By way of John Cook’s Venture Blog comes The Name Inspector. It’s a thoughtful analysis of company names, although the content could apply to any naming exercise, including products.

I love the idea of company names as nanopoems, and agree with his advice that it’s natural to be uncomfortable with a name you pick. I tell this to clients all the time. If the name doesn’t make you at least a little bit nervous when you first start saying it, then it’s not original enough.

When I chose my company name, for months I thought that I made a big mistake. It was too Wild West-y. It undermined the role of well-chosen words. It didn’t sound right coming out of my mouth. But the positive feedback and ongoing recognition far exceeds the negative. I’ve had the name since 1998 and, to this day, people still say, “That’s a great name.”