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Best Practices for Naming a New Entity

Before finalizing the name for a new or newly endowed unit on campus, relevant leaders in the academy and Development should consult with an appropriate Notre Dame communications and branding partner for review. Contact Beth Grisoli (egrisoli@nd.edu), assistant vice president of creative and brand management, as a starting point.

Naming considerations

In reviewing a proposed name for a new center, institute, program, or other entity, communications and marketing staff should focus on several key areas to ensure consistency, clarity, and strategic alignment with Notre Dame’s overall brand identity. This includes:

1. Brand consistency and strategic alignment

  • Institutional fit: Ensure the name aligns with Notre Dame’s academic reputation, mission, and Catholic identity.
  • Naming conventions: Verify that the name follows established patterns for similar entities (e.g., “Institute for...” vs. “Center for...”).
  • Hierarchy and structure:Confirm that the name appropriately reflects the entity’s role within the University (e.g., distinguishing between a department, center, or institute).

2. Clarity, simplicity and usability

  • Ease of understanding: Ensure the name clearly conveys the entity’s purpose and is intuitive to internal and external audiences.
  • Avoiding confusion: Check for similarities with existing university units to prevent misunderstandings or brand dilution.
  • Pronunciation and spelling: Assess whether the name is easy to pronounce and spell, reducing potential communication issues.
  • Concision: Users will naturally shorten a longer name. Consider how users will actually reference your unit (both written and verbally), and consider alignment from the start.

3. Visual and digital identity considerations

  • Logo and wordmark compatibility: Ensure the name will fit within existing Notre Dame visual branding guidelines for logos, signage, and promotional materials.
  • Digital presence: Check with NDCreative regarding domain name availability (e.g., an appropriate .nd.edu web address) and assess how the name functions in social media handles and search engine optimization (SEO).
  • Acronym considerations: If an acronym is likely to be used, review its meaning to avoid unintended associations or negative connotations.

4. Audience perception and market positioning

  • Public perception:Conduct a high-level review of how external audiences (students, prospective students, donors, peer institutions) might interpret the name.
  • Competitive benchmarking: Compare the name to similar entities at peer institutions to ensure it remains distinctive and competitive.
  • Cultural and linguistic sensitivity: Evaluate whether the name could have unintended meanings in different cultural or linguistic contexts.

5. Legal and trademark issues

  • Trademark search: Conduct a preliminary search to identify any existing trademarks or potential conflicts with external organizations.
  • Intellectual property review: If the name references a corporate entity, foundation, or individual, ensure necessary permissions or agreements are in place.

6. Internal and external stakeholder input

  • Faculty and leadership consultation: Ensure that faculty and leadership within the relevant academic or administrative units support the name.
  • Alumni and donor relations:If the name honors a donor or individual, coordinate with Development teams to assess long-term reputational risks.

Specific recommendations:

Naming

  • Keep it short and simple. In the world of branding, communications, and social media, long titles are naturally shortened. Are there words within the name that are unnecessary to its meaning?
  • Consider whether “Notre Dame” is needed within the naming structure. In most cases, it’s not providing value. The user will understand (via branding or context) that the unit is associated with Notre Dame.
  • Acronyms are rarely identified, remembered, or understood by our audiences. Avoid them unless absolutely necessary. Focus on simple keywords that will communicate purpose instead.
  • Do some basic due diligence before deciding on a name. At a minimum, scan for similarly named units at Notre Dame and in the broader world.

Branding

  • Longer names are difficult to incorporate into logos and branding. If a branded identity is expected, a long name will negatively impact the final design work. Brevity is key.

Websites

Receive OPAC approval regarding website subdomains in advance of promises to a benefactor. OPAC will explore conflicts, similarities and overlaps with other University websites, or other digital concerns that might not be evident to the benefactor or Development staff. Do not assume a subdomain is available or will be approved. Contact Zach Allen (zallen2@nd.edu) with questions, or submit a request for a subdomain.

If discussions regarding subdomains are included in the benefaction process, here are principles to consider based on the University’s subdomain guidelines:

  • The University no longer approves surname-only domains.
  • Acronym-based subdomains are rarely approved.
  • ND should not be included in the subdomain — it's redundant with the nd.edu part of the domain.
  • Residence halls must contain the word “hall” in the URL. Example: flahertyhall.nd.edu