I talk with Win about…

* How he got into naming, from Northbound to Amazon to Salesforce

* Seeing naming as an extension of business strategy

* How Salesforce handles naming requests (it’s unlike anything I’ve heard before)

* Managing stakeholder conflict by arguing their case for them

* Finding creativity through customer obsession

* Advice for new in-house namers

Plus we play Defend! That! Name! and he pitches an electrician company called Watermark, a mushroom grow kit called Updog, and a moss garden called Dumptrucker. Not a stinker in the bunch.

Come see Win speak! He’s speaking at The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina of Naming At Scale. We have an incredible lineup speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

About Win Platt

Meet Win — brand strategist at Salesforce, founder of Little Gay Inn, and firm believer that sparkle and practicality can coexist. Rhode Island native, Shiba dad, and always available for a zesty discussion about The Real Housewives of Rhode Island — and the scalability of that naming convention.

Website: winplatt.com

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a brand in need of naming help, or an agency in need of naming training, you can work directly with Early’s studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk with Marc about…

* His journey from radio to comedy to write to naming to comedy to naming to ultimately bringing ‘em all together

* Old-school naming brainstorm sessions with Lexicon

* Introducing new ways to working creatively at Landor

* His role in popularizing the Christmas hit “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”

* Generally being a fun and funny guy who does lots of projects I admire :)

Then we play Defend! That! Name! and Marc makes a the case for the names Stunted, Indeedy, and, my favorite Grunch. Every name’s a winner.

Come see Mark speak! He’s speaking at The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina of Naming At Scale. We have an incredible lineup speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

About Marc Hershon

What do BlackBerry, Swiffer, Dasani, and Clash of Clans have in common? They were named by a guy who gets his best ideas from improv comedy. Marc Hershon is Director of Naming and Verbal Identity at Landor (WPP), with 35+ years in the field. His Unthink methodology applies improv thinking to the creative process. He co-authored the business book “I Hate People!” (Little, Brown), wrote three Hallmark Channel movies including “Santa Jr.” — the channel’s first-ever Christmas film — and hosts “Television with Marc Hershon.” He believes the way to the best names starts with saying “Yes, and…”

Podcast: Television with Marc Hershon

Book: I Hate People!

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Early’s studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk with Rachel about…

* Her path into naming, verbal identity, and coaching

* The overlap between naming and coaching, and how psychology became central to her work

* Why fear often goes unnamed in creative and corporate settings, even though it influences both sides of the client/agency relationship

* How naming fear can make it easier to work with

* Practical tools to manage fear

* What fear looks like for namers during high-pressure moments like presentations, client meetings, and stakeholder sessions.

* How to respond when clients reject names

Then we play Defend! That! Name! and Rachel successfully pitches the names Oh No!, Suppler, and Quasi for some unexpected businesses and products. Listen in!

Come see Rachel speak! She’s speaking at The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina of Naming At Scale. We have an incredible lineup speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

About Rachel Metter

Rachel is a Director of Verbal Identity at Interbrand and a Certified Professional Coach. She works at the intersection of language, identity, and leadership, specializing in uncovering what lies beneath the surface to drive strategic clarity. Whether naming public companies, building nomenclature systems for Fortune 500 portfolios, or coaching individuals through the beliefs that shape their decisions, she uses pattern recognition and deep inquiry to help clients articulate what was previously just beyond words.

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Early’s studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk with Jed about…

* How he became a namer after starting out as a teacher

* Balancing naming work with his therapy practice

* Fear 😎

* Why rapport matters more than most namers realize

* The “miracle question” as a way to get clients to see beyond limitations they may be imposing on themselves

Plus we play Defend! That! Name! and Jed sells me on Soundless for an art gallery, Jom Jom for an ice cream parlor, and Uprooted for a driving school. Winners, all around.

Come see Jed speak! He’s speaking with Rachel Metter at The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina of Naming At Scale. We have an incredible lineup speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

About Jed Rendleman

Jed is an independent namer and licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice. In both, he helps people find their identities and express them with language.

