debate Is having the 'perfect' brand name really matters ?

[Qezdabo]

there was a time when brand names didn't matter at all. People needed money to invest in the product, and don't buy brands or domains, and they name their companies LastName's company.

Like Ford, Toyota, DuPont, Nestlé, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, HP, walmart, porsche, ferrari, Ben & Jerry's, heinz, Boeing, disney...

or just a combination of dictionary words: like microsoft, youtube, facebook, volkswagen, standard oil, general motors...

or just random like: kodak, pepsi, spotify, google, reddit...

or acronyms: NASA, 3M, IBM, BMW, AT&T, UPS, LG....

I know this is a domaining forum, but I still don't find a logical reason behind investing so much money in acquiring the best brand name. I know there are a lot of studies claiming a good brand name helps in sales and recognition. But I also consider the examples I gave above as a historical "study" that brand names don't matter a lot.

I don't understand why someone would pay millions of dollars for voice.com or chat.com or rocket.com...

I understand paying maybe thousands.

does it really matter at the end ? yes, people will remember your company.

But does it matter if people remember you ? the companies I gave above and chinese companies with unpronounceable brands are selling all their products and nobody cares, people only care about the value they can get for their money.

 

[alop]

This like @Atom.com contest

Lmk

 

[Altetra]

It does not matter allot, because those brands didn't become millions or billions worth over night, they invest allot into marketing (brainwashing), but if you know what the future holds, you can ask allot of money for a brand which does not need to even begin to exist as a registered business, I hold such brands which will even not need marketing, people will lick all the black holes they will see in it's logo, automatically.
If you can foresee the future you can beat them all, so if you know what brands you hold you can shoot for the sun with pricing before it becomes millions, billions or trillions in worth!

 

[AEProgram]

companies spent 6-7 figures on logos too.

 

[WishesGear.com]

there was a time when brand names didn't matter at all. People needed money to invest in the product, and don't buy brands or domains, and they name their companies LastName's company.

Like Ford, Toyota, DuPont, Nestlé, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, HP, walmart, porsche, ferrari, Ben & Jerry's, heinz, Boeing, disney...

or just a combination of dictionary words: like microsoft, youtube, facebook, volkswagen, standard oil, general motors...

or just random like: kodak, pepsi, spotify, google, reddit...

or acronyms: NASA, 3M, IBM, BMW, AT&T, UPS, LG....

I know this is a domaining forum, but I still don't find a logical reason behind investing so much money in acquiring the best brand name. I know there are a lot of studies claiming a good brand name helps in sales and recognition. But I also consider the examples I gave above as a historical "study" that brand names don't matter a lot.

I don't understand why someone would pay millions of dollars for voice.com or chat.com or rocket.com...

I understand paying maybe thousands.

does it really matter at the end ? yes, people will remember your company.

But does it matter if people remember you ? the companies I gave above and chinese companies with unpronounceable brands are selling all their products and nobody cares, people only care about the value they can get for their money.

I understand. I also have to spend that much to run my small company. Appreciate your point of view

 

[dirk]

there was a time when brand names didn't matter at all. People needed money to invest in the product, and don't buy brands or domains, and they name their companies LastName's company.

Like Ford, Toyota, DuPont, Nestlé, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, HP, walmart, porsche, ferrari, Ben & Jerry's, heinz, Boeing, disney...

or just a combination of dictionary words: like microsoft, youtube, facebook, volkswagen, standard oil, general motors...

or just random like: kodak, pepsi, spotify, google, reddit...

or acronyms: NASA, 3M, IBM, BMW, AT&T, UPS, LG....

I know this is a domaining forum, but I still don't find a logical reason behind investing so much money in acquiring the best brand name. I know there are a lot of studies claiming a good brand name helps in sales and recognition. But I also consider the examples I gave above as a historical "study" that brand names don't matter a lot.

I don't understand why someone would pay millions of dollars for voice.com or chat.com or rocket.com...

I understand paying maybe thousands.

does it really matter at the end ? yes, people will remember your company.

But does it matter if people remember you ? the companies I gave above and chinese companies with unpronounceable brands are selling all their products and nobody cares, people only care about the value they can get for their money.

Depends on your business.

You can do very well with just about any brand, if you offer good value for money and establish a good business.

You can do even better with a great brand, if you offer the same value for the same money.

That's why you see so many domain upgrades. Doing just fine, but want to do even better, getting ahead of the competition.

If your domain is your brand that helps. Even if your domain isn't your brand, but short and memorable, that helps.

 

[bmugford]

Having a great domain can establish instant credibility in some cases.

A good business model can overcome a bad domain.

A bad business model rarely succeeds, even with a great domain.

Good domain + good business = great combo.

Brad

 

[cooljub]

But does it matter if people remember you ?

Yes.

