72% of successful SaaS brands use made-up words or metaphors, not descriptive names. "Slack" beats "TeamMessaging." Abstract names achieve 3.2x higher trademark approval rates and stronger brand equity.
Descriptive vs Abstract
Descriptive: "DocuSign" (document signing), "HubSpot" (marketing hub). Abstract: "Slack," "Asana," "Monday." Each has tradeoffs.
Descriptive advantages: Immediately clear what product does. SEO-friendly. Lower education costs. Descriptive disadvantages: Weak trademark protection. Hard to expand beyond initial category. Generic perception.
The Category Leader Exception
First mover in category? Descriptive name captures search traffic. "Salesforce" (sales software category leader). "ServiceNow" (IT service category leader).
Fast follower? Need differentiation. Abstract name stands out. "Slack" (entered crowded team chat market) vs "Hipchat" (descriptive, failed). Differentiation won.
The .com Requirement
B2B SaaS MUST have .com domain. Buyers distrust .io, .co, .ai for enterprise software. Exception: Developer tools (.io acceptable).
If YourBrand.com taken: Rebrand. Don't use YourBrand.io for enterprise SaaS. 67% of enterprise buyers report .com bias. B2C apps can use alt TLDs. B2B cannot.
Enterprise software with non-.com domains achieve 34% lower email open rates (spam filter bias) and 28% lower inbound lead quality. .com = enterprise credibility. Don't compromise.
The "Force" Suffix Trap
"Salesforce" spawned thousand imitators. "MarketingForce," "DataForce," "CloudForce," "CodeForce." All generic, weak trademarks, blend together.
Avoid: Overused suffixes (Force, Hub, Cloud, Pro, Base, Spot, Lab, Flow). Choose: Unique metaphors or made-up words. Stand out, don't blend in.
Overused SaaS Patterns
"Get [Action]" (GetResponse, GetFeedback). "[Verb]ify" (Shopify, Spotify). "[Word]ly" (Namely, Freshly). All saturated. USPTO rejects 68% of "ify" trademark applications for descriptiveness.
Fresh patterns: Nature metaphors (Asana = yoga pose), Movement verbs (Drift, Float), Abstract concepts (Notion, Airtable).
Two-Word Combinations
"MailChimp," "HubSpot," "ClickFunnels," "ActiveCampaign." Two-word pattern works IF: Words create unexpected combination. Trademark-strong. Easy to spell.
Good: "MailChimp" (mail + chimp = unexpected). Bad: "EmailMonkey" (too similar, less distinctive). Unexpected combinations = memorable.
The Compound Risk
Two descriptive words together still descriptive. "Fast Email" = not trademarkable. "Email Fast" = also descriptive. Need arbitrary element: "Chimp Email" (arbitrary + descriptive = stronger).
Verb-Based Names
"Zoom," "Slack," "Drift," "Float." Active verbs signal action, movement, results. B2B buyers associate verbs with productivity.
Test: Does name work in sentence? "Let's Slack" (yes). "Let's Asana" (awkward). "Let's Zoom" (yes). Verb names should be verb-able.
SaaS products with verb-based names achieve 23% higher organic brand mention rates. Users naturally say "Slack me" or "Zoom call." Verb names become vocabulary. Marketing ROI multiplier.
Category Creation Names
Creating new software category? Name should hint at category without being descriptive. "Salesforce" (CRM category). "Slack" (team messaging). "Notion" (all-in-one workspace).
Pattern: Abstract name + category descriptor in tagline. "Slack - Where Work Happens." "Notion - One Workspace." Name = brandable, tagline = descriptive.
The Education Cost
Abstract names require education budget. "Slack" spent $100M+ explaining "team messaging." Can you afford this? If not, consider semi-descriptive.
Self-funded startups: Semi-descriptive safer. "DocuSign" (self-explanatory, low education cost). VC-backed: Abstract name, budget for education.
Competitive Positioning
List top 5 competitors. Analyze naming patterns. Choose opposite. Competitors use descriptive? You use abstract. Competitors use abstract? You use metaphor.
Example: CRM space (Salesforce, HubSpot - descriptive). New entrant "Copper" (metaphor - stands out). Project management (Asana, Monday, Basecamp - abstract). New entrant "ClickUp" (action-verb - different pattern).
The Negative Space Strategy
What aren't competitors naming themselves? HR software: Everyone uses "People," "HR," "Talent." Lattice chose growth metaphor (stands out). Accounting: Everyone uses "Books," "Accounting." FreshBooks chose fresh metaphor.
Find unused naming territory in your category. Differentiate through name choice.
API-First Naming
Developer-focused products can use technical names. "Stripe" (payment API - simple, technical). "Twilio" (communications API - made-up, developer-friendly). "Auth0" (authentication - technical reference).
Developer products: Short, lowercase-friendly names. "stripe.com," "twilio.com." Easy to type, code-like aesthetic.
Developer tools with lowercase, code-like names achieve 37% higher GitHub star rates. Developers prefer names that look like code variables. Match aesthetic to audience.
Enterprise vs SMB Naming
Enterprise software: Professional, serious names. "Workday," "ServiceNow," "Oracle." SMB software: Friendly, accessible names. "QuickBooks," "Mailchimp," "Squarespace."
Know your buyer: CIOs buy enterprise software (prefer serious names). Small business owners buy SMB software (prefer friendly names). Name matches buyer psychology.
The Upmarket Trap
Start SMB, plan to move upmarket? Choose name that works for both. "Slack" works for 5-person startup AND Fortune 500. "FunChat" wouldn't work enterprise. Plan for growth.
Acronym Avoidance
CRM, ERP, HCM, CMS = industry acronyms, not brand names. Don't name your CRM software "CRM Pro." Unoriginal, weak trademark, no differentiation.
Exception: If creating entirely new category, acronym might become standard. "CRM" wasn't a thing until Salesforce era. But high risk - most new acronyms fail.
Global Pronunciation
Selling globally? Test pronunciation in: US, UK, India (English variants), Germany, France (European markets), Japan, China (Asian markets). Name must work everywhere.
Problematic: "TH" sounds (don't exist in most languages), "R" sounds (pronounced differently everywhere), Silent letters (confusing for non-native speakers).
The Simplicity Test
Can non-native English speaker pronounce your name correctly first try? "Zoom" (yes). "Asana" (yes). "Airtable" (yes). "Xythos" (no). Simple = global.
Character Length
SaaS names: 5-8 characters ideal. "Slack" (5), "Zoom" (4), "Asana" (5), "Notion" (6). Short = memorable, easy to type, fits mobile screens.
Avoid: 12+ character names. "ProjectManagementPro" (21 characters - too long). Mobile users won't type this. Email addresses become unwieldy.
Trademark Lens verifies SaaS brand names across USPTO trademark classes 9 and 42, checking for software/IT service conflicts before you invest in development and branding.