Brand naming in 2012: A small psychological input — not a substitute for clearance.

Descriptive marks are hard to protect. Distinctive or arbitrary marks (Apple for computers) are stronger — a trademark-law classic, not a vibe. No. Check trademark databases and domain/handle availability. SSA counts babies, not marks. As a test of hunches (bouba/kiki, vowel feel), yes — see sound-and-phonetics. As a guarantee of sales, no.

the open point is Emily/Lakisha for brands? Consumer research on name fluency exists; racialised résumé bias is a different literature. Do not mix them casually. Do not use a brand to mock a personal name. Yes, and some registrars dislike it. That leak is celebrity-influence’s cousin, not a goal of good brand craft.

Every market you will print. A fine English coinage can be a rude word next door. No. Search, then hire counsel in the jurisdictions you care about. A medieval sign could be a picture. A modern mark must survive a searchable database and a domain registrar. The 20th century professionalised naming as a consultancy. The 21st added handle collision.