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Naming, logo & slogan testing

Choose a name, logo or slogan with evidence

Put your shortlist in front of the people you want to reach before you commit to it. See which option they like, what it brings to mind, whether it fits the product, and which one they still remember a few minutes later.

Talk to salesWatch a test run
5audience groups compared side by side, at most
20question types, each with its own chart
309ready-made question templates to start from

Why test names

A shortlist picked in a meeting reflects the people in the meeting

Names, logos and lines are often chosen by a team that has lived with them for weeks. Buyers meet them cold. A test shows how each option lands with people who have never seen it, and catches problems early: a name that is hard to say, a logo that is hard to read, or a line that means something you did not intend.

What can go on the bench

NamesLogos, as imagesSlogansTaglinesProduct namesBrand namesRange names

First impressions

Watch a shortlist meet people cold

  1. 01The shortlist, shown fairly
  2. 02First words, in their own words
  3. 03Fit and first words build up
  4. 04What sticks

Step 1 / 4

The shortlist, shown fairly

Options appear in a random order, so position does not pick the winner.

Study set-up

Naming, logo & slogan testing

  • StimulusFour candidate names for a lightly flavored sparkling water
  • WhoUS adults who drink sparkling water
  • FirstA short description of the product
  • DesignThe four names in a random order
  • LaterAfter a few other questions: which names do you remember?

Set up with our team, or yourself in CatalyseAI

Step 2 / 4

First words, in their own words

People rate how much they like each name and how well it fits, and type the first words it brings to mind.

Name 3 of 4

What is the first thing "Fizzwick" brings to mind?

A candle? Something fizzy, maybe.

How well does it fit a sparkling water?

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Not at allVery well

Next

"Quenchly sounds like it would actually quench your thirst."

"Lumabrook is pretty, but is it a water or a spa?"

"Sparvel? Like a sparrow. Not sure."

Step 3 / 4

Fit and first words build up

For every option: how much people like it, how well it fits, and the first words it brings to mind. An unwanted meaning shows up here.

Live tally, as answers arrive

  1. Sparvel

    • Fit41%
    • Appeal46%

    First words

    • sparkle
    • a sparrow?
    • not sure

  2. Quenchly

    • Fit63%
    • Appeal58%

    First words

    • thirst
    • refreshing
    • cold

  3. Lumabrook

    • Fit55%
    • Appeal52%

    First words

    • light
    • a stream
    • a spa

  4. Fizzwick

    • Fit37%
    • Appeal39%

    First words

    • fizzy
    • a candle wick
    • fun

An unwanted meaning, caught in the open answers. Shares are the top two boxes.

Step 4 / 4

What sticks

A few questions later, people say which names they remember. Unwanted meanings are listed.

Verdict

Quenchly fits, and it sticks

Fizzwick brings a candle to mind, so it goes.

  • QuenchlyLead
  • LumabrookRunner-up
  • FizzwickDrop
  • SparvelDrop

Side by side

Six measures for every option

Each row is one measure, named the way the report names it.

Base: US adults who drink sparkling water; every name seen in a random order.

Top-two-box shares, except recall: the share who remembered the name later in the survey.

Naming, logo & slogan testing · scorecardBrand A · name test report
Measure
SpSparvel
QuQuenchly
LuLumabrook
FwFizzwick
AppealHow much people like the option.
46%D
58%AD
52%D
39%
FitHow well it suits the product or brand it is for.
41%
63%ACD
55%AD
37%
MeaningWhat it brings to mind, in their own words.
"Sparkle." "A sparrow?"
"Thirst." "Refreshing."
"Light." "A stream."
"A candle wick." "Fizzy."
EaseHow easy a name or line is to say, spell and read.
62%
81%ACD
58%
74%C
Stands apartWhether it feels different from what is already out there.
57%B
44%
61%BD
49%
RecallWhether people remember it later in the survey.
38%
52%A
47%
41%

The pick

Example: naming a new sparkling water

A start-up has four candidate names for a lightly flavored sparkling water. US adults who drink sparkling water read a short product description, then see the four names in random order. They rate how much they like each name and how well it fits the product, and type the first words each name brings to mind. After a few unrelated questions, they are asked which names they remember. The report puts the four names side by side and lists any unwanted meanings that came up in the open answers.

  • Quenchly

    Lead

    Best on fit, ease and recall: people get it at once and remember it.

    Run the trademark checks next.

  • Lumabrook

    Runner-up

    Stands apart the most, and fits well.

    Some read it as a spa, not a drink.

  • Fizzwick

    Drop

    Easy to say, but one in five think of a candle wick.

    An unwanted meaning, caught early.

  • Sparvel

    Drop

    Lowest on fit and recall.

    People were unsure what it is.

Ask the studyAnswers from your own data

Did any name bring up something we did not intend?

Yes. Fizzwick reminded one in five people of a candle wick. Quenchly brought up thirst and refreshment, which fits the product.

It checks its numbers against your data and draws the chart.

Four steps

How the test works

From a shortlist to the name that sticks.

  1. 01

    Send your shortlist

    Names, logos or slogans, with a short description of the product or brand they are for.

  2. 02

    Show the options fairly

    Options appear in random order, so position does not pick the winner. Where each option needs to be judged on its own, each person sees just one.

  3. 03

    Ask what matters

    How much they like it, how well it fits the product, what it brings to mind in their own words, and how easy it is to say or read.

  4. 04

    Check what sticks

    A few questions later, people are asked which options they remember.

  5. Then: decide

    Fizzwick brings a candle to mind, so it goes.

    Plan your study

What you get

What you get

  • Output 01

    Options side by side

    Each option's scores next to the others, with significance markers on the gaps.

  • Output 02

    First impressions in their words

    Open answers for each option, grouped into themes and shown as a word cloud, including any meanings you did not intend.

  • Output 03

    Click map for logos

    A heatmap of the part of a logo or layout people notice first.

  • Output 04

    Final choice

    Which option people pick when they see them all together.

FAQ

Questions, answered

Does a name test replace a trademark check?

No. Research tells you how people react to a name. It does not tell you whether you can use or register it. Run legal checks before or alongside the test.

How many options should I test?

A shortlist is easier to read than a long list. If you have many candidates, rank them first with MaxDiff, then test the leaders in more depth.

Can I test logos as images?

Yes. Logos are shown as images, and a click question can show which part of the logo people notice first.

Related

Goes well with

SolutionMessage testingFind the words that land with buyersSolutionMaxDiffRank a long list by what matters mostSolutionPack testingCheck your pack gets seen, read and pickedOverviewAll solutionsEvery study we run, by the decision it supports.

Test your shortlist before you commit

Send us the options and a line about what they are for. We will suggest the audience and the questions.

Talk to sales

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