How does your name rank on the success scale? Check out www.NameScale.com.

Lauren Teton, partner in the firm Name One! (www.nameone.net), has created an objective formula called the Teton NameScale for ranking the success quotient of names.

Ranking characteristics range from pronunciation and spelling, to how much fun they are to say and whether they contain the letters S-E-X. Name traits are given point values in the proprietary formula so that one name can actually be scored against another.

Lauren is an expert at naming products and services and 'molding words into trademarks.' Her clients include Siemens Medical Systems, Marriott, Towers Perrin, Welch-Allyn and Long John Silver. This continues our 'from the trenches' series.

Tips from Lauren include:

1. Get the message across.
   A descriptive name will help explain what your company or product does. Neologisms (made-up words) can be memorable, but may not help get the message across.
   
2. Use memory hooks.
   The more vivid associations your name has, the more memorable. And if customers can remember the name, they are more likely to look for your company or product.
   
3. Make it easy to remember.
   Don't overestimate the pronunciation or memory skills of your audience. If the name is hard to say or remember, it's probably a dog.
   
4. Make sure it sounds nice!
   Use linguistic devices such as rhyme, alliteration, and vowel harmony.
   
5. Test, Test, Test.
   If you can't use market research, ask a panel of your peers, potential customers, mother, brother-in-law or strangers on the street if they can pronounce the name, and what it means to them. Testing can help avoid disastrous choices on meanings or associations you may have overlooked.