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Monthly Archives: February 2024
How to get the most out of your children
Originally published Feb 21, 2016 Note: The Name Inspector received this important parenting advice from an associate, who has allowed it to be shared on the condition of anonymity. Parenting is a major investment. Smart parents plan strategically to maximize … Continue reading
Posted in Life
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Really? 10 questions about social media content
Originally published Feb 18, 2016 The Name Inspector has noticed frequent feelings of boredom and skepticism as he reads social media content. Here are ten questions he has asked himself in those moments. 1. Is improving productivity and physical health … Continue reading
Posted in Verbal Branding
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Communication vs. verbal design
Originally published Oct 14, 2015 Because naming involves words, it’s often discussed and evaluated as if it were primarily a matter of verbal communication, like a special kind of copywriting. Actually naming lies at the intersection of communication and design. … Continue reading
Posted in Naming Process, Verbal Branding
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Put a Z on it
Originally published Aug 13, 2015 The letter Z has a magical quality. OK, that might be going a little overboard. Let’s just say Z is a bit of a novelty in the Latin alphabet, a relative latecomer that was originally … Continue reading
Posted in Name Types, Orthography
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The best thing to drink right now…and what to call it
Originally published Aug 8, 2015 The Name Inspector is not a food writer like his friend Molly Watson. But he does like to eat and drink. And his favorite thing to drink lately is a concoction he came up with all … Continue reading
Posted in Verbal Branding
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Budtenders vs. biketenders
Originally published Jul 31, 2015 Two recent neologisms based on the word bartender will be bandied about in Seattle this weekend, and The Name Inspector believes that comparing them might yield some interesting insights. The new words are budtender and biketender. A budtender is someone … Continue reading
Posted in Morphology, Name Analysis, Name Types
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When you are your own client
Originally published Jul 27, 2015 From a namer’s point of view, a name has to work in two ways. First, it has to be smartly conceived and well designed linguistically. If it is, it’s likely to achieve what it needs … Continue reading
Posted in Naming Process
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Professor Name Inspector is a real Dawg!
Originally published April 30, 2015 The University of Washington is one of those grand, beautiful flagship public universities and a driving force in Seattle’s hopping economy. The Name Inspector has loved the UW ever since he moved to Seattle, and not only … Continue reading
Posted in Announcements, Life
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You can name your startup yourself. Should you?
Originally published Jan 29, 2015 Founders, you can come up with a good name for your startup on your own. You may be surprised to hear this from The Name Inspector, who is, after all, a naming consultant. So why … Continue reading
Posted in Naming Process
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Weird startup names of 2014
Originally published Jan 5, 2015 The Name Inspector has been reflecting on last year’s startup names while sipping on what’s left of the apple peel bourbon he made for the holidays. He’s got to say, it seems like some of these companies … Continue reading
Posted in Name Analysis, Name Types
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