What is Personification naming anyway?
Why be a company when you can be a person? Instead of calling your restaurant 'FastFoodChain' (boring), you call it 'Wendy's' and suddenly the brand has a face, a personality, a character. That's personification naming.
Personification names create a persona or character as the name itself. When someone hears 'Wendy's,' they don't think about the restaurant first — they think about Wendy, the person, the character. That human connection is why this naming technique works so damn well for brands that want to communicate personality through humanization.
Why does personification work so well in naming?
Personification creates connection. When you give your brand a face, you make it human. When done right, they create instant recognition, personality, and names that stick because they're linked to people, not just products. When done wrong? You get a name that feels generic or doesn't resonate.
The trick is creating personas that actually enhance your brand. Not just random names, but characters that represent what you stand for. Wendy's works because Wendy suggests friendliness. Mr. Clean works because the character suggests cleanliness. That's the difference between strategic personification and random name picking in naming.
What is Personification naming?
This is the part where you'd get the actual explanation — not fluff. Real naming insights you can use. But that's for subscribers. For everyone else: mystery and sadness.
The technique works by combining specific elements in a way that creates memorable, distinctive brand names. Learn exactly how with a subscription.
Real-World Examples
Wendy's — Named after founder's daughter.
Mr. Clean — Personified character suggests cleanliness.
Betty Crocker — Personified character suggests home cooking.
Aunt Jemima — Personified character suggests comfort.
Uncle Ben — Personified character suggests quality.
Colonel Sanders — Personified character suggests tradition.
Ronald McDonald — Personified character suggests fun.
Tony the Tiger — Personified character suggests energy.
When should you use Personification naming for your brand name or product name?
Creates human connection — personas make brands relatable
Highly memorable — characters stick in memory
Works well for consumer and service brands
Allows for rich brand storytelling
When should you avoid Personification naming for your brand name or product name?
Can feel generic if persona isn't distinctive
Might limit brand evolution if persona is too rigid
Less flexible than abstract names
When this technique works best
Creates memorable brand associations
Works well for consumer products
Easy to implement consistently
When to consider alternatives
May not suit all industries
Requires careful consideration
Cultural context matters
Step by step guide
How to use Personification in naming?
Figure out if personification actually fits your brand. Not every company needs a persona. If you want abstract, maybe skip this route.
Selfstorm personas that match your brand personality. Use Selfstorm's naming creative session to explore options. What characters? What personas? What resonates?
Test if the persona resonates. Good personification creates connection. If people don't feel it, it won't work. Show someone your name. Do they get the persona?
Make sure it's not too generic. Personification should enhance, not confuse. If it feels like everyone else, try again.
Check for negative associations. Does your persona accidentally mean something bad? Does it remind people of something negative? Do your homework.
Plan how you'll live the persona. Personification names need consistent expression. How will you embody the persona in everything you do? If you can't answer this, reconsider.
Identify your brand values and attributes
Detailed explanation of how to execute this step effectively in your naming process.
Brainstorm initial name concepts
Detailed explanation of how to execute this step effectively in your naming process.
Apply the technique systematically
Detailed explanation of how to execute this step effectively in your naming process.
Test and refine your options
Detailed explanation of how to execute this step effectively in your naming process.
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