The onomastics Behind Brand Names

1
The onomastics Behind Brand Names
(Secret)

• Brett W. Miller
• ENG 213
• Betsey Wheeler

2
onomastics anomæstIks (from
the Greek onomastikós to name)

• (n) 1. the study of the origin, history, and
  use of proper names.

3
brand brænd
(from the Old Norse brandr to burn)

• (n) 1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated
  by a stamp, trademark, or the like
• 2. a mark made by burning or
  otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make,
  ownership, etc.

4
ORIGINALLY, BRANDS WERE SIMPLY NAMED AFTER THE
CREATORS OF THE COMPANIES

• (after founder George Westinghouse)

(after founder Henry Ford)
(after founder William E. Boeing)
5
OR A LOFTY BRAND NAME DENOTING THEIR
(AT LEAST FORMER) MARKET
DOMINANCE

• General Motors

United Airlines
United States (U.S.) Steel
6
BUT TODAY

• Use of Greek or Latin-esque parts of words may be
  used to allude to a company or products
  qualities or benefits

• Accuracy- should probably be a given when making
  a car (note the measuring caliper in the logo)
• Acuteness? Acuity?

• Obvious damage control within this name of
  cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris parent
  company
  (look how altruistic we are)

7
FOUR ONOMASTIC METHODS COMPANIES USE
TO NAME BRANDS
(AND SHAPE OUR
PERCEPTION OF THEIR PRODUCTS)

• ORTHOGRAPHY
• PHONEMICS
• ABBREVIATIONS
• ACRONYMS

8
FOUR onomastic EXAMPLES OF companY Name Brands

• Unusual use of final q in name moniker
  may connote impression of compact, computer,
  compatibility, quality

Lunar (pertaining to moon and nighttime)
Siesta (alluding to rest
and relaxation)
ZZZZZZZ
Abbreviation of Badische Anilin und Soda Fabriken
(Baden Aniline and Soda Factories) was
originally an Baden, Germany-based aniline dye
and soda ash producer
A weapon named from an enduring juvenile
adventure series of books dating back to the
early 20th century name comprised of the first
letters of Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle
(although, in the books, Toms middle name was
never revealedguess they had to buy a vowel
9
ORTHOGRAPHY AND PERCEPTION
(OR, HOW TO SPELL A SALE)

• Studies conducted by four Michigan State
  University researchers showed that brand names
  beginning with the consonants
  were most easily remembered

B,C,D,G,K,P,T

• Names beginning with B, C, and S were perceived
  by test subjects as simpler

• Names beginning with X were construed as being
  masculine

10
ORTHOGRAPHY AND PERCEPTION
(OR, HOW TO SPELL A SALE)

• Names beginning with L or V were construed as
  being feminine

• Names beginning with Q were thought of by the
  subjects in the brand perception tests as
  innovative or cutting edge

11

• NO MATTER HOW UNUSUAL OR OUTLANDISH THEY LOOK,
  AMERICAN BRAND NAMES ALWAYS
  FOLLOW THE LINGUISTIC RULES OF ENGLISH
• Zqihfaj

12
ORIGINS OF BRAND NAMES

• Its not a cheer!
• Yahoo (meaning rude or uncouth) first coined by
  Gullivers Travels author Jonathan Swift
• Web portal creators Jerry Yang and David Filo
  insist that site so named because they were both
  yahoos
• Name widely understood as acronym for Yet
  Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle
• Yahoo! still better than original name Jerry's
  Guide to the World Wide Web

13
ORIGINS OF BRAND NAMES

• Its not a verb meaning to gawk!
• Actually intentional misspelling of the word
  googol, popularized by mathematician Edward
  Kasner to describe a very, very large number
  (10100 or 10 followed by 100 zeroes)
  descriptive of the large amount of information
  indexed by the Web site
• Googol does not linguistically derive from any
  wordcreated extemporaneously by Kasners
  nine-year-old nephew
• Google, not Googol? Founders Larry Page and
  Sergey Brin tried, but Silicon Valley engineer
  Tim Beauchamp beat them to the name googol.com

14
ORIGINS OF BRAND NAMES

• Swedish farm boy Ingvar Kamprad strikes it big
  selling matches in village of Agunnaryd
• Business expands to Christmas ornaments, pens and
  . . . fresh fish(!)
• Forms his own company, IKEA, at age 17
• Names company using the initials of his name
  Ingvar
  