 

[bmugford]

But does it matter if people remember you ? the companies I gave above and chinese companies with unpronounceable brands are selling all their products and nobody cares, people only care about the value they can get for their money.

It depends what your company does.

Just a quick search on Amazon for watches and related items shows brands like this -

Moonbiffy, BYNIIUR, DHASUWT, EFIXTK, GLDCAPA, JDYYICZ, HQVOIC, Botober, ysuovuf, Brrnoo, etc.

Does branding matter for them? Not really. They are all selling the same cheap crap.

It's more like anti-branding. Here is what Google says about it -

Chinese companies, particularly on Amazon, often utilize random or pseudo-brands for products to minimize legal risks and leverage Amazon's marketplace dynamics. This approach allows them to avoid trademark infringement claims and, in some cases, facilitates the sale of low-cost, generic products where brand loyalty isn't a strong factor.

 

[pb]

there was a time when brand names didn't matter at all. People needed money to invest in the product, and don't buy brands or domains, and they name their companies LastName's company.

Like Ford, Toyota, DuPont, Nestlé, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, HP, walmart, porsche, ferrari, Ben & Jerry's, heinz, Boeing, disney...

or just a combination of dictionary words: like microsoft, youtube, facebook, volkswagen, standard oil, general motors...

or just random like: kodak, pepsi, spotify, google, reddit...

or acronyms: NASA, 3M, IBM, BMW, AT&T, UPS, LG....

There was also a time when people got free land, deciding the plot borders by how far they can throw their axe standing in the centre.

 

[Harrist2025]

Short and relevant domain can help our brand more trusted! Based on my experiences. Domain names can have big impact to our google ads campaign!

My self already tested! Different domain have different result! But with short names it Will sticks! In their head . Personally i would avoid some weirds names! Unless, i sell cheap product! But if we sell high ticket! Names are very crucials!

 

[Ostrados]

The brands you mentioned are established aged brands. Nowadays there is insane competition in a sea of brand names, you need a very unique name to be visible in that sea.

You may think that it doesn't matter and that companies can succeed regardless of the name.. but how do you know that? Do you have any evidence or a study that can support such claim?

No company on earth can succeed without marketing and advertising. Branding elements (name, slogan, logo, website.. ) are like building foundations for any successful marketing campaign.

 

[fzmuhammad]

there was a time when brand names didn't matter at all. People needed money to invest in the product, and don't buy brands or domains, and they name their companies LastName's company.

Like Ford, Toyota, DuPont, Nestlé, Mercedes, Johnson & Johnson, Dell, HP, walmart, porsche, ferrari, Ben & Jerry's, heinz, Boeing, disney...

or just a combination of dictionary words: like microsoft, youtube, facebook, volkswagen, standard oil, general motors...

or just random like: kodak, pepsi, spotify, google, reddit...

or acronyms: NASA, 3M, IBM, BMW, AT&T, UPS, LG....

I know this is a domaining forum, but I still don't find a logical reason behind investing so much money in acquiring the best brand name. I know there are a lot of studies claiming a good brand name helps in sales and recognition. But I also consider the examples I gave above as a historical "study" that brand names don't matter a lot.

I don't understand why someone would pay millions of dollars for voice.com or chat.com or rocket.com...

I understand paying maybe thousands.

does it really matter at the end ? yes, people will remember your company.

But does it matter if people remember you ? the companies I gave above and chinese companies with unpronounceable brands are selling all their products and nobody cares, people only care about the value they can get for their money.

You raise a great point — many iconic companies did start with simple or even random names, and they still built massive brand equity over time. Back then, execution mattered more than the name — and in many ways, that still holds true.
But the domaining world today operates in a very different landscape:
Digital-first impressions: Today, your domain is your storefront. A premium name like voice.com or chat.com instantly communicates authority, trust, and clarity — no explanation needed.
Marketing advantage: A strong, exact-match name reduces customer acquisition cost (CAC). It’s easier to advertise, easier to remember, and harder to confuse with competitors.
Scarcity: There are only so many truly brandable one-word .coms. The value is driven not just by utility, but also by exclusivity. Think of them like real estate in a prime location.
Yes, building a brand like Google or Spotify without a meaningful name is possible — but they had to spend billions in marketing to make those names stick.
In short: great execution can make a name famous, but a great name can speed up execution — especially in today’s competitive, attention-short world.
So while not always necessary, for some businesses, the right domain is a growth asset — not just a vanity spend.

 

[Qezdabo]

@fzmuhammad thanks for your reply.

but please don't use AI. You probably used it to correct your english. But, I'd rather read a sentence filled with mistakes than AI wall of unnatural text. use it maybe in a professional email, but this is a public forum and it's a pain to see/read it.

 

[DomainRecap]

There was also a time when people got free land, deciding the plot borders by how far they can throw their axe standing in the centre.

Ah, the good old days!