MY WEEKEND: Can we get more creative names for our start-ups?

If you are going to name something, please give serious thought to the name you settle for. PHOTO| FILE| NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A name that has some meaning. A name that shareholders will be motivated to put their hard-earned money in, should your business perform well enough to make it to the stock exchange.
  • Schools are another culprit. I know I would be distressed if I went to a school called Bettrober high school, you know, Betty and Robert, because every time I would be forced to say where I went to school, quizzical looks would be directed at me, with people no doubt wondering where on earth the name came from.

I have been meaning to write about this, but it keeps escaping my mind. It is about our lack of imagination when it comes to naming our businesses, or start-ups.

I am especially concerned about those people that either pick the first few letters of their first and second names, fuse them and then register the outcome as the name of their business.

I am told that married couples who decide to go into business together are the ones that mostly do this, after all, they have equal shares in the company, so why not split the company name in half as well? I still don’t get it though, because the legal documents list the two of you as partners, doesn’t it?

Anyway, the result is ridiculous names such as Mathmwen Enterprises, (Mathew and Mweni if you’re wondering) or Kimnje company limited, a meaningless name drawn from the names Kimani and Njeri, a couple that has been married for 10 years, not that the years have to do with anything. Why not just sit down and brainstorm until you come up with a name that will roll off the tongue smoothly when said?

A name that has some meaning. A name that shareholders will be motivated to put their hard-earned money in, should your business perform well enough to make it to the stock exchange.

Schools are another culprit. I know I would be distressed if I went to a school called Bettrober high school, you know, Betty and Robert, because every time I would be forced to say where I went to school, quizzical looks would be directed at me, with people no doubt wondering where on earth the name came from.

I would rather schools stick to the tried and tested method of naming themselves after the place they are located, even though some of the names would end up being a mouthful and painful for those with mother tongue influence.

By all means name your school after a saint, or a towering figure in history or go for inspiring names such as Victors academy or Hope primary school.

The other day, I spotted a school called Harvard Primary School somewhere in Dagoretti Corner – I would rather such an ambitious name, rather than one called Esthpete primary school – you guessed it, named after Esther and Peter, two former teachers that now run a school.

Some time ago, matatus were ordered to form saccos, one of the legal requirements by the Transport Licensing Board. I laughed myself breathless when I saw some of the registered sacco names, such as Kidatho Sacco which, by the way, stands for Kikuyu, Dagoretti and Thogoto areas.

And Kiwaliru Sacco, which I am told represents Kikuyu, Wangige, Limuru and some other place. Such unpleasant-sounding names. There is another sacco called Benjo – the chairman, according to a list in the National Transport and Safety Authority website, is someone called Bernard Njoroge … Sigh!

If you are going to name something that will be associated with you for decades to come, please, please, give serious thought to the name you settle for. That includes the name you give your children, something I have written about before.

If you have a funny or unorthodox name that friends and strangers make fun off, I sincerely sympathise with you. Parents can be so unfair sometimes!      

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FEEDBACK

Thanks Carol for the article. Our  athletes have done us proud. The spirit of teamwork and friendship was exhibited by the athletes. This is a lesson our politicians need to learn. I’m proud to be associated with the athletes and barbs to our politicians.                      Ratemo

 

Sport, unlike other fields, is a highly disciplined one, where team work is emphasised, and also where the sports men and women are taught to be self-disciplined, hence the gentleman way in which they react to failure. You’re right, if all of us, wherever our station in life, learnt to applaud others, the world would be a much better place to live in.

Kelvin

 

Thank you for your article last Sunday. I did not know it, but I needed such a message to remind me that it does not have to be about me all the time, that it is okay not to take the top spot all the time.

Fridah

 

 Despite the sideshows our athletes did the country great. And your article was on point. That we should learn to celebrate other people’s achievements even if it means that we take the second or third position.

Mwitemi