Naming a network: help sought from native English speakers

[Franco Mercalli]

Hi everybody,

A customer of mine is setting up a Ning network dedicated to small businesses (one where business owners and enterpreneurs can do networking, look for partners/cutomers/suppliers, ask/pose questions relating to running their business, and the like...)

My next task is to help him to find an appropriate English naming for this network.

First issue is that I'm not native English speaker and I'm actually rather poor at the language.

Secondly, to make things worse, for some reason we have to stick to a naming for which the acronym "OF" holds. This is a tough constraint.

I have no clue.

Below is a preliminary list of proposals from my customer himself, but none of them is fully convincing to us.

I hope some fellow NCs here could help a bit...

Thanks in adavance to anyone taking the time to read!

=== current proposals ===

OnFirm.net

OnFirm.biz

OpenFirm.net

OpenFirm.biz

OwnerFriend.com

OwnerFriend.biz

OwnerFriend.net

OpenFornet.biz

Other possibilities:

O = On, Over, Open, Opportunity...?

F = Future?

[Franco Mercalli]

Yes, that's another interesting line of thinking.

Thanks Tat for your suggestion!

[Franco Mercalli]

Thanks Sirutti,

what does exactly mean "flos" in overflos.com?

[Nor Cal Social Media]

Hello Franco,

How about that Italy vs. Spain match?!

In your case, without question, my recommendation is:

Officine Italian Innovation Network

Best,

Anthony

[Franco Mercalli]

Hi Stygo,

Thank you for your detailed answer for the time you spent on it.

This is really invaluable help, as you also explain the reasoning behind each proposal.

It is so difficult for a non-motherlanguage person to figure out these issues.

I will definitely build on your ideas!

Thanks again,

Franco

[Nor Cal Social Media]

Wow! You are seriously NOT considering my recommendation?!! I will qualify my suggestion then. Unbelievable! Nothing personal to you or to the rest of the helpful answers here, but the other ideas or terrible in comparison and your client will be doing a disservice to himself for not going with my idea. I don't care if you choose it, or if you like me, but do not go with anything random that does not have quality and class or you are not going to have very much of a network. Almost anything would be better- maybe you should consider Ostridge Found!

So, to qualify my first suggestion- Officine Italian Innovation Network...

The reason you have to stick with OF in the first place is because your client's current network is http://www.officineinnovazione.it/ or Officine Italiane Innovazione. It is a very nice site and the need for an english derivation is clearly due to success with this concept. The OF logo is no doubt in reference to Officine...which in Italian translates to something like Workshop- or more meaningfully Network.

So what your client has is Italian Innovation Network. Not only can you build on that branding and SEO, but you will communicate the value proposition clearly to your intended target market far better than any of these other suggestions. In fact, anything else will be misleading. If you want something that sticks to an English speaking business audience then Officine as Italian for Network. It is unique, catchy, interesting, and proprietary. Then tagline it as Italian Innovation Network and you are done...your client now has an english version of Officine Italiane Innovazione that makes sense.

So once again-

In your case, without question, my recommendation is:

Officine Italian Innovation Network

Best,

Anthony

[Franco Mercalli]

Sorry, Anthony.

In fact, I thought I did not understand your recommendation as the name was so close to the original one.

So in essence you would maintain the first word of the original name and translate the rest. That in fact is interesting. One question: does the word "Officine" reminds some concept in English, or is just a nice foreign term? E.g. in Italian it stands for workshop, as you say, but in spanish it sounds more like "Office". What about English?

And what about Italy vs. Spain match?

Are you linked to Spain in some way?

Would Spain win Euro212 too?

[Nor Cal Social Media]

Hi Franco,

Yes, the first word of the original name would be an outstanding approach in my professional opinion, and would be easy to overlook when trying to come up with a translated version.

I am American, but I thought Italy has shown well in the tournament- especially after the U.S. beat them earlier this year. Holding Spain off as they did could be considered an upset, even though Italy is traditionally one of the best. They also should have won their last game if it were not for a late break of concentration. If I understand, they still have a chance after two draws, so best luck!

Anthony

[Nor Cal Social Media]

Lol! Stygo, nice jab! Nobody can put me down for ego here on Ning Creators. All I do here is offer thoughtful selfless advice!

I offered disclaimer my criticism of the other ideas as nothing personal. I thought along those lines quite a bit before posting and shot down most of my own ideas with the same criticism. My original suggestion wasn't at the expense of any others, and I stand by my qualification.

Now while I do have my own sense of humor, a rather bold personality at times, and am generally not apologetic, ANYONE can put their foot in their mouth from time to time, and comments like yours help to keep us all honest. Sometimes I complain too and I know it can come across as a bitcheesy. So thanks, it's cool.

Love,

Anthony

[Nor Cal Social Media]

It's all good bro, thanks for hitting me back. I just needed a Snickers. BTW, I got Germany as the most dangerous. They have yet to show how dangerous just yet though.

 

[Franco Mercalli]

What about:

• OnFuture.biz?
• OurFuture.biz?

Do they sound ok or do they sound weird?

[Tat Ruck]

OurFuture.biz sounds better!

[Franco Mercalli]

Thanks Tat!