There was some hilarity on the Internet a few weeks ago, when Chinese state media published an article advising people to be careful when choosing an English name for themselves—a common practice in the country.

Article by Sylvie Saunders, Head of Words Pearlfisher

From energy brands to home furnishings, the pros and cons of renaming is something of a hot topic in the brand industry. With a recent influx of self-explanatory, simple naming, we could start seeing a backlash if brand stretch isn’t considered and built into the name from the start. A great name needs to have the courage of its convictions and if brands aren’t buying into their own monikers, what hope for consumer buy in?