Website: jedrendleman.com

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with my studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk with Laurel about…

* Her path from Rutgers linguistics to co-founding Catchword to her own practice, Sutton Strategy

* How linguistic disaster checks work, and what you can use them to uncover

* Why clients want to skip them, why that’s risky

* Why in-country native speakers matter

* Cultural checks beyond names: How should we think about colors, images, and context when entering new markets?

* HATING URBAN DICTIONARY

* Being an expert witness (!!!) in court on naming-related matters

Then I change the tone of the podcast and make her play a game with me called “Worldwide Wieners.” You won’t want to miss a minute of this ep!

Come see Laurel speak! She’s speaking at The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina of Naming At Scale. We have an incredible lineup speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

About Laurel Sutton

Laurel is a linguist, strategist, and co-founder of Catchword. Her love of language began with a BA in Linguistics at Rutgers University and continued in graduate school at UC Berkeley, where she specialized in both sociolinguistics and phonetics. She enjoys the challenge of working out strategy and architecture issues with repeat clients like Cisco, Plantronics, Corning, and Keysight.

Despite being born and raised in New Jersey, Laurel speaks excellent English, and has studied French, German, Japanese, and ASL. She is the President of the American Name Society and a Committee Chair of the Linguistic Society of America, and has served as an expert witness on naming and branding issues.

Podcast: Linguistics Careercast

Website: suttonstrategy.com

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Early’s studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

This summer is hot as hell, in the bad way (sweaty, climate demise) and in the good way (fun projects, great collaborators, much to look forward to).

The big thing I have my sights set on is The Business of Naming 2026, the annual conference naming that I co-host with Nina Beckhardt of Naming At Scale and The Naming Group. We have an exceptional lineup of experts speaking on topics you will not hear about anywhere else. It’s September 25th in Brooklyn, NY, and I would love to see you there.

So I’m launching a new season of Big Names in Naming to introduce you to some of our speakers who haven’t been on previous episodes: Marc Hershon from Landor, Eunice Park from SAP, Win Platt from Salesforce, Laurel Sutton of Sutton Strategy, Rachel Metter from Interbrand, and Jed Rendleman. You’ll get a new episode each week leading up to this year’s conference.

(The Business of Naming 2026 lineup also includes past Big Names in Naming guests: Steve Cecil, Tyler Doyle, Jenna Wise, James Mueller, and Brad Davidson.)

In this first episode of this new season, I talk with Nina about…

* My name change

* What last year’s The Business of Naming was like

* Why this year is going to be so, so good

* Ten reasons why you cannot miss it

Plus we play an immature game I wrote because Nina is my friend and I thought it would delight her :)

Play along at home! Which of these is a real company?

1Marbletown Sportsman’s Club: Light citrus lager Chestnut Sports Club: Light citrus lager Backroads Fish & Game: Light citrus lager

2Nana’s Reserve: Sweet dessert sherry The Kentucky Yuppie: Low-alcohol single-barrel bourbon Betty Booze: Canned vodka cocktails

3.Bonearth: A vegetable ice cream brand born from recycled ceramic tablewareA-Knell: AI-powered music generator for solemn occasionsOui Near: Location-based social media platform that alerts you when friends are nearby—and want to hang out

Come to The Business of Naming 2026! You can get $25 off with the code SPEAKER.

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you’re a brand in need of naming help, or an agency in need of naming training, you can work directly with my studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk with Jenna about:

* Addison Whitney’s Ari platform, an AI-powered naming tool designed to support creative exploration in pharmaceutical naming

* Misconceptions about pharmaceutical naming

* The skills needed for a career in pharmaceutical naming, including a love of language and natural curiosity

Plus we play Defend! That! Name! and Jenna tells me why Rest Area is what we’ll all be calling the common cold, why Wakeup Call is the most proper name for an etiquette school, and why Little Bunny could be a comforting name for an obituary writing service.

About Jenna Wise

Jenna is an Associate Creative Director of Verbal Design at Addison Whitney. Since stepping into the world of naming in 2009, she’s helped shape identities for everything from snack foods and cars to blockbuster pharmaceutical brands and global corporations. Her work spans naming, copywriting, scripting, and brand strategy. If she could choose a superpower, it would be omnilingualism.

