Hello, My Name Is Awesome, 2nd Edition

INTRODUCTION

“Hello, my name is Alexandra.” Sounds simple enough. But strangers often butcher my name. Alexandria. Alexia. Alexa. And, much to my annoyance, the manly version, Alexander.

What about your first and last name? Are they tricky to spell? Difficult to pronounce? Hard to remember? This trifecta of trouble is rampant among brand names: Xobni, Sur La Table, Iams, Flickr, Saucony, and Eukanuba. Those are just a handful of the head-scratchers consumers struggle with. But unlike the name you were born with or married into, these companies chose to start out with names that are easily bungled. At the time, they may have thought they were being clever. But even after being in business for years, they find themselves having to explain the name. ...