Are you looking for the best way to test names for your brand or product?
After all, choosing the right name is the launchpad for business success. It’s the first thing people see when browsing for solutions or researching companies.
A name has to tell everyone what your business or product does and how it helps them – in just a word or two.
The best way to narrow down the countless potential name options is to conduct testing, preferably with real people who match your target audience.
We’ve helped thousands of clients do market research, drive more sales, and build customer loyalty with the right name, branding, products, and more. Now, we’ll help you find the right name for your business or product with these four name testing apps and methods. Let’s dive in!
Why should you test your brand name?
If you’re reading this, you’re likely looking for a tool with name testing functionality – whether you’re testing the name of your company, app, product, brand, or something else.
The right apps and tools for name testing will help you:
- Pick a name that stands out from the competition on the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store (if you’re launching an app), online marketplaces (if you’re launching a new e-commerce product), or other businesses in your industry
- Make critical product and branding decisions based on actual data instead of guesswork
- Save time and resources by doing proof of concept testing early in the branding or product development process
And the opposite is also likely when you don’t do research and testing – you might create offerings that don’t work with your target audience (and you won’t know the reasons why).
The following section will feature methods and marketing tools to help you test names, collect data, and make the right decisions for your business.
4 best name app test tools you should know
Audience research tools allow you to work dynamically with your end users. By collecting and analyzing their opinion on a name, you uncover unique audience insights.
The following tools will help you gather such data to incorporate them into your brand strategy and achieve your goals. Here are te best apps to help and how to leverage them.
1. PickFu
PickFu is a polling platform that lets businesses of all sizes test their brand, app, and product names (and other things!) The platform has a built-in panel of real consumers that you can segment using 90+ demographic traits to reach your target audience. And you’ll get results back quickly – most polls finish in hours or less.
You can use a variety of poll types to test your names:
- Head-to-Head polls: Running this poll is like doing a split test or A/B test for a name. You’ll add two name options and ask your audience which one they prefer and why. Use this to break a tie or decide between two different directions for your name.
- Ranked polls: Use this poll type to get feedback on three or more names. Your audience will rank all the options in their preferred order. This is ideal when you want to narrow down multiple options or dive deeper into your audience’s thought processes behind why they like and dislike certain names.
- Open-Ended poll: Ask your audience for open, unfiltered feedback on your name, with questions like “What kind of business do you think [your name] is?” or “What do you think about the name [your name] for an app that does X?”
Here’s an example of an Open-Ended poll asking for feedback on a name for a dating app. AI tools will summarize your responses and find themes in what people liked and disliked about each option, helping you analyze and take action on audience feedback faster.
It’s not possible to rely solely on your own opinions about whether a name will work – and this is why you’re best served by running a quick name testing poll with PickFu.
Sign up, launch a poll in minutes, and get responses from real people fast. We have a respondent base of 15 million vetted people that you can target by country, interests, demographic, and more – best of all, it’s cost-effective, starting at just $15 per poll.
Test your brand, app, or product name with PickFu!
2. Google Forms
Google Forms is a free and simple tool flexible enough to run quizzes, create signup forms, and run simple name tests.
Just go to the Google Forms homepage and create a new form.
Give your form a name and a short description. Add at least two form fields: one should be a multiple choice question and the other a “short answer” question. Add your relevant questions and details and hit “send” to share your form with others.
The image above shows an example where we conducted a simple poll for a personality test app. This type of market survey or poll is easy to make and share, but there are clear disadvantages:
- This format is basic and not very visually appealing
- You need to have a large existing database of users to send it to
So, you can use Google Forms for free with your existing customers, partners, friends, or others. But to reach a larger base of potential customers who match your target audience, you’re better off with a tool like PickFu.
3. Social media platforms
Social media apps and their APIs have a poll feature. You can easily create name test polls on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and even WhatsApp.
This option will work for you if you have a large community of engaged followers on your social media profiles. It’s also useful if you’re testing the name of a specific type of app, like an APK for “love test” app, for example. This type of app aims to test the compatibility between people and might get the best results from a specific audience on social media.
In that case, go ahead and run a poll using Facebook or Instagram stories, an X post, or the best social media platform for you.
Keep your questions simple and give your followers two options to choose from. Make sure you add attractive graphics and a compelling headline to get people to participate.
Publish your poll and wait for the results to come in. You’ll likely get a clear winner, but you’ll lack insightful data about why your followers picked a name, what they like and dislike about each option, and what demographic they belong to.
The open nature of social media platforms exposes your poll to potential manipulation by hackers. You also can’t vet your poll respondents to ensure their authenticity. But this is still a good method if you have a strong social media presence and want to run a free name test quickly.
4. Ask your peers
Another effective strategy for name testing is to leverage the power of your online network and connections.
You can do this by creating a post on your LinkedIn profile or in a closed group. But it’s a good idea to ask for feedback on your app name on industry-specific forums or even via direct email to your email list.
When you ask your peers for advice, you’ll tap into their knowledge and experience, getting insights you may not have considered otherwise. It can also help generate buzz within your industry about your upcoming app, product, or startup.
Despite how simple this approach seems, you’ll get opinions that will significantly inform the naming process. However, it can take a long time to get responses (and to parse through all the responses once you do get them) – or you might fail to engage people completely. People who know you and your business might also be biased when giving feedback, and not be 100% truthful about what they really think about your name options.
Your best option still lies in using a professional app like PickFu that can give you high-quality insights from a built-in audience that matches your target customer.
Look no further than PickFu to test your name
Whenever you find yourself saying, “I have an idea for an app/product/company” remember that transforming that idea into a successful business involves testing and refining.
The name of your brand or offering plays a critical role in its success. It’s the first introduction to your work, so it’s vital to make it count!
Try PickFu to gather consumer insights, stop guessing, and start making decisions based on real, concrete user feedback. Let our platform support your journey from conception to launch.
Test your names today with PickFu!
FAQs
What is a name test app?
A name test app helps you conduct user testing and research to learn what your audience thinks about your app name.
PickFu is an example of an app or platform for testing names, logos, color schemes, and other brand elements.
What are some of the features of name tests?
Name tests ensure you get the best start for your online app by choosing the best name. Some key features include good user experience on the app, the ability to add multiple questions screenshots, and a screening option to target the right audience. A good name test tool like PickFu will also generate reports and provide an analysis of the name test results.
