SaaS naming trends: Verbs and action words dominate (Zoom, Slack, Notion, Figma). Short, pronounceable, memorable. Technical-sounding names losing favor except in deep enterprise. Friendly names suggest easy adoption. 82% of unicorn SaaS companies use single-word names.
Action-Oriented Names
Verbs win: Zoom (action of camera), Slack (reduce work), Notion (idea capturing), Stripe (swift action). Names suggest what product does or how it feels to use it.
Imply benefit: Salesforce (force behind sales), HubSpot (hub for marketing), Zendesk (zen customer support). Benefit embedded in name. No explanation needed.
Single-Word Dominance
Brevity rules: Slack, Zoom, Asana, Monday, Airtable, Figma. Single word is gold standard. Easy to say, type, remember. "The" test - can you say "Let's jump on [Name]" naturally?
Two words maximum: Dropbox, GitHub, DocuSign. Still works. Beyond two words = friction. "Schedule a meeting using The Multi-Purpose Enterprise Collaboration Tool" = no.
Enterprise vs SMB
Enterprise signals: More technical-sounding names acceptable. ServiceNow, Workday, SAP. Buyers are IT professionals. Credibility through seriousness.
SMB signals: Friendly, approachable names. Mailchimp, Canva, Shopify. Small business owners aren't technical. Accessibility reduces adoption barrier.
Category Creation
Define the space: Salesforce didn't say "CRM software" - they defined "Customer Success Platform." Category-creating names become category synonymous. Aspiration: "We need a [YourBrand]."
First-mover naming: If creating new category, name shapes category perception. "Slack" made workplace chat feel casual, not enterprise. Name positioned entire market.
Technical vs Friendly
Technical credibility: Developer tools often use technical names. GitHub (git + hub), Docker (container + nautical), Kubernetes (Greek for helmsman). Technical audience appreciates cleverness.
Non-technical users: B2B doesn't mean technical. Marketing SaaS, HR SaaS, Sales SaaS serve non-technical buyers. Friendly names reduce intimidation.
Marketplace Positioning
Platform names: Shopify, Etsy, Airbnb. Marketplace names suggest community, not just software. Place to do business, not tool to use. Relationship framing.
Infrastructure names: Stripe, Twilio, Plaid. Infrastructure feels foundational, essential, invisible. Names suggest building blocks, not flashy applications.
Freemium Naming
Accessibility first: Freemium models need names that don't intimidate. Canva (canvas simplified), Notion (simple idea), Loom (weave together). Low barrier names for low barrier entry.
Upgrade potential: Name should work at enterprise scale too. "QuickBudgetTracker" sounds small. "Notion" scales from individual to Fortune 500. Future-proof naming.
AI and Emerging Tech
AI naming surge: GPT, Claude, Jasper, Copy.ai. AI-first SaaS needs names that feel intelligent but not threatening. Balance innovation with accessibility.
Overused patterns: "AI" suffix becoming generic. "Smart" prefix dated. Find distinctive positioning within AI space. What makes your AI different?
Integration Ecosystem
Connector names: Zapier (zap + -ier), Make (formerly Integromat). Integration tools suggest connection, flow, automation. Names imply bridging function.
Ecosystem fit: If product lives in ecosystem (Salesforce AppExchange, Shopify App Store), name should work alongside platform. Complementary, not competing.
Trademark Strategy
Class 42 crowded: Software services trademark class is heavily filed. Expect conflicts. Made-up words dramatically improve clearance odds. Descriptive names nearly impossible to protect.
Global from day one: SaaS is inherently global. Clear trademark in major markets before launch. US, EU, UK minimum. Add major target markets as you scale.
Trademark Lens checks SaaS name availability - software trademark classes are crowded, making comprehensive clearance search essential before product launch.