We’re a bespoke brand naming and storytelling powerhouse. 💪
For brands to truly connect with their audience, who (last we checked) are 100% human, they must begin by mastering human identity and communication. Hence our name, Speak x Human: we help brands identify with, and speak the language of their (target) audience.
Our story:
for all brandkind.
Innovative brands need names and stories that connect with their audience, differentiate them in the market, and help them stand apart with confidence.
And that… is EXACTLY what we’re here to provide.
Our Heartbeat
What we observed 🧐
Too often, brands overlook the profound impact a thoughtful naming strategy and storytelling can have on their business. They invest heavily in visual identity, but don’t give their brand or product names the same level of strategic attention.
And for the ones who do, accessing tailored, high-quality naming solutions is often out of reach, as traditional naming agencies are expensive and often slow, leaving small startups and fast-moving brands to settle for in-house names that may be half-baked, uninspired, or poorly vetted.
In both cases, the results are the same: names that don’t resonate, face trademark risks, or miss the opportunity to establish a compelling and cohesive brand identity.
What we believe ⭐
We believe naming and storytelling are powerful tools for shaping perception, building connection, and creating brand equity. When taken seriously, it unlocks the full potential of a brand’s identity, just like great design does. And naming experts have a role to play in educating founders, marketing teams, and brand leaders on the value of strategic naming and the cost of getting it wrong.
We believe meaningful naming shouldn’t be out of reach for innovative brands. To make this possible, costs and turnaround times must decrease to meet the pace of fast-moving brands that need quick, reliable naming insights and due diligence for their products, services, and overall identity. This requires a more innovative and efficient approach to naming and screening, without cutting corners.
We believe naming is both an art and a science. Every name should be grounded in research, insight, and proper due diligence, yet still spark with originality and creativity. It should feel as bold as your ambition, as focused as your strategy, and as human as the people it’s meant to connect with.
What we're doing about it 💪
We’re on a mission to provide innovative brands with enterprise-level naming strategies and solutions that are truly trademarkable, affordable, and optimized for a memorable identity.
Nope, that’s not a cliché statement. We really mean it.
We care deeply about the stories our clients are telling and the brands they’re building, and we treat each project as if it were our own. Today, our clients see us as their trusted partners, not just another naming agency.
What we offer to you 🤝
We’ve built a flexible naming process that’s streamlined, collaborative, and tailored to your naming challenges. We’ll take on the heavy lifting (research, strategy, creative development, screening) and leave you with a simplified experience. We don’t follow fleeting trends, we’ll dive deep into your brand’s DNA to create names that are memorable, ownable, and help you stand apart with confidence.
FAQs
What's your brand naming process like?
We’ve simplified our brand naming process into 3 phases so as not to overwhelm you.
1 – DISCOVERY:
We begin with a discovery call or questionnaire to understand your project, goals, and challenges. We also set up your preferred communication channel. From there, we research your brand, market, and audience to develop a tailored naming criteria.
2 – IDENTITY CREATION:
Using insights from the discovery phase, we craft hundreds (sometimes thousands) of names. Yep, on one project, we came up with 45,000!
We then shortlist the strongest ideas, conduct due diligence, and present 10–20 top names with meaning, rationale, strategic insights, creative considerations, and mockups to help you visualize the names in action and make a more informed selection.
If you prefer to be more involved, we can review the wider list together, though this can be time-consuming and overwhelming for you.
3 – IDENTITY SELECTION:
You and your team rank the shortlisted names, and the best one becomes your final choice.
We can revise as needed, and our process is flexible should you require audience testing, global screening, storytelling, or other identity solutions.
How involved will I be in the process?
We emphasize a client-led collaboration, meaning you decide how involved you want to be in the process. After the discovery and strategy session, you can choose to be hands-on with regular check-ins or just sit back and let us cook. We know everyone’s schedule is different, so our process is flexible enough to match your level of involvement.
What types of screening / due diligence do you perform?
Core screenings:
- Trademarks (national, regional, or global)
- Domains
- Linguistics
- Social media handles
- SEO / search visibility for online brands
- Amazon brand registry for e-commerce
- App store / Play store for apps
- etc.
Additional screenings (optional):
- Internal stakeholder survey
- Audience testing / validation
- Brand architecture fit
- Geopolitical and culture sensitivity
- Reputation and sentiment analysis
- etc.
