To create a good esports brand or team name, start by defining your brand identity and understanding your target audience. Brainstorm ideas with your team and evaluate the options based on their alignment with your brand, memorability, and uniqueness. Check for name availability online, including domain names and social media handles. Get feedback from trusted individuals, test the name with a wider audience, and then finalize the best option. Launch your team with consistent branding across all platforms, engage with fans, and cultivate strong relationships with your audience.
Where to Start
1. Be Memorable: A name that's easy to remember is likely to stick in the minds of fans and other gamers. It should be catchy and distinct to make a strong impression.
2. Be Unique: It's crucial that your team name stands out from the rest. It should be distinctive and different from other team names to avoid confusion.
3. Be Easy to Pronounce and Spell: If people struggle to pronounce or spell your team name, it can create barriers to effective communication and recognition.
4. Reflect Your Brand Identity: Your name should communicate something about your team's personality, values, and culture. It should resonate with the kind of image you want to project.
5. Resonate with Your Target Audience: A good team name should be relatable to your audience and evoke emotions that can build a connection between your team and its fans.
6. Be Appropriate and Respectful: Avoid names that might be offensive, derogatory, or controversial. It's important to be respectful of different cultures and communities.
7. Have Available Domains and Social Handles: It's essential to check if the domain for your team name is available for a website and whether the social media handles are free. This ensures that you can have a consistent online presence.
8. Be Future-Proof: A good team name should be versatile enough to allow for growth and change in the future. Avoid names that are too specific or limiting.
9. Be Visually Strong: Consider how the name will look in logos, merchandise, and marketing materials. It should work well visually.
10. Legal Clearance: Make sure that the name is not already in use by another team or company, and that it doesn't infringe on any trademarks. This will prevent legal issues down the line.
11. Avoid Vanity Names: If you follow points 1-10 then you should arrive at this conclusion, but we see it so frequently that its worth mentioning. Naming a team or organization after yourself breaks several of the bulletpoints on this list. An esports organization name is a representation of the community which usually means self-indulgent names will miss the mark. Your team name needs to work for you by creating appeal. The less work your name and logo do for you in creating a bond with your audience, then the more time, money, and effort you will need to contribute.
Combining these elements can help create a strong, impactful esports team name that resonates with fans, stands out in the competitive world of gaming, and sets the foundation for a successful esports brand.