How to choose a good name for your Citizen Science app

When choosing a name for your Citizen Science app or a project, you're creating a public appearance. You want to make it stand out, and you want people to remember it. Here's a short guideline on how to best achieve precisely that.

What is a good project name?

Imagine, you're talking to a friend on the phone, and he or she tells you about a new app or a new project. Thirty minutes later, you can still remember its name, so you search and find it online- this in a nutshell what a good name for project can achieve. In a best case scenario, a name for an interactive Citizen Science app is short, on-point and communicates a first impression of the project itself. For most Citizen Scientists, reviewers or stakeholders, the project name and the logo is the first thing they will see about your project - its one of the major cornerstones of a project and can make the difference for a successful project in public dissemination or funding. Here is some helpful advice for finding a well working name for your Citizen Science App:

✪ Keep it short and sweet!

A short name is always easier to remember than a long, elaborate one. Combined with the right logo – the first thing most people usually notice - your app or project will stand out as unique and worth remembering.
Ideally, your brand's name and logo already create an image that takes your audience/customers in the desired direction.

✪ Make it sound well

The aesthetic quality of the name and how it is pronounced is important. It is also always good to check if the word or the combination of words are not meaning something completely different or rude in other major languages - even phonetically. We experience our world by association and connections, which can have an influence on deciding wether a name is good or bad. 

✪ Tell a story!

Another essential instrument to further present your brand is the sub-line. This short sentence usually contains an engaging description of what your project/app is all about. The flow of words ideally creates another positive image and invites your audience/your customers/ app users to further engage with your brand/project.

✪ Keep the flow!

Imagine again that phone conversation with your friend. He or she tells you about an observation he or she has made, and you reply: "you should post that on [insert APPNAