Too many new companies and products have names that look like the results of a drunken Scrabble® game (Xobni, Svbtle, Doostang). In this entertaining and engaging book, ace naming consultant Alexandra Watkins explains how anyone - even non-creative types - can create memorable and effective brand names.

The heart of the book is Watkins' proven SMILE & SCRATCH test, as featured in the Wall Street Journal and Inc. A good name makes you SMILE because it’s: Suggestive - evokes a positive brand experience; Meaningful - your customers “get it”; uses Imagery - visually evocative to aid in memory; has Legs - lends itself to a theme for extended mileage, and is Emotional – resonates with your audience.

A bad name, on the other hand, makes you SCRATCH your head because it’s: Spelling-challenged – looks like a typo; Copycat – similar to competitors’ names; Random – disconnected from the brand; Annoying – hidden meaning, forced; Tame – flat, descriptive, uninspired; suffers from the Curse of Knowledge – only insiders get it, and is Hard-to-pronounce – not obvious, unapproachable.

In this ground-breaking book, you’ll get practical, up-to-date advice, such as making sure that Siri and voice recognition texting spell your name correctly. You’ll read never-before-seen stories about naming triumphs and train wrecks. And you’ll see dozens and dozens of eye-opening examples - the good, the bad, and the “so bad she gave them an award.” Alexandra Watkins is not afraid to name names.