I had never heard of TV.com until about a week or two ago when I saw an ad on NYTimes.com. Well, I say I’ve never heard of it, but it’s just as likely that I simply don’t remember it.
I remember exactly when I heard about Hulu.com from my good friend Alan who said it was the most amazing website ever. He told me that I could watch whole episodes and funny clips from past and current shows on Hulu. “Huh,” I thought. “So Hulu is for watching funny clips and episodes from great shows.”
Hearing about TV.com would have been a less remarkable conversation (which is probably why no one ever told me about it). It probably would have gone something like, “it’s TV on the your computer.” Why would I want that? I already have TV on my TV.
The name Hulu is fun, unique, and something you can define in your head because it doesn’t yet have a definition. The name TV.com is generic, boring, and it sounds like something I already own (a TV). Not to mention the fact that the TV.com website is a bit confusing when you first sign on, while the Hulu website is clean and simple to use.
The lesson here is that fun, memorable names can help your ideas stick in people’s minds. You can build huge brands on the back of a unique name. Generic names are boring and unremarkable, and make it difficult for people to remember your story.
So how did you come up with your company’s name? What process do you go through when you name a new product or service?
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