Naming by committee is a bad idea.

Go On, Ask Your Coach

Why Naming by Poll Is a Popularity Contest (Not a Strategy)

You’ve got a few name options. You’re torn. So you do what every highly strategic, self-assured entrepreneur does when they’re feeling unsure:

You post a poll on Instagram.

“Help me choose!!” 

“Thoughts???” 

“Which name do you vibe with most?” 😭

And just like that, the most important part of your brand gets handed over to your ex-coworker, your cousin, and your audience’s ✨least engaged✨ followers.

Welcome to naming by committee: where good ideas go to die.

THE #1 PROBLEM WITH POPULAR OPINION

Your audience doesn’t know how to evaluate a name. They’re reacting, not assessing.

“But don’t we want a reaction?” 

Yes. Absolutely. You do want people to react. But only when they have context.

Because without it?

• The boldest name feels “off.”

• The cleverest name gets lost.

• The most meaningful name gets misread as “random.”

Most people aren’t reacting to the name itself. They’re reacting to their first impression—disconnected from your offer, your positioning, or the bigger brand story.

And let’s be honest: That story doesn’t fit inside an Instagram poll.

A name is meant to live in the wild— on a product, in a headline, next to a killer tagline. That’s when it hits. That’s when it sticks. Not when it’s flanked by other naked names without context in an IG poll.

Your respondents reaction is only based on what they DO know: 

• What’s familiar

• What’s trendy

• What sounds kinda like something they’ve already seen from someone else they like

And that’s how you end up with the safest, most obvious, least polarizing name possible.

A name that checks zero boxes except:  ✅ “Won’t upset anyone.”

And if that’s your brand strategy? Congrats. You’re about to blend in beautifully.

THE FAST TRACK TO MEDIOCRITY 

When you invite the masses to weigh in on your name, the safest choice usually wins because it doesn't require thought, and it makes the most people happy. It’s called groupthink, and it’s sad, IMO. Psychologists Irving Janis and Daniel Ellsberg first documented how groups default to consensus—not because it’s right, but because it feels less risky. It’s like ordering pizza for a kid’s birthday party. You get cheese and pepperoni and that’s it. The basics. Womp. Womp.

HOW TO ACTUALLY TEST YOUR NAME (WITHOUT CROWDSOURCING YOUR CONFIDENCE)

Want feedback? Of course you do! You’re HUMAN. Just… be strategic about it.

1. Don’t ask for a preference

Stop asking “Which one do you like best?” Start asking:

• “What does this name make you think of?”

• “What vibe or feeling do you get from this?”

• “If this name was a person, what kind of person would they be?”

You’re looking for association, not votes.

2. Use the Sneaky Slide-In Test

Drop the name into conversation like it’s already real.

• Mention it casually in a story. (If you’re cool with creating in public, and not trying to do a sneaky surprise Taylor Swift kinda launch)

• Say it on a call.

• Post a teaser and see who DMs asking what it means.

If people perk up, you’re onto something. If they ignore it, it’s probably forgettable.

3. Watch What Gets Repeated

This is the ultimate test: Do people quote the name back to you without being prompted?

• Do they use it in conversation?

• Refer to it later?

• Type it out when replying to your post?

If not? It’s not sticking.

CONVICTION IS CONTAGIOUS

Let me say this louder for the people in the back:

If you love the name and you sell it like you mean it—everyone else will follow.

No poll can compete with confidence. There are objectively “bad” names that work brilliantly because the founder made it work. They believed in it. They built around it. They made it feel like a brand, not a brainstorm.

And according to Gartner, emotional connection drives brand growth far more than just functional value. So if you’ve got a name that feels deeply right—even if no one else voted for it?Go all in. Because the only opinion that matters more than the algorithm is yours.

So, before you hit “post” on another name poll, ask yourself:

• Do these people know my strategy?

• Are the people seeing this actually the people I want buying this?

• Do I actually want their opinion—or am I just afraid to choose?

And if the answer to that last one is yes? It’s time to choose.