The name of your hipster cafe should follow the 3 C’s: catchy, concise, and contextual. It should quickly convey what your hipster cafe represents, and tell a story or vision that resonates with your target audience. If a brand name meets this criteria, it lends itself to better, more effective marketability.
In 2015 my business partner and I hired a professional brand designer—a German dude who, ironically, had a distaste for consumerism. We explained to him our values, vision and goals. After a month of conducting research we decided on ‘Bang Bang’, a name that appealed to Anglophones (English, Americans, Australians, etc) and especially local Cambodians. For local Cambodians, the name Bang Bang followed the 3 C’s:
- CATCHY: Bang Bang is easy to pronounce and remember, short, and punchy. (Bang Bang is a Khmer onomatopoeia, imitating the sounds of punching akin to “POW POW” in English.)
- CONCISE: The Khmer spelling of Bang Bang (បុ័ងបុ័ង) was derived from the Khmer word Nombang (នំបុ័ង), meaning bread (our hipster cafe was also a sourdough bread bakery). Before deciding on the name, we showed the words Bang Bang in Khmer to local Cambodians, provided no explanation, and asked them about their thoughts. All of them instinctively believed the words Bang Bang was related to bread or a bread bakery.
- CONTEXTUAL: The words Bang Bang had the power to evoke a specific nostalgic memory from local Cambodians. Bang Bang is also a common expression that local bread street vendors holler, often repeatedly in the early hours of the morning with bundles of baguettes strapped to their bicycles or motor scooters. Aligning with this, our vision was to establish ourselves as a neighbourhood bakery and bake fresh breads for the community.
I’m Thinking About A Name For My Hipster Cafe. Where Do I Start?
Thinking about it is a good start.
Next, narrow your thoughts to individual words. What does your hipster cafe sell or do (coffee, cakes, brews, bakes, etc)? What does your hipster cafe value most (family, friendships, tradition, authenticity, innovation, etc)?
Now grab a pen or pencil (not your phone or laptop; we want mind to paper ASAP, with the flexibility of drawing or sketching). Write down your list or web of words. Continue, with or without breaks, until you have a minimum of 20 words related to your hipster cafe.
Once you’re satisfied with your list or web of words, take a step back and analyse. You may recognise common themes. Those themes will take you a step closer to the name of your hipster cafe.
If you do have potential names for your hipster cafe, check for relevant trademark, website and social media profile availability.
I Like Animals, Though. Can I Name My Hipster Cafe ‘The Big Beluga’?
Oh, definitely, sure!
Just keep mind, every word has connotations (implications or associated meanings). For example, if I saw a cafe called ‘The Big Beluga’, I might think of a family friendly, blue-white themed restaurant specialising in a comfort food, or dessert, maybe boba or ice cream, possibly in large portions.
How About A Made Up Name Like ‘Neeji’?
Absolutely, why not!
Some of the most famous brands have abstract, made up names: Starbucks, Adidas, Pokemon, Ikea, Google. If choosing a ‘meaningless’ name for your brand, be prepared to invest heavily into marketing.