Four types of brand names: choosing wrong can lead to long-term entrapment
Descriptive names are easy to sell at first, but they are not always the names you should choose.
There is no type of name that always wins. However, there is a fixed trade-off: the more clearly a name describes the industry, the easier it is to understand immediately. In return, that name is weaker legally and more likely to be confused with competitors. Suggestive, arbitrary, or coined names are harder at first, but easier to protect and more memorable over time. For most businesses wanting to build a long-term brand, suggestive or arbitrary names often strike a balance: enough association to not be unfamiliar, yet distinct enough to be protectable.
- want to build a long-term brand, needing protection and differentiation
- has a communication budget to educate clients on the meaning of self-created names.
- Prioritize short-term natural searches or short lifecycle products.
- choosing a descriptive name and then wanting to expand to other product lines
- name similarly to leading competitors thinking it is safe
One of the foundational decisions when naming a brand is choosing the type of name. It is not about selecting a specific sound or meaning, but about determining where that name stands on the scale from "clearly stating what industry we are in" to "creating an entirely new word." Each position on that scale has different trade-offs, and a wrong choice often only reveals itself after a few years when you want to expand or seek trademark protection.
Five levels on the difference scale
According to the spectrum of distinctiveness, brand names fall into one of five levels, from weak to strong in terms of exclusive ownership capability:
- Generic: directly names the type of goods, for example, "Nước Mắm" for fish sauce products. Generally not protectable, as granting exclusivity to one party leaves competitors without a term to refer to their products.
- Descriptive: directly states the characteristics of the product, for example, "Chắc Khỏe" for nutritional food. It is immediately understandable but can only be protected after being used long enough to create distinctiveness (in the United States, this is referred to as secondary meaning).
- Suggestive: does not state directly but suggests associations, for example, "Netflix" suggests a network of films, without directly stating that it is an online streaming service. Much easier to protect and still retains meaning.
- Arbitrary: a word that has a real meaning but is unrelated to the industry, for example, "Apple" for electronic devices. Strongly protectable, memorable, but requires communication to create the connection.
- Self-created (coined or fanciful): words that did not exist before, such as "Kodak," "Häagen-Dazs." The highest level of differentiation, but requires a budget to teach customers a completely new meaning.
The fixed trade-off needs to be addressed directly.
There is no name style that is free. You just choose which costs you will bear upfront and which will come later.
Suggestive, arbitrary, coined: require time and communication for customers to understand the connection, incurring initial educational costs. However, they are easier to protect, easier to remember once familiar, and the name is not tied to a specific industry if expansion is desired.
Descriptive names and generic names converge, causing the brand to blend in. A name can be meaningless yet still appropriate, as long as it creates an emotional association.
Marty Neumeier, Strong vs Weak Names
When to choose which direction
Below are common real-life scenarios:
- Choose a descriptive name when you prioritize short-term organic search volume, the product has a short lifecycle or does not require protection, or the market is still new and needs basic concept education first. In this case, you must accept that the name is difficult to own exclusively.
- Choose a suggestive or arbitrary name when you want to build a long-term brand, the industry is crowded with similar descriptive names, or you need a name that is easy to protect and do not want it tied to a single product line.
- Choose a coined name when you have sufficient communication resources to teach customers a new meaning. This is an option for those who want a truly unique name and have ambitions to expand into various industries in the future.
Common errors when selecting name styles
- Choose a descriptive name because it is easy to sell at first, then after three to five years, when you want to launch a new product line, the old name pulls you back. At that point, changing the name is much more costly than choosing the right one from the start.
- Naming similarly to a leading brand, thinking it lends credibility, but actually making yourself invisible and risking trademark disputes.
- Assuming an empty name means a soulless name, overlooking the arbitrary and self-created groups are two strong groups in terms of ownership and memorability.
- Decide on the name style before looking at what competitors are using, leading to the right direction but choosing a crowded language area.
- Consider the results of a preliminary trademark search as the final answer. Once you have a preferred name, it should be brought to an intellectual property lawyer for official verification before public announcement.
Decision checklist
Topic: Choose a descriptive, suggestive, arbitrary, or self-created name for your industry. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Tick each item that applies or that you can already answer, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
This article provides general information according to the documents in effect as of October 6, 2026. This is not legal advice and does not substitute for a lawyer's opinion for your specific case. Rights and obligations between Sinh Vũ and clients arise only according to the signed contract.
References
Marty Neumeier, Strong vs Weak Names. USPTO, Strong Trademarks. Cohen IP, The Strength of Trademarks: The Distinctiveness Spectrum. Practical experience in the naming process and brand voice, Sinh Vũ.
Frequently asked questions
Can a descriptive name be registered for trademark protection?
Yes, but it's much more difficult. According to the Vietnamese Intellectual Property Law (Article 74), signs that merely describe goods often lack distinctiveness, unless they have been used and thereby acquired distinctiveness. The USPTO (United States, for reference only) refers to this as 'secondary meaning': the name must be used long enough and widely enough for the public to associate it with a source. Arbitrary and coined names are much more readily accepted because they inherently possess distinctiveness. Generic names are often not protectable. The conclusion for each specific name rests with the intellectual property lawyer and the examining authority.
Is a self-created name risky because customers may not understand it immediately?
Indeed, there is a phase where customers need to learn. However, this risk correlates with the communication budget and the brand's lifecycle. If you intend to build long-term and have promotional resources, coined names are often worth the investment because they are less likely to overlap with competitors' names. Kodak and Häagen-Dazs are examples of names that initially had no meaning but became valuable assets due to consistent investment. For small businesses with limited resources, this is the area that requires the most careful consideration.
Is there a type of name that should be recommended for every business?
No. It is advisable to create a language map of competitors first, to see which areas are crowded with names in the industry. Only then should multiple proposals be suggested and compared based on the same criteria. The appropriate type of name depends on the industry, expansion ambitions, communication budget, and specific protectability, not personal taste.
This article is for reference. The scope, pricing, and specific commitments of Sinh Vũ are detailed in the proposal and signed contract.