Brand Naming Agency vs. DIY: Which Is Right for You?

The Naming Decision

You've decided to launch a brand. Now you need a name. You have three paths: hire a naming agency, work with a freelancer, or do it yourself. Each has tradeoffs, and the right choice depends on your budget, timeline, and the stakes involved.

Option 1: Naming Agency

What You Get

Professional naming agencies follow a structured process:

1. Discovery and strategy workshop
2. Competitive and linguistic analysis
3. Name generation (often 100+ candidates)
4. Screening and shortlisting
5. Trademark preliminary search
6. Domain availability check
7. Consumer testing (sometimes)
8. Final presentation with strategic rationale

Cost

$15,000-75,000 for boutique agencies. $75,000-250,000+ for top-tier firms like Lexicon (named BlackBerry, Swiffer), Igor (named Trulia), or Landor.

Timeline

6-12 weeks typically. Some agencies offer expedited processes for a premium.

Pros

• Deep expertise in linguistics, trademark law, and brand strategy
• Rigorous process reduces risk of missing problems
• Creative firepower — teams of professional namers
• Strategic rationale for every recommendation
• Trademark pre-screening built into the process

Cons

• Expensive — prohibitive for most startups
• Slow — weeks of process when you might need a name in days
• You might disagree with all their recommendations
• No guarantee the names will "feel right" despite being strategically sound
• Process can feel overly corporate for scrappy founders

Best For

Companies with significant budgets where the brand name is a critical competitive asset — consumer packaged goods, automotive, pharmaceuticals, major tech products.

Option 2: Freelance Naming Specialist

What You Get

A condensed version of the agency process from an independent professional. Fewer candidates, less testing, but still expert guidance.

Cost

$2,000-15,000 depending on experience and scope.

Timeline

2-6 weeks.

Pros

• Professional expertise at a fraction of agency cost
• More personal attention than at a large agency
• Faster and more flexible process
• Often includes basic trademark and domain screening

Cons

• Quality varies widely — vet carefully
• Less creative bandwidth than a full agency team
• Limited testing and consumer research capabilities
• May not have deep trademark law knowledge

Best For

Small to mid-size businesses that take naming seriously but can't justify agency pricing.

Option 3: DIY Naming

What You Get

Full creative control. You generate candidates, screen them, test them, and make the final call.

Cost

$0-500 (mainly domain registration and trademark search fees).

Timeline

A few hours to a few weeks, depending on your process.

Pros

• No cost beyond your time
• Complete creative control
• Fastest possible timeline
• Nobody knows your brand better than you
• Tools like BrandScout make DIY validation fast and reliable

Cons

• No expert perspective on linguistic or cultural pitfalls
• Risk of confirmation bias (falling in love with a problematic name)
• May miss trademark conflicts without legal expertise
• Limited creative range — you only have your own perspective

Best For

Bootstrapped startups, MVPs, side projects, and founders who enjoy the creative process and are willing to invest time in research.

A Hybrid Approach

Many founders find the best results come from combining approaches:

1. DIY the strategy and brainstorming. Nobody understands your brand's purpose and audience better than you.
2. Use tools for validation. Check domain availability, social handles, and basic trademark screening using automated tools.
3. Hire an expert for review. Pay a freelance naming specialist $500-1,000 to review your top three candidates for linguistic risks and strategic fit.
4. Consult a trademark attorney. Before filing, spend $500-1,500 on a proper trademark search and filing.

This approach costs $1,000-3,000 total and captures most of the value of an agency process.

Decision Matrix

| Factor | Agency | Freelancer | DIY | |--------|--------|------------|-----| | Budget | $15K+ | $2-15K | $0-500 | | Timeline | 6-12 weeks | 2-6 weeks | 1 day - 2 weeks | | Expertise | Highest | Moderate | Varies | | Creative range | Widest | Moderate | Limited | | Control | Lowest | Moderate | Highest | | Risk | Lowest | Low-moderate | Moderate |

The Most Common Mistake

The biggest naming mistake isn't choosing the wrong approach — it's not validating the name before committing. Whether you use an agency or DIY, every name needs availability checking across domains, social media, and trademark databases.

Start validating brand name ideas instantly with BrandScout — whether you're DIY naming or vetting agency recommendations.