  Kamprad
  
  the name of
  his familys farm
  Elmtaryd
  
  and
  his native village
  Agunnaryd

15
ORIGINS OF BRAND NAMES

• Founded by literary types Gordon Bowker, Jerry
  Baldwin, and Zev Siegel (Bowker a writer, Baldwin
  and Siegel, teachers)
• Starbuck, first mate and coffee lover on Ahabs
  ship in Melvilles Moby Dick was inspiration for
  ubiquitous coffeehouse name
• Ahabs ships name was also proposed as a name
  for the establishment, but a business
  collaborator countered, No ones going to drink
  a cup of Pequod!

16
HIDDEN ONOMASTICS OF PHARMACEUTICALS

• Perhaps not coincidentally, rhymes with Niagara
  owing to either the romantic connotation of the
  region or a reference to the expected high-
  flow result of the product
• The initial phonemes /vi/ suggest vitality,
  vigor or vim, while the remaining portion of
  the word is phonetically similar to aggression,
  thus equating to force or power
• The brand taken as a whole has no genuine
  significance, but is loaded with implication

• This drug has a similar /vi/ phonemic component
  to that of Viagra, only this time appearing in
  the middle of the word
• Also has an allusion to levitation, thus
  hinting about the drugs upstanding benefits to
  its male consumers

17
HIDDEN ONOMASTICS OF PHARMACEUTICALS

• Note the highlighted As in the names of these
  antihypertensive (for treatment of high blood
  pressure) drugs
• Both contain Angiotensin Antagonistsdrugs that
  interfere with the bodys ability to narrow blood
  vessels and thus raise blood pressure

• Note the mab suffix at the end of the generic
  names of these drugs
• Drugs with this suffix are monoclonal antibodies,
  which are used to treat some cancers and
  autoimmune disorders by binding to the surfaces
  of certain cells, thus blocking specific
  biological processes

18
AFFIX ANATOMY OF THE mab DRUG CLASS

• Infixes used in monoclonal antibody drugs serve
  to identify two drug action characteristics one
  for the origin or source of the antibody, the
  other for the antibodys target

• ORIGIN / SOURCE
• If original antibody only produced in mice
  (not
  usually used in humans due to adverse
  immune response or allergic
  reaction)
  

infix of o
ORTHOCLONE OKT3 (muromonab-CD3)
infix of u

• If the antibody originates in humans

19
AFFIX ANATOMY OF THE mab DRUG CLASS

• DRUG ORIGIN / SOURCE
• When parts of the animal antibody are
  
  combined with human genetic sequences
  in an structure
  area common to both
  animals (called chimeric)

infix of xi

• When parts of the animal antibody that
  are combined
  with human genetic
  sequences are variable between both
  animals
  (called humanized)

infix of zu
20
AFFIX ANATOMY OF THE mab DRUG CLASS

• DRUG TARGET
• Construction of the infix for the target is
  usually comprised of a consonant-vowel-con
  sonant combination
• The final consonant is dropped off if the
  following infix of the origin or source (e.g.
  -zu- or -ci-)
• The target infix is then abbreviated, as in
  -ci(r)- to denote the circulatory system or
  -tu(m)- to designate tumors as the intended
  targets

Cancer drug panitumumab
tum
mab
pani
u
Specific body target (tumor)
Antibody of human origin
Drug-specific prefix
Monoclonal antibody
21
DRUG NAMING AND THE UNITED STATES APPROVED
NAMES COUNCIL

• The United States Pharmacopeias drug naming
  unit, the United States Approved Names Council,
  approves the generic names of new drugs in their
  USP Dictionary of USAN and International
  Nonproprietary Names
• New name stems for drugs are created only in
  cases where an existing stem does not accurately
  represent the compound, its action, structure,
  use, or other compelling reason
• New 2008 stem examples and their descriptions
  include
• -clomol for heat-shock protein inducers,
  bimoclomal type
• -luren for inducers of ribosomal readthrough of
  nonsense mutation mRNA stop codons
• In 2008, 95 new
  drug names
• were adopted by
  the USAN . . .

