Every business, strives to build brand awareness. But equally important is establishing name recognition. When businesses competitively position themselves in the marketplace, they often explore coming up with a unique name. A catchy name can have a long-lasting marketing effect for businesses, as well as any of it’s cleverly named products or services offered under it’s identity. A name is a first impression. A name engages an audience, builds a reputation, and can motivate brand loyalist to take action or make a purchase.

When you think of marketing and name brands you probably think of the products or services you buy. But counterintuitively, savvy marketing names also have a place in sporting venues like horse racing. Naming a horse can have huge stakes in engaging audiences to place bets. While this may seem like an unlikely comparison—naming goods and horses—these two analogies share similarities in their approach, impact, and significance, when it comes to resonating with consumers.

Five Similar Name Qualities For Horses and Brands

Whether for a horse or a brand, certain qualities make a name stand out:

1. Distinctiveness: A unique name helps differentiate from competitors or other horses
2. Memorability: Easy to recall and repeat
3. Relevance: Connects to the horse’s traits or the brand’s essence
4. Simplicity: Straightforward pronunciation and spelling
5. Emotional appeal: Evokes positive feelings or associations

Names for horses and brands rely heavily on creating a lasting impression. For many horse owners, a name can be the only reason a racing fan will choose their horse. Therefore it’s name must be carefully considered giving significant thought to an impressionable name which encourages people to place their bets.

Five Characteristics Associated With A Race Horse Name

A horse’s name can come from a list of traits, observations, or associations. Below are five specific attributes which are given consideration when naming a race horse:

• The animal’s pedigree
• The horse’s physical features
• The horse’s personality traits
• Affiliation to champion horses who have sired their offspring
• Inspiration from mythology, literature, or personal experiences

Aside from these characteristics, there are also strict regulations by breed registries and racing authorities when it comes to naming a racehorse. The rules limit the length of names, prohibit certain words or phrases, and restrict names that are too similar to existing famous horses. But while a good horse name captures attention, bets are also weighed heavily on the jockey, trainer, and owner, whose winning reputation is equally important. A horse’s named can also come from the celebrities who own them and sometimes a connection to their profession.

Celebrities Who’s Racing Horses Have Names Associated With Their Profession

An original horse name can capture attention, shape a fans perception and become impressionable. Even some celebrities who own the horse, can be the reason bets are placed on a filly. In some cases, a horse’s name can also come from a celebrities’ profession as listed below:

• Chef Bobby Flay named his horses Pizza Bianca, and Super Espresso
• Rapper, MC Hammer, named his horse Dance Floor
• Olympian and World Champion skier, Bode Miller named his horse Fast and Accurate, and his association with the horse trainer Bob Baffert named another horse Bodemeister
• Renowned late composer, Burt Bacharach, named his horse Heartlight No. One after a song he wrote for Neil Diamond
• American baseball executive, former player, and manager, Joe Torre named his horse Game On Dude
• New England Patriots tight end player, Rob Gronkowski named his horse after him, Gronkowski
• Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots wide receiver, Wes Welker named his horse Undrafted, because Wes was one of the most successful undrafted football players in history
• Olympian and U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, named his horses By a Hundredth (named for Phelps’ miniscule margin of victory in the 2008 Olympic 100-meter butterfly) and Water Cube (the nickname of the Beijing National Aquatics Center, where the 2008 Olympics swimming events were held)

A Winning Name Can Increase Revenues

While naming a horse and creating a brand name serve different primary purposes, the underlying principles of creativity, impact, and longevity are strikingly similar. Whether it’s a creative play-on-words that captures attention, or a recognizable name that resonates with an audience, being relatable is often synonymous with why a race horse or brand is chosen. Both processes require careful consideration, creativity, and an understanding of the power of language to create lasting impressions. Whether it’s in a stable or part of a marketing team, the perfect name can be a win if betting on a name leads to increase revenues.