Good names make you feel something
They get a reaction—a smile or a raised eyebrow.
This reaction creates an opportunity for you to show people the difference you can make in their lives.
A name is a small package.
A word or two, a short phrase at most. We work collaboratively to understand the competition, context, and opportunity, in order to learn how the name can be most impactful.
Naming is a process.
A lot of factors go into selecting a name and it’s our job to make sure things like trademark screening, URL acquisition, and cultural checks are addressed thoughtfully and in the proper order.
Names are living things.
They take on meaning as people experience your brand. We want to set you up to make a good first impression, one that only grows and deepens over time.
Naming is often a group activity.
We often joke that about 20% of our job is generating names. The other 80% is getting a group of people to make a subjective decision together. Learning how your team thinks and makes decisions is an essential part of the naming process.
Naming is our life’s work.
Our team of six has 75 years of naming experience at A Hundred Monkeys. We’ve done over 700 projects for clients big and small on all inhabitable continents. We’re still waiting to hear from the Antarctic Research Station.
Our names
We’ve named just about everything under the sun. Have a look here.
The competition
A lot of folks list naming as one of their services. See what they have to say.
MiroWork as art
- Renaming
MIRO is an excuse to think of your workday as a collaborative canvas. Derived from Joan Miró, the Spanish painter and sculptor who painted bright, bold murals of surreal amoebic forms. His vibrant, energetic work was a perfect metaphor for bringing ideas to life. Miro can also be considered as an empty vessel name with a connection to the Spanish word for “look” or “watch.”
What we did
When we began the project, Miro (then RealTimeBoard) had offices in San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Perm. We were lucky to be able to meet with the majority of the team in San Francisco to demo the product and work through our intake process. The team wanted a short, unmistakable name that spoke to creativity and visual collaboration.
In their words
“We wanted our brand to be not just a company name but a ‘love mark’ to accelerate our word of mouth growth. So Miro is a famous Spanish artist who inspired us. His paintings have different shapes with very bright colors and we found that our boards developed in kind of the same style. We see every user or creator as an artist and their boards as their unique canvases. So we wanted to bring a little bit of art into the day-to-day job of each person who uses our product.”
Barbra GagoWhat was the deal with…
Trademark
Names were screened in the US and EU.
URL
Not a project priority but the team was able to acquire miro.com
The decision
After legal review, we met with the leadership team in San Francisco and worked through the final contender names one by one. It rarely happens this way but we actually made a decision as a group, in the room.
UltraderpThe dog leash that weighs almost nothing
Ultraderp is equal parts high performance and big dumb smiles—just like most of the dogs you’ll find running around on trails. Ultra as in ultralight, ultrafast, or ultra marathon. Derp as in that face dogs make when they don’t know what’s happening but aren’t about to let that get in the way of a good time.
What we did
Ultraderp is an ultralight, packable dog leash that weighs as much as a single AA battery. It can be worn on the dog’s collar and deployed whenever needed simply by pulling the pink “U.” Ultraderp excels in situations like running and hiking when you only need a leash sometimes. Because it’s so lightweight, it’s also great for walks, parks, breweries, and anywhere else you might find yourself with your pup.
What was the deal with…
Trademark
We conducted a preliminary trademark screening in the US.
URL
URL wasn’t a priority of the project but when you pick a name like Ultraderp, the URL somehow winds up being available.
The decision
There were a couple of contenders but only one that got an interesting reaction from everyone who heard it. We worked alongside design partner Mucho to bring the Ultraderp brand to life.
Inside WeatherFurniture that fits
- Naming
A playful contradiction in terms, Inside Weather asks interesting questions: If being inside is supposed to protect you from the elements, what sorts of weather patterns exist indoors? Can a bedroom be dark and stormy? What makes a living room feel bright and sunny? The name uses weather to talk about the environment and mood you can create indoors with smart, stylish furniture.
What we did
We worked with the founding team to develop a name for their new furniture business that offered the variety and choice of made-to-order with the timelines of, say, Amazon. As their business grew, Inside Weather later introduced sub-brands with three more names from our initial engagement: Chicory (luxury outdoor furniture), Diorama (machine-washable “cloud” sofas), and Jackfruit (sustainable modular furniture).
What was the deal with…
Trademark
Four names went into legal screening with their counsel. The team prioritized two names which both cleared, and they eventually secured additional names for their sub-brands.
URL
Longer names always make for easier URL acquisition.
The decision
Inside Weather was a dark horse. It was well received initially but barely snuck into contenders. The name picked up steam from there and was the top choice going into their final legal checks. Other well-liked names were kept in the back pocket for a rainy day.
