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The use of non-standard spelling to achieve a desired effect or to otherwise distinguish a name. Cingular, for example, is an intentionally altered spelling of the word ‘singular’.

Any brand name which did not exist in the lexicon prior to its creation.Kodak and Oreo are the prime examples of invented names. Compare Fanciful Name and Coined Name.

Any brand name composed of a complete question. An interrogatory sentence is designed to engage the consumer by encouraging him or her to answer the question the name poses. Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? educational software is a perfect example of this approach.

Any brand, typically owned by another company, which is promoted as a key element of a host brand. The “Intel Inside” campaign is a good example of ingredient branding. Compare Host Brand.

Any name formed from first letter or letters of the words in a phrase (IRS, the Internal Revenue Service), the syllables or components of one word (TNT, trinitrotoluene), or a combination of words and syllables (ESP, extrasensory perception) and usually pronounced by spelling out the letters one by one. The few advantages of a commercial acronym are that it may challenge the consumer to ‘solve the puzzle’, as if it were a vanity license plate (TCBY, The Country’s Best Yogurt), or else present the consumer with a prefabricated bit of upscale slang (DKNY, Donna Karan New York and MGD, Miller Genuine Draft). The chief disadvantage of an initialism is that it may be unintelligible and forgettable without a prohibitive investment in advertising. It took James Earl Jones to make“This is CNN” a meaningful phrase. Compare Acronym.

Any brand name which is a complete call to action, often marked with an exclamation point. Microsoft Picture It! personal imaging software is an example of an imperative sentence.

The likelihood that a given brand name will be readily visualized by its intended audience. The name of the computer company Apple lends itself to easy iconicity.

Any medical, healthcare, or pharmaceutical name. [Greek iatros ‘physician’ + onuma ‘name’]