Female. Brand. Names.
What does femininity sound like?
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Have you ever thought about whether a brand name sounds masculine or feminine? Goes without saying that we don't mean first names with a clear gender connection, but independent brandings. So how do brand names such as Ford, Kraft, Kodak or Lindt differ from brands such as Coca-Cola, Honda, Mini, Nivea or Milka for consumers from Europe, America or Australia?
From a linguistic point of view and with a Western cultural background, the latter sound warmer and more emotional to us than the first set of brand names.
Why is this the case and what does it mean for marketing?
“In general, brands with female-sounding names are perceived as warmer,” Dr. Ruth Pogacar formulated the latest findings in phonology and their significance in names in brand management in 2021. In her statement, the linguist from the University of Calgary refers to researching the hidden influences of language on consumers. Although this includes brand names from other regions of the world, it explicitly only describes the linguistic influence on people in Western culture.
So when does one name sound more affectionate to us than another?
The decision is led by length, sound and accentuation:
- Length
According to the study's researchers, women's names are generally slightly longer than men's names (see notes below).
- Sound
Women's names from Western languages usually end with an open vowel — that sounds harmonious to us. Men's names often end with a consonant — this looks powerful and determined.
- Accentuation
Women's names are usually accentuated on the second or a later syllable; the name opens, so to speak, when pronounced, while men's names like to emphasize a single syllable at the beginning of a word.
So-called “feminine names” therefore have a pleasant sound and a heartfelt, approachable letter at the end of the word, as these examples show:
Maria & Josef, Caesar & Cleopatra or prominent (ex-)couples such as Michelle & Barack Obama, Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt or Diana & Charles.
Women have always stood for warmth. This creates trust and sympathy.
The traditional function of the sexes in the family system also influences language perception. While the strong man had to scare off enemies in early human times and was out and about as a hunter, the woman took care of the well-being of the entire family. This role is therefore classically associated with comfort and warmth.
Shaped by this sociological division of roles, we instinctively make a quick distinction between "trustworthy" and "dangerous" — this is also a remnant of our evolutionary past. Because in harsh everyday life, our ancestors had to immediately assess whether the other person posed a threat or not.
Even today, we use these ancient instincts to build up an inner radar for the unequal effects of a male or female speech on our feelings. In doing so, we automatically transfer the learned language patterns (linguistics) to our perception.
Trend: The longing for security
According to Dr. Ruth Pogacar, we have been increasingly longing for warmth and warmth in recent years — across genders. As a result, names with a feminine aura reach calming sensory receptors in both men and women. This is probably also an explanation for the fact that boys' names with feminine sound patterns are appearing more and more frequently on babies' bracelets in delivery rooms; such as the names Luca or Noah, which have been very popular in recent years in Germany.
Regardless of the actual meaning of the name, the tonality of a brand name can also evoke subconscious feelings and thus significantly influence the success of a brand.
Dr. Ruth Pogacar's team analyzed the effects of hedonistic and emotional products in an exciting study. In the experiment, 150 students were able to choose one of the following gifts: a bottle of hand sanitizer from the brand “Nimilia”, alternatively called “Nimeld” or 50 dollars in cash.
The result is clear: 49% of students chose the bottle with the female name “Nimilia” — only 14% for “Nimeld” and 36% for the $50 in cash.
The evaluation of the world's 100 most valuable brands based on the Interbrand rankings from 2000 to 2019 achieved a similarly clear result: With 55% of the top 100 brands each year, female names had the largest share, while only 36% had male titles and 9% could not be attributed any gender-specific characteristics.
What does success sound like?
At the same time, the scientist limits the lighthouse effect of female names: it is not always directly related to the success of a brand. For example, in the case of products that are not for enjoyment or are purely useful for both sexes, such as a bathroom scale or batteries, feminine language is not an obstacle, but it is also not beneficial. Masculine sound design will often work equally well or better here.
The researchers suspect that feminine sound perception works very well in an emotional environment, but that the assessment of functional or primarily male product categories is more logical and cognitively controlled — the name then has a subordinate influence on the decision.
Things get interesting when it comes to expensive investment goods such as watches. Are there emotions that are deliberately not defined by femininity?
Conclusion
For brands, the sound of their name is an important aspect that should not be underestimated in strategic naming marketing. Because it has the power to influence customer behavior in every direction and is therefore a valuable driver when making a purchase decision.
When designing new, hedonistically motivated brands, the feminine tonality of a name appears to us to be an elegant solution — particularly in a “Western” context. But! It always depends on the context — for example, how does the same name look in another culture? Or what feelings do masculine a trigger? Because pride, dignity and strength are just as important emotional attributes for many brands.
As much as we love the idea of unique and heartwarming female power in naming today, on International Women's Day, we also know about the endless other playgrounds of successful naming. Sound and linguistics can be real game changers! Whether female, male or diverse: The topic plays a role in each of our projects.
Done — for now. We are happy to answer any questions or suggestions and look forward to hearing from you.
Your Endmark team