BrightbandHelping humanity adapt
- Renaming
Brightband is a public benefit corporation developing AI tools to improve weather and climate-related decisions for all of humanity. The name is a reference to a bright band—a radar phenomenon that indicates the presence of melting precipitation. In the context of their work, the name signals positivity and the collective efforts of a “band” of academic researchers, meteorologists, and technologists.
What we did
We began with a name evaluation—helping the team assess their internal naming candidates, including the placeholder name, OpenEarthAI. Then, we developed a round of names related to forecasting tools, the scale of impact, and a collaborative mindset.
What was the deal with…
Trademark
Names were screened for AI, machine learning, and meteorological conflicts in the US. Brightband received a B grade and ultimately cleared a deeper legal screening with their counsel.
URL
Brightband had more than a dozen available URL’s, and they were able to pay a reasonable price for brightband.com.
The decision
First, they narrowed down to a short list of options that received support across the team. Brightband was in the mix, though it wasn’t the frontrunner until we reviewed potential URLs. It was clear from the number of options that it was the most ownable name in the set.
SteloGlucose tracking is now OTC
- Naming
Stelo is the first FDA-cleared glucose biosensor available without a prescription. The developer, Dexcom, entrusted us to find a name that felt empowering, told a story about optimizing health, and would help introduce this technology to a whole new audience.
What we did
We searched for compact names that could convey power and lend themselves to a future where the biosensor would provide augmented feedback on a growing array of analytes in one’s blood. Stelo means “star” in Latin, and “stem” in Italian. When we presented the name in the second round it was well-received for signifying healthy growth and having pleasant phonetics.
What was the deal with…
Trademark
Names were screened for medical device conflicts in the US, UK, Canada, and Germany. Stelo received A’s and B’s in those markets, and ultimately cleared a deeper legal screening with Dexcom’s counsel.
URL
Dexcom was able to acquire stelo.com for their new product.
The decision
We worked with four Dexcom researchers and marketers who coalesced around a vision of the device as a “partner in thriving.” Stelo was actually not the original top name for the team. However, they soon found that it made a strong, natural connection to the product.
CoefficientMultiplying impact
- Renaming
Coefficient Giving (formerly Open Philanthropy) is a philanthropic funder and advisor that partners with donors to direct funding towards causes that are important, neglected, and tractable—those where additional resources can make the greatest difference. The name Coefficient captures their shift from single donor-focused funding to a more collective approach: “Co‑” signals collaboration with other donors, while “efficient” underscores a focus on cost-effectiveness. Finally, a coefficient is a multiplier, which captures how they aim to amplify impact together.
What we did
As Open Philanthropy underwent an entire rebrand, we worked with a transition team including their communications director, CEO, and key stakeholders across the organization to fully understand the name’s critical role in their public repositioning. We also worked in parallel with the design studio Upstatement, who brought the Coefficient name to life.
In their words
We knew any name would take some getting used to, but this one seemed to capture something essential about our work in a way that “Open Philanthropy” no longer did.
Naina Bajekal, Director of CommunicationsWhat was the deal with…
Trademark
We knew that the name would need to be trademarked in the US. Coefficient received a ‘B’ in our preliminary screening before being further vetted by their counsel.
URL
When paired with “Giving” and a .org TLD, Coefficient easily found a home on the internet.
The decision
Coefficient was presented as an early concept in our kickoff workshop, and it immediately stuck with the leadership team. Although there were more strong contenders throughout the process, Coefficient was always the name to beat.
Definite ArticlesBack to basics
- Naming
Definite Articles is a performance apparel brand that is entirely biodegradable. The fashion industry wastes 2.4 billion pounds of textiles annually. Biodegradable apparel is an important step in closing the loop.
What we did
Definite Articles is a term borrowed from grammar. In English, it’s the word the. But in the context of clothing and fashion, the term takes on new meaning. Calling clothing articles makes them feel valuable and considered. Definite Articles feel durable and confident. This acts as a fitting counterbalance to the idea of biodegradable clothing—as if to say “This clothing is built to last.” That is, of course, until you’re done with them and pop them in the compost.
What was the deal with…
Trademark
Definite Articles received an A grade in preliminary trademark screening and didn’t run into any issues during the registration process. This is thanks in no small part to it being a longer, two word name. In a world where everyone wants something short, longer names definitely stand out.
URL
The team at DA registered definitearticles.com. Again, having a longer name was very helpful here.
The decision
Definite Articles was the fourth name presented in the first round. We do a lot of groundwork before presenting names to ensure that our early options can be winners.