What’s in a name?
As I mentioned in my article about logos, your name and tagline are micro-stories that serve as an anchor in your audience’s mind, and remind them of all the experiences they’ve had with your brand before.
They’re just two more pieces of the bigger puzzle that is your brand. None of the pieces by themselves will make or break your brand, but imagine how powerful it can be when all the pieces fit together and create one beautiful, cohesive brand image! 🧩
1. ONDAKI Chiropractic
Let’s start with this one. You might remember from the logo article that this brand is about starting a ripple effect of healing in the community.
Ondaki is a made-up word from ONDA (Spanish for wave) and KI (Japanese for energy, also written as chi)
Of course, people won’t know what it means just from reading it the first time. But if you tell them the story behind it a couple of times, and if it’s reinforced by the logo design and overall branding, they will remember it forever. 🌊 ꩜
Key Takeaway: Invented names can become powerful brand assets when paired with a compelling origin story that patients can relate to and share with others.
2. ALIVE Wellness Center
Dr. Nimira had already been using ALIVE as an acronym for Always Living In Vibrant Energy.
When we rebranded her practice from a personal brand into a business brand, this name made perfect sense.
Again, you don’t know it’s an acronym until someone tells you. But once you know, you don’t forget if it resonates with you.
What appears to be a simple, energetic name actually holds deeper meaning. Dr. Nimira’s transition from a personal brand to a business brand found perfect alignment with this powerful name that embodies wellness and vitality.
Key Takeaway: Acronyms can add an extra layer of meaning to your brand name, creating a memorable “aha moment” when patients learn the full meaning.
3. BE Chiropractic
Sometimes the simplest names carry the deepest meaning. What started as a potential refresh of “Pearl Street Chiropractic” evolved into something more profound through careful brand exploration. BE Chiropractic captures the essence of existence itself—a powerful statement about what life is all about.
Dr. Micaela came to me for a rebrand about a year after she had rebranded for the first time, as she was getting ready to move to a new location and didn’t like her generic logo anymore.
Her practice was named after the STREET it was on. Her new office was going to be on the same street, so why change? (I’ll answer that question in a different blog post.)
I could have just given her what she asked for: a new logo for Pearl Street Chiropractic.
But instead, I asked more questions and had her dig a bit deeper. And BE Chiropractic was born.
BE, because that’s what life is all about. 😘
Key Takeaways: Don’t settle for the obvious choice (like a location-based name) when a deeper exploration might reveal a more meaningful brand identity.
4. FORZA Chiropractic
Dr. Drew reached out to me to rebrand a practice he had purchased.
The practice was called Hawkeye Chiropractic and he wanted to do a full rebrand to Doc V’s Chiropractic because the current name and logo didn’t fit with the vision he had for the new clinic he was building.
During our brand strategy calls we uncovered his very strong Italian roots – and those core values of service, family and tradition run deep and shine through in the way he does business, runs his practice and serves his patients.
Even though he isn’t planning on selling his practice (yet), or hiring an associate (yet), or opening another location (yet) – having a business name that ISN’T focused on HIM (and his name) leaves the door wide open for future opportunities, scalability, and growth.
Forza is Italian for strength or power. And together with the logo design it perfectly reflects the brand’s story and values as a Hero & Ruler archetypal mix.
Key Takeaway: Consider future growth when naming your practice—a name that isn’t tied to an individual practitioner offers more flexibility for expansion and succession planning.
5. Tensegrity Healing
Dr. Cory Wonderly also came to me because he was moving across town into a new space. The problem was that there is another chiropractic office with almost the exact same name down the street from his new address. Yikes!
You definitely don’t want your patients to accidentally walk into the wrong office.
Tensegrity isn’t necessarily a concept people know and understand right away. But once explained to them and its relationship to the body, it’s a powerful reminder of what the brand is all about.
Dr. Cory is also a firefighter and the fire triangle is something we adopted for his brand into the Triangle of Health, another story strengthened through the logo.
Key Takeaway: Technical or scientific terms can work as brand names when they connect to your unique story and philosophy, creating educational opportunities in patient interactions.
6. LUMINNATE
This coaching and mentoring business name brilliantly combines “luminance” with “innate”—a term familiar to every chiropractor. It perfectly encapsulates the brand’s mission: Helping chiropractors thrive so that chiropracTIC can thrive.
Light up your practice. Connect with YOUR innate intelligence and create a practice that is aligned with your values and the vision of your life as a chiropractor.
Damn. I kinda wish I had named my business that, it’s perfectly aligned with MY vision and values.
Key Takeaway: Wordplay that combines industry terminology with broader concepts can create a sophisticated, multilayered brand name that resonates with your specific audience.
7. Second Bloom
Second Bloom symbolizes revitalization and empowerment, offering a profound narrative of transformation for women navigating the complex terrain of midlife transitions.
More than just a chiropractic brand name, it captures the essence of midlife as a powerful period of renewal, challenging traditional narratives of decline and instead celebrating a stage of profound personal growth and rediscovery.
The name speaks directly to pre-menopausal and menopausal women, acknowledging their unique physical, emotional, and wellness journeys with compassion and understanding. It embodies Dr. Cassandra Mason’s deep commitment to nurturing vibrant, fulfilling lives through personalized, holistic wellness approaches that recognize each woman’s individual path to health, strength, and self-actualization.
Just as a plant can experience a second flowering—more robust and intentional than its first—women in this life stage can experience a remarkable resurgence of energy, purpose, and well-being, supported by comprehensive, thoughtful care beyond chiropractic that sees and honors their complete self.
Key Takeaway: Create an emotionally resonant brand that speaks directly to your audience and their hopes and desires.
The Power of Intentional Branding
Each of these names demonstrates how thoughtful branding goes beyond mere words. They’re stories, philosophies, and promises all wrapped into one. Whether through clever wordplay, meaningful acronyms, or straightforward yet powerful concepts, these brands show how a name can capture the essence of a practice while creating lasting connections with patients.
Want to learn more about building your chiropractic brand? Stay tuned for my upcoming post about the difference between taglines and slogans, featuring examples from successful chiropractic practices.
0 Comments