# Naming

Source: https://design.ritchiebros.com/content/naming/

Thoughtful names put clarity above creativity and help people build a clear mental model of the product.

## Thoughtful naming

Names influence how people perceive and understand a product. A well-chosen name puts clarity above creativity, helps establish a mental model, and increases adoption of the feature.

Naming is collaborative — include different disciplines and people with relevant subject-matter expertise in the creation of a name.

## Descriptive vs. evocative names

Descriptive names say plainly what something does (for example, “Watchlist”, “Bidding history”). Evocative names are independently branded and more distinctive. Default to descriptive names for features; reserve evocative names for things that genuinely warrant a distinct brand.

## Capitalization

In general, capitalize evocative, independently branded names and don’t capitalize descriptive feature names. Don’t capitalize default features that are built in and require no sign-up. Avoid acronyms, and consider how your audience will interpret a name.

**Do:** Capitalize an independently branded product; keep a descriptive feature lowercase: “PriceRanger”, “watchlist”.

**Don’t:** Capitalize an ordinary descriptive feature: “Watchlist” for a built-in default feature.

## General guidelines

- Put clarity first — a name should make its purpose obvious.
- Avoid acronyms; spell things out unless the acronym is widely understood.
- Be consistent — reuse an established name rather than inventing a synonym.
- Consider translation and cultural connotations before committing to a name.