Bad product names

Our article on the process of naming provides some helpful hints on how to get naming right. But sometimes naming new products, brands and services can go horribly wrong. Here are some examples of names with unintended meanings, unpronounceable spellings or offensive connotations.

Would you use these products
A product that can eliminate or reduce scars called Scar ZONE – sounds like the opposite of what the product actually does.

The Chevy Nova. For consumers living in America where many people speak Spanish as a first or second language, it might be hard to sell a car that means "no go" in Spanish.

Oakley’s MP3 player sunglasses called The Split Thump.
In a town called Crooks – in South Dakota, USA – there’s a firm called Crooks Accounting.

Pocari Sweat, a Japanese sport drink.

A Finnish hamburger called Bulimia – so good you get to enjoy it twice?

Nads hair removal strips for men. (We’re a little too prudish to explain the slang meaning of this name, but check out the urban dictionary if you really want to know.)

Who Represents? is a search site for celebrity agents – it's a nice name until you see the web address: www.whorepresents.com.

Blosxom – a weblog application – is impossible to pronounce. In fact, on the company’s website they actually have to tell readers it’s pronounced “blossom”. This is taking the obsession with the letter X too far!

Dairy Queen (an American ice cream restaurant) marketed a new frozen drink back in 2004 called a MooLatte. With a name that sounds a lot like "mulatto" – a term considered racist by many Americans – the product was very controversial.

The Norwegian law firm called Lie & Co. It’s nice that they are upfront about it.


Do you know of any other funny, inappropriate or simply bad product names? Let us know on our blog.