The Naming Game

One of the hardest, funnest, most challenging parts of making products is naming them. Sometimes names come easily, like they did for Sipiri and Samara (more on those two to come), but other times, it is a real struggle. So, what do I rely on to help me choose a name? Here is a list of things I use:

• Fragrance: This is probably the number one determining factor for the names of my products. Smell, for me, is a very strong sense and emotes a lot of memory and feeling. I usually will take a fragrance oil or essential oil, close my eyes, take a big whiff and let it speak to me. Ok, so no audible voice yet, but it does conger up a mental picture, or a feeling. There are times that a scent has taken me back to a very specific event or other times it has spoken to a feeling. I take all this into account as I then try out names.  Not only do fragrances have smells, but they also have colors. Am I the only one? For example: I see greens with bamboo, reds with berry fragrances, creams with vanillas and orange with citrus. This is why fragrance usually is step one, as it also has a hand in determining the colors I use in each soap, etc.

• Color: As I said above, I usually pick colors based on the fragrance, sometimes I want a specific color palette. This usually happens if I have a custom order, I’m trying a soaping challenge, or I see a specific technique I want to try out. Although visual is the second strongest sense for me, it plays a big role in how our customers see the product. I put this to the test one day by making two soaps with the same fragrance, but did two completely different designs. I had a customer come by and as she was going through the soaps, she ended up picking one of each of the soaps in the same fragrance. When I told her that they were the same, just different colors and swirls, she was shocked! To her they were both desirable, but not at all the same. It was fun to see the visual impact on smell!

Rasberry Swirl is an example of a specific look I was going for

that determined a color and fragrance. I was inspired by a rose in

a friend's garden.

• What’s inside: As was the case with Stout & Sudsy, the fact that this bar was made with extra stout beer made the name come to life. Other examples of using the ingredients as my guide are my Honey Bunches of Buttermilk. Since this is a plain, no fragrance, no color soap, my two main avenues for naming are off the table. But this is chock a block full of Buttermilk, Oatmeal and local honey. I wanted something a little more catchy then oatmeal soap, and so, the little play on words. After all, I didn’t want to infringe on any well know cereal’s territory or anything. Wink, wink.

• When all else fails: I wing it. I am not always original, and names don’t always come easily. I have one soap that I love the fragrance, the colors I picked and, of course, it’s full of yummy stuff! But in the end, the bar turned out ugly. Just plain ugly. As far as I can tell, the fragrance oil I used interacted with the colorants in a weird way and my beautiful bars of sweet smelling soap are not pretty anymore. So, I went with it. It is aptly names: One Ugly Soap -Looks aren’t everything.

All in all, my main goal in naming my products is to make them memorable, unique and to try and convey to others the feelings they emote for me.

What names of products have you seen that have given you a chuckle?


-Ashleigh