiting years for an invented or coined name to gain meaning, these types of names convey attributes right from the start. Here are a few good examples…

OnStar
TruGreen
Sundance
Blu-Ray
Bright House
DreamWorks
Lifetouch

Notice these names do not directly describe the company’s products or services. Instead they provide a sense of how they do it. DreamWorks does it with imagination. OnStar does it by leading and guiding. BrightHouse does it through intelligence. Lifetouch does it with personal service.

Companies built on a “how” name, (evergreen) vs. a “what” name (literal) tend to weather changes in their industry much better. The services they offer can change, but their manner of delivery can remain constant. They continue to grow year in and year out.

An example of an evergreen name we developed is TeamLogic IT. The name infers working together to solve problems in a systematic manner… and that’s exactly what this IT service franchise delivers. If they were called Network Technicians, it would provide little clue as to how they do business. Teamwork and logic are positive attributes that will stay “green” and positive for the foreseeable future.

Every company naming project presents its own unique set of challenges. This is just one strategy among many. But if you are in need of a new company brand name, you might consider what comes naturally — and think green!

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About the author: With over twenty five years of company naming and branding expertise, Tungsten founder Phil Davis is a marketing and advertising veteran, having personally named over 250 companies, products and services worldwide. As a sought after branding expert, Phil has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Inc.com, Businessweek, Entrepreneur, and Newsday.