22

• fosbretabulin disodium 
• fostamatinib disodium 
• gabapentin enacarbil 
• gantenerumab 
• hydroxyethyl starch /. 
• iclaprim 
• iclaprim mesylate 
• indeglitazar 
• ingenol mebutate 
• larazotide 
• levomefolate calcium 
• levomefolic acid 
• linaclotide 
• liprotamase   
• lonaprisan 
• mocetinostat dihydrobromide 
• nabiximols 
• naproxcinod 
• nomegestrol acetate 

• sobetirome 
• sofinicline 
• sofinicline benzenesulfonate 
• sotrastaurin acetate 
• spinosad 
• tecovirimat 
• telcagepant 
• telcagepant potassium 
• toceranib 
• toceranib phosphate 
• tozasertib 
• tozasertib lactate 
• turofexorate isopropyl 
• tylvalosin 
• tylvalosin tartrate 
• varespladib 
• varespladib methyl 
• vedolizumab 
• velneperit 

• aflibercept 
• albaconazole 
• aleplasinin 
• alogliptin benzoate    
• apricoxib 
• ataluren 
• bafetinib 
• bederocin 
• blinatumomab 
• bupropion hydrobromide 
• canakinumab 
• carmegliptin 
• cetilistat 
• cixutumumab 
• coleneuramide 
• cositecan 
• dabigatran 
• dabigatran etexilate 
• dabigatran etexilate mesylate

23
HARMFUL LINGUISTICS how creative
orthography can KILL
Diabetes drug Epilepsy drug Schizophrenia
drug Antidepressant

• Alzheimers drug
• Antifungal drug
• Antihistamine
• Pain killer

OR
24
Source http//www.chem.cornell.edu/jn96/images/To
p2020020Brand20Name20Drugs20by20Retail20Dol
lars20in202007.png
25
Top ten drug onomastics

1. Lipitor
2. Nexxium
3. Advair Diskus
4. Prevacid
5. Plavix
6. Singulair
7. Seroquel
8. Effexor XR
9. Lexapro
10. Actos

lipid, cholesterol next generation
antacid advanced airway opener (disc
shape) prevents acid nixes plaques singular
(exclusivity?) and air quells
serotonin effective - XR is eXtended
Release lexa-a linguistics term meaning a
relation word? promotes active perhaps
glucose?
26
THE ONOMASTIC STORIES BEHIND CAR BRANDS

• Name derives from the Japanese word for the
  constellation known in English as the Pleiades,
  or the Seven Sisters
• Count the stars in the logo! (Although there are
  many more stars, these are purportedly the stars
  most visible by naked eye from Earth)
• Represents the companys formation from the
  merger of seven separate companies

27
THE ONOMASTIC STORIES BEHIND CAR BRANDS

• Named for company co-founder Louis Chevrolet
• Chevrolet was a well-known Swiss auto racer in
  the early 1900s
• Originally a separate car make,
  became part of GM in 1917

28
THE ONOMASTIC STORIES BEHIND CAR BRANDS

• The name is Latin for let it be done (also an
  English word meaning an authoritative order or
  decree)
• Italian auto makers name actually derives from
  the acronym Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino
  (Italian Automobile Factory of Turin)

29
Car model Names

• Volkswagen Touareg
• German pronunciation is like "too," a quick "ah,"
  then "reg tu?r?g
• Too hard for English speakers to pronounce (we
  say t?r?g)
• Named for the Tuareg, a nomadic people of North
  Africa

30
Car model Names

• Toyota camry
• Name is phonetic compression of kamuri, a
  Japanese word meaning crown
• Not the first of Toyotas crowning
  achievements
• Toyota Crown
• Toyota Tiara
• Toyota Corona
• Toyota Corolla

31
Cars named for wind

• Volkswagen Scirocco (hot desert wind)
• Mercury / Lincoln Zephyr (gentle breeze)
• Volkswagen Passat (German for trade wind)
• Plymouth Breeze
• Dodge Hurricane
• Mercury Cyclone
• Renault Wind
• Nissan Mistral (cold, dry, and often violent wind
  in France)

32
onomastic nightmares on wheelsCar names that
shouldnt have been

• Mazda Laputa the cars name, describing its
  small or Lilliputian nature, is, unfortunately,
  also Spanish for the whore
• Mitsubishi Pajero another disaster en Español,
  translates to wanker or one who masturbates
• Buick LaCrosse slang amongst teenagers in
  Quebec, see Pajero above
• Opel Ascona in Spain and Portugal, strong
  pejorative for the female reproductive anatomy
  (rhymes with stunt)
• Honda Fitta in Sweden and Norway, see Ascona
  above

