Boots, Marks & Spencer, Twinings - all 100+ years old with original names. Meanwhile, "Phones4U" lasted 22 years. Here's how century-old brands chose names that survived technology shifts, market changes, and cultural evolution.
Avoid Product-Specific Names
Carphone Warehouse outlived car phones but name limited repositioning. Abstract names (Amazon) survive category changes.
People's Names Age Well
Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Sainsbury's. Founder names never become outdated because they reference people, not products.
Place Names Risk Dating
"British Telecom" needed rebrand to "BT" for international markets. Geographic limits hurt longevity.
Avoid Trend Language
1990s "cyber," 2000s "e-," 2010s "smart," 2020s "AI." These prefixes date immediately. Classic vocabulary endures.
100-Year UK Brands Analysis
Boots (founder), Twinings (founder), Lloyds (founder), Shell (abstract), Cadbury (founder). Pattern: people or abstract, never product.
Warning: "Future-proof" doesn't mean "boring." Distinctive abstract names (Google, Kodak, Xerox) outlast descriptive ones.
Generic Names Can't Be Trademarked
If you want legal protection and a name competitors can't copy, make it distinctive from day one. Generic names date fastest.