For Trademark screening, we use a multi-step research process that checks national and international IP databases based on your target regions. We assess similarities in spelling and pronunciation with existing trademarks in relevant TM classes, and in common law regions (like the U.S.), we also search for unregistered marks. Beyond that, we review domain availability, social media handles, and general online use. If a name passes all these checks, it’s likely trademarkable, though we recommend confirming with your trademark attorney.
Please note: There is a difference between a business name (legal business entity) and a brand name (trademark in commerce).
How many naming rounds and revisions do I get?
You get multiple naming rounds. We typically present 10–20 names per round to keep things focused and avoid overwhelming you. After each round, your clear and detailed feedback is essential, as it guides us in refining the direction and shaping the next set of names. If you simply say “I don’t like the names” without explaining why, we might shed a few tears. 😭
The truth is, communication and collaboration are a big part of what makes the process work. Clients who share their thoughts openly with us often find their perfect name within the first or second round.
You’re welcome to request revisions or alternative directions at any time, and we’ll continue iterating until we align on a name that feels right for your brand. We want to make sure you’re confident in the name and identity we create for you.
However, if after multiple rounds, iterations, and clear explanations of why each name works for your brand, you still don’t like any of them, you won’t need to complete the remaining payment.
How long does the brand naming / review process take?
About 5-7 days. Actually, if nothing is flagged during our due diligence, you may get the names sooner. Additional rounds take about 1-3 days.
If you already have a name and just need a review, it usually takes 1-2 days. For verbal identity or messaging reviews, it can take up to 3 days, depending on the scope.
For broader identity and storytelling projects, the duration will vary, but we promise to work within your deadline so it doesn’t delay other projects in your business.
Can you meet tight naming deadlines?
Buddy, we’ll do aaaaanything for you for the right price. 😎 We even offer an expedited service where you can get a pre-screened name within 24-48 hours.
Do your names fit into a broader brand strategy?
Of course. We review your brand strategy in our initial workup before brainstorming to ensure every name aligns with it.
If you don’t have one, we can work with you and your team to define your brand strategy, values, and positioning before creating your identity.
Can you also help with logo design and visual identity?
Yep. Our sister agency, Feel x Human, can help with those.
How much does a naming and identity project cost?
We don’t have fixed pricing since every project is unique, but we aim to work within your budget.
- Solopreneurs & small startups: $1–5K
- SMEs & larger startups: $2–10K
- Enterprise: $5–10K+
- Name or verbal identity review: under $1K
We also offer discounts to qualifying brands and non-profits working to make the world better. Plus, a special discount for our Passion Projects. Contact us to see if you qualify.
Installment payments allowed. We accept Credit/Debit card (Visa, Mastercard), Bank transfer, Wise, and Crypto (coming soon).
For first-time collaborations, we use escrow payments for security. For subsequent projects, no advance is needed. We believe in building trust and expect on-time payments, just as our partners trust us with on-time delivery of their projects.
How are you able to charge less without cutting corners?
Top agencies charge $20K–$50K+ for naming because it requires deep research, strategy, creativity, and rigorous checks. We do the same for under $10K. Here’s how:
- In addition to suggesting new names, we also repurpose vetted but unused, meaningful names from our enterprise projects, tailored to suit your brand.
- We conduct relevant due diligence. Smaller brands often don’t need as much due diligence or global checks as enterprises.
- We’re fully online-based, reducing overhead costs and passing the savings to you. We present projects digitally via Zoom, Slack, email, or your preferred method.
- Our streamlined process and efficient workflow allow us to deliver high-quality naming at a fraction of traditional agency costs.
For enterprise clients: We still roll out the red carpet, offering comprehensive research, global due diligence, and full-scale identity services at a price still lower than traditional agencies.
Are there projects you cannot work on?
Yes, we tend to steer clear of projects that are illegal, NSFW, or politically, socially, or religiously divisive.
And for the million-dollar question, what's your policy on AI use?
Lol. 😂 We view AI as a tool, similar to how you use Google for search or a spreadsheet to organize data. It’s just one of the resources we use as “added” intelligence. It doesn’t replace our human-centric approach to strategic naming and creative storytelling based on research, experience, collaboration, and your brand’s unique challenge we’re trying to solve.
More questions?
You still have more questions after all that? 😅