Connect with Jenna on LinkedIn, or learn more about her work in verbal design and AI collaboration at addisonwhitney.com.

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you're a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Caitlin's studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

Hannah Emery names people—something I find daunting, as a namer. We get into it!

I talk with Hannah about:

* Hannah's background in sociology and how it informs her approach to naming.

* The process she uses to help parents choose baby names—which includes March Madness style brackets!

* How the popularity of names has evolved over time

* The unique challenges and considerations involved in helping adults choose new names for themselves

* Supporting name development and naming decisions in scenarios like multicultural families

And so much more!

Plus we play Guess What We Do Here? And I give Hannah a set of three “better” names to wonder about.

About Hannah Emery

Hannah Emergy has a PhD in the sociology of identity, has been telling stories since she was a kid, and has worked with dozens of individuals and families seeking meaningful names.

Names, stories, and identity have been her passion for decades. She loves helping clients find the intersections of language, culture, and history that encompass what they're looking for in a name. Because every name journey is unique, and every name has a story.

Website: janusnamejourneys.com.

Substack: janusnamejourneys.substack.com

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast.

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you're a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Caitlin's studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk to Scott about:

* The journey from philosophy to working at Interbrand in Japan and New York to founding Tanj

* How we grieve for the names of businesses that don’t last long enough in market

* His work creating short-form naming content (GO ENJOY IT!)

* His advice to his current self from his younger, scrappier self (this really hit home…)

Plus we play That Can’t Be Real! And Scott does shockingly well when faced with names sourced from my little town of Kerhonkson, NY.

About Scott Milano

Scott is the founder and managing director of Tanj. For more than 15 years, Scott has focused on verbal identity — harnessing the power of language to deliver lasting, tangible impact on brands globally. For more, visit Tanj.co.

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you're a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Caitlin's studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.

I talk to the brilliant Orlaith Wood and Jamie Thorp of Reed Words about:

* Orlaith’s and Jamie’s naming origins in underwear and booze

* Collaborating across offices and time zones on naming work

* The importance of giving oneself "permission to be stupid," as some of the best names come from initial “dumb” thoughts

* How Jamie used AI to develop Name Dealer, putting 10 years of Reed Words' naming data to use

Plus we play Defend! That! Name! and the two of them tell me why Tiny Tucker’s Big Bucket is a magnifique name for a French bistro in Tampa, why Tidy cleans up as the name for a lawn-mowing robot, and why Doinkies wins on a “post-consumption feeling” level as a name for an absinthe.

About Jamie Thorp

Jamie is a Senior Writer at Reed Words. From NFTs, to luxury condos, to sex toys — if it sits still long enough, Jamie’ll name it. Before joining Reed Words, he kick-started his career at Pearlfisher, where his claims to kinda-fame include writing the Wagamama menu, and naming a startup now owned by Ellie Goulding. His names win awards — including a D&AD Pencil for “Wallbaby” (an online Swedish art store). Fun fact: Jamie is from an island called Jersey, which is what the football jersey is named after.

About Orlaith Wood

Orlaith (pronounced Or-la) is a Creative Director at Reed Words. She has been naming things for over a decade. After a somewhat inauspicious first brief naming a (since failed) cameltoe prevention underwear brand, she’s gone on to much more successful naming projects — like award-winning sustainable beauty brand “UpCircle”, and a boutique hotel in Dublin, “The Wilder”. Orlaith speaks three languages (English, Irish, and French) which helps keep her references for naming nice and broad. She is currently tackling her toughest naming brief yet: coming up with a name for her first child, who’s due in August.

Orlaith and Jamie are both based in London, UK, and work at Reed Words, a brand writing agency.

Big Names in Naming is a Naming for Everyone podcast

For more naming resources, live and self-guided classes, and a weekly newsletter, visit namingforeveryone.com. And if you're a major brand in need of naming help, you can work directly with Caitlin's studio, Wild Geese Studio. wildgeesestudio.com.