Having completed several successful naming projects for Kia, the company returned in search of a brand name for their mid-size SUV—a rugged vehicle with an air of refinement and style. The name needed to appeal to both genders while skewing male and have strong global appeal. After test driving many name candidates, we came up with Sorento®. The name covered a lot of miles, rolled off the tongue and evoked the winding roads...

When Kia Motors created a super-mini car for the global market, they once again came to Namebase to develop a name that would appeal around the world. The smart, sassy and cool vehicle needed a name that exudes personality and communicates the urban nature of the automobile. Namebase created Picanto®. The name rolls of the tongue with a spicy flavor perfectly suited to this vehicle’s attitude. Year after year, Picanto...

Kia Motors was one of the first into the market for crossover vehicles and sought a name that easily conveyed the idea of roominess to a global audience. Namebase created Rondo. The name’s phonetic construction and visual approach communicates “open space.” Semantically, the name stems from French Rondeau, a lively form of choral music. In keeping with the Namebase-designed nomenclature system of masculine endings –...

Quaker State had a terrific product: a line of synthetic blended motor oil that helped vehicles endure over time. The name needed to be simple and strong, convey the oil's ability to offset the wear and tear on high-mileage vehicles, and appeal to a largely male demographic with little tolerance for gimmicky sounding names. After several rounds of greasing the wheels, we hit on the perfect mark. In one word, Defy captured the...

Mercedes-Benz came to Namebase seeking a name for its full solution of software and services that would improve the overall driving experience. At Namebase, we love projects with constraints and this was a challenging one. The name had to communicate the idea of control and ease of use without being specific, given the platform was offered in different configurations and that it would evolve over the years. Namebase developed...

Suzuki needed a name for its new premium compact vehicle, designed by Pininfarina for an Italian feel. Forenza, coined by Namebase, was chosen to convey the personality of the car and to create symmetry with the existing model lineup. To add a special flair, the rhythm of the name [fo-REN-za] is wonderfully onomatopoei, suggesting the sound of a revving engine.