Need your advice for a "brand" name

[Ysjoelfir]

Hi everyone!
I have that idea flying around my head for a long time now and I finaly want to start with it:
As I wrote in my new members introduction post, I learned most of the things I know from my father, who sadly died a few years ago all of the sudden. I always wanted to publish some sort of little gadgets and tools together with him, but for obvious reasons that is not possible any longer
But I want to do that on my own now, with a little homage towards him as I would like to create my "Icon" from a drawing he made and used on his own layouts, combined with a "brand name", written in his digitalized handwriting.
But I can't figure out how to name the "brand", if you even can call it a brand, and that is where I need your help. As I am german I may overlook some issues with the names I'm thinking about, for example they could sound strange or resemble something they shouldn't in another language.

A few parameters for the name:
- The products I would like to build should go into the DIY kit section
- They will be easy to build and maintenance.
- My father was a man who loved to tinker around, reuse old stuff, try new stuff
- His name was Lothar and his nickname was Lolo.

I thought about that many days but couldn't come up with anything that doesn't sound like a cheapo Wun Hung Lo company. For example Lo²tech. Looks nice, but sounds horrible. And could be refered to as "low tech" if you pronounce it that way.
I also thought about stuff like D-I-Lo, (like DIY). but that sounded stupid


Someone has any Ideas to help?

By the way.. I don't actualy care if the stuff I would like to sell will make an income, it is realy just some sort of dream of both of us I would like to live.

Thanks!

[sleemanj]

Lotharkit

[forrestc]

Lotharkit

I like it.   

Brands are relatively easy to overthink.  This does everything the original poster wanted.

It's also simple to read in at least English...  probably others as well.   It's also unique and easy to remember.

[Augustus]

Lotharius I, of course 

In Germany, one of the most widely used ADSL Modem/Router combos is labeled "Fritzbox", how cool is that... 

[Wytnucls]

'Lotharizer' seems fashionable these days... 

[zapta]

I like the name lolo (easy to spell and pronounce, catchy, short, can be used as a based for specific production name), and the domain lolo.com is for sale which reduces confusion. You can get a domain name by adding a suffix to 'lolo', for example 'electronics'.

[Ysjoelfir]

Lotharkit

Sounds nice, but in german it sounds a little strange. BUT that could be of use, look a few lines down.

Lotharius I, of course 

In Germany, one of the most widely used ADSL Modem/Router combos is labeled "Fritzbox", how cool is that... 

I'm not building a monarchy Regarding the Fritzbox... Do you know the D-Link Horstbox?

'Lotharizer' seems fashionable these days... 

Oh come on

I like the name lolo (easy to spell and pronounce, catchy, short, can be used as a based for specific production name), and the domain lolo.com is for sale which reduces confusion. You can get a domain name by adding a suffix to 'lolo', for example 'electronics'.

I realy love that (loloelectronics) one, too! But sadly, if you google for that, there are many companies with that name already And I looked for that lolo.com domain for sale, but sadly, I don't have the little amount of "more than 91692.65 Euro" they are asking for, even though I really can't understand why I can't afford that tiny amount. *coughs*

I actualy am quite scared to register loloelectronics domains, as I fear regressions from those companies.
Maybe I should think about Lolokit? Or Lolotronic(s)? I actualy like those.

[Lightages]

Tinkerlolo

[Vgkid]

Lotronix

[Bud]

Just a comment that if you lock yourself to a funky name you may have a risk of you not being taken seriously, even if all you sell is dyi kits.

[Augustus]

I'm not building a monarchy Regarding the Fritzbox... Do you know the D-Link Horstbox?

I've never seen one but I've heard of it. Apparently it was never a success, doomed right from the start because no German wants to be associated with a "Horst", let alone a "Vollhorst"

[free_electron]

Lothar Loted   ( Lothar solders )  LoLo for short ...

[nitro2k01]

In Germany, one of the most widely used ADSL Modem/Router combos is labeled "Fritzbox", how cool is that... 

A friend in NL has nicknamed it the Fritzlbox because of how locked down the configuration interface apparently is. Makes sense especially regarding how it's stylized, FRITZ!Box.

Lothar might come across as the meme "Y HALO THAR" in LOLspeak. People might think the name comes from a lolcat, not your father.

Also consider that th could be pronounced in at least 3 different ways, as T, as th in English the, and as in theory. It might stretching it a bit, but transliterated to a different script (say Chinese, Japanese, maybe cyrillic) it might come across as loser.

I don't think you necessarily need to shy away from lo as in lo-tech. This could also have positive connotations, a DIYer who makes do with what he has, solving problems without overly complicated solutions etc. A wun hung lo company is more likely to have a really cheesy positive name, with the theory that that will bring good luck. Names like Goldstar (now known as LG, apparently Life's Good) or Mean Well, despite the possible reading as an ill-intentioned water containment.