33
onomastic nightmares on wheelsCar names that
shouldnt have been

• Daihatsu Charade defined by the dictionary as
  a blatant pretense or deception
  yeah, sounds like a good
  name for a car. . .
• AMC Gremlin dictionary definition a
  mischievous invisible being, said by airplane
  pilots in World War II to cause engine trouble
  and mechanical difficulties Enough. Said.
• Rolls-Royce Silver Mist mist is German for dung
  or manure, but at least it was a Rolls. . . and
  silver!
• Ford Pinto In America, means spotted horse -
  in Brazil and Portugal, means male reproductive
  anatomy

34
How to make a brand name memorable
NOT
35
Works cited

• "Approved stems." American Medical Association.
  22 Oct. 2008. American Medical Association. 3
  Nov. 2008 lthttp//ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/pr
  int/4782.htmlgt.
• Acharya, Hem. "Badly Chosen Car Names." Tech,
  Fun, This n That. 2006. Hem Acharya. 7 Dec. 2008
  lthttp//hem.com.np/2008/05/04/badly-chosen-car-nam
  es/gt.
• Casselman, William G. "Autoneokakonymia when
  automobile names get silly and stupid." Bill
  Casselman's Canadian Word of the Day and Words of
  the World. 2008. William Gordon Casselman. 7 Dec.
  2008 lthttp//www.billcasselman.com/unpublished_wor
  ks/bad_car_names.htmgt.
• Frankel, Alex. Wordcraft The Art of Turning
  Little Words Into Big Business. New York, NY
  Crown, 2004. 158-59.
• Kimball, John W. "Monoclonal Antibodies."
  Kimball's Biology Pages. 1 Dec. 2008. John W.
  Kimball. 6 Dec. 2008 lthttp//users.rcn.com/jkimbal
  l.ma.ultranet/biologypages/m/monoclonals.htmlgt.
• "List of company name etymologies." Wikipedia. 4
  Dec. 2008. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 Dec. 2008
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_company_name
  _etymologiesgt.

36
Works cited

• "Monoclonal antibodies." Wikipedia. 25 Nov. 2008.
  Wikimedia Foundation. 6 Dec. 2008
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/monoclonal_antibodygt
  .
• Neergaard, Lauran. "Similar drug names can cause
  deadly mistakes New Web tool helps check on
  error-prone medications." Seattlepi.com. 1 Sept.
  2008.Seattle Post-Intelligencer.6 Dec. 2008
  lthttp//seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/377337_dru
  gs02.htmlgt.
• Morris, Evan. From Altoids to Zima The
  Surprising Stories Behind 125 Famous Brand Names.
  New York Simon Schuster, Incorporated, 2004.
  99-102.
• Pinker, Steven. The Stuff of ThoughtLanguage as
  a Window into Human Nature. New York, NY Viking,
  2007. 303-04.
• "Pleiades." Wikipedia. 4 Dec. 2008. Wikimedia
  Foundation, Inc. 7 Dec. 2008 lthttp//en.wikipedia.
  org/wiki/pleiades_(star_cluster)gt.
• Robins, Rebecca. "Brand Matters The Lingua
  Franca of Pharmaceutical Brand Names." Weblog
  post. Brandchannel.com. 31 Mar. 2006. 7 Nov. 2008
  lthttp//www.brandchannel.com/papers_review.asp?sp_
  id1233gt.

37
Works cited

• "Starbucks." Wikipedia. 3 Dec. 2008. Wikimedia
  Foundation, Inc. 5 Dec. 2008 lthttp//en.wikipedia.
  org/wiki/starbucksgt.
• "Toyota Camry." Wikipedia. 5 Dec. 2008. Wikimedia
  Foundation, Inc. 7 Dec. 2008 lthttp//en.wikipedia.
  org/wiki/toyota_camrygt.
• "Tuareg." Wikipedia. 3 Dec. 2008. Wikimedia
  Foundation, Inc. 7 Dec. 2008 lthttp//en.wikipedia.
  org/wiki/tuareggt.
• United States Adopted Name Council, comp.
  "Adopted names." American Medical Association. 2
  Dec. 2008. United States Adopted Names
  Council-United States Pharmacopeia. 6 Dec. 2008
  lthttp//www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/9615.htm
  lgt.