[Ysjoelfir]

Just a comment that if you lock yourself to a funky name you may have a risk of you not being taken seriously, even if all you sell is dyi kits.

Hi Bud and thanks for your comment! Please excuse my maybe somehow blinded question, but can you explain that a bit more? Why do you think it's funky? I realy want to know, as this is the reason why I started this thread, getting to know how my ideas look to other people!
thanks

Lothar might come across as the meme "Y HALO THAR" in LOLspeak. People might think the name comes from a lolcat, not your father.

Also consider that th could be pronounced in at least 3 different ways, as T, as th in English the, and as in theory. It might stretching it a bit, but transliterated to a different script (say Chinese, Japanese, maybe cyrillic) it might come across as loser.

Oh. That would be somehow... bad. really bad I guess I should stick to some sort of short form like the already mentioned lolo-something.

I don't think you necessarily need to shy away from lo as in lo-tech. This could also have positive connotations, a DIYer who makes do with what he has, solving problems without overly complicated solutions etc. A wun hung lo company is more likely to have a really cheesy positive name, with the theory that that will bring good luck. Names like Goldstar (now known as LG, apparently Life's Good) or Mean Well, despite the possible reading as an ill-intentioned water containment.

That is a interesting point, I didn't thought about it like that. hmm....

Thank you everyone for your ideas and please keep on this discussion, it is really helping me out!

[Bud]

Hi Bud and thanks for your comment! Please excuse my maybe somehow blinded question, but can you explain that a bit more? Why do you think it's funky? I realy want to know, as this is the reason why I started this thread, getting to know how my ideas look to other people!
thanks

Because of the same reason as Pepe, Meme or Yoyo would  generate associations with entertainment, fun, birthday party place or something. Would be a good name for a business in that area. I do not know what the owner of Adafruit was thinking when choosing the company name - it creates no associations with electronics and invokes no feeling about electronics whatsoever. Perhaps because of this exact reason this company would be the last on my shopping list when I need to buy electronic parts, modules or kits. It just does not stick. To me that name would work better if it was a grocery store.


 

[nitro2k01]

I do not know what the owner of Adafruit was thinking when choosing the company name - it creates no associations with electronics and invokes no feeling about electronics whatsoever. Perhaps because of this exact reason this company would be the last on my shopping list when I need to buy electronic parts, modules or kits. It just does not stick. To me that name would work better if it was a grocery store.

I think the name was chosen to attract female customers. In part because of what it symbolizes, the fruit (product) of Ada Lovelace. In part because it's distinctly non-techy. Another clue that they might be targeting females: Often (or always?) when a human appears in their product photos they appear to be female. For example, when a hand is shown holding product, it will often show nail polish on the nails.

[Galenbo]

- His name was Lothar and his nickname was Lolo.

I wouldn't use Lolo, in my regional culture it means "woman often behaving as slut", maybe it's the case in other regions too.

So my suggestion: LoT, Lothar of Technics.

[Dave]

Have you considered using your surname as the company name? You know the founder trusts thier company if they use their own name for it. You got your surname after your dad, right?

[Ysjoelfir]

- His name was Lothar and his nickname was Lolo.

I wouldn't use Lolo, in my regional culture it means "woman often behaving as slut", maybe it's the case in other regions too.

So my suggestion: LoT, Lothar of Technics.

THAT would be quite bad o.o Damn   Your suggestion is interesting though, but I think it needs some fine tuning, because you coud think of the lot of items, like buying respectively selling only big bunches of stuff.

Have you considered using your surname as the company name? You know the founder trusts thier company if they use their own name for it. You got your surname after your dad, right?

Yes I did, but who would buy something from a company with a name you probably cant write without a mistake, rather than speaking it without getting a knot in your tongue?

By the way, I didn't even know adafruit had something to do with electronics.. I sometimes read that name but always thought that it would be some kind of modern youtube channel... I guess I get the point of "funky names".

[Dave]

Yes I did, but who would buy something from a company with a name you probably cant write without a mistake, rather than speaking it without getting a knot in your tongue?

Yeah, that could be a problem.

What about LotKit? The .net domain is still available.

[nctnico]

Lotharkit

That name will do very well in Germany!

[free_electron]

Lothars LotKit   =  Lothars solder kits.

[ez24]

make it

easy to spell and pronounce

for the countries you want to sell in

nothing is worse than a name that cannot be pronounced therefore cannot be remembered

[Ysjoelfir]

make it

easy to spell and pronounce

for the countries you want to sell in

nothing is worse than a name that cannot be pronounced therefore cannot be remembered

So you say I should not bother about how it could be interpreted in some foreign country, as long as it sounds good in the main selling areas? I mean, that sounds logical to me, but I am one of those people that want to make things good for everyone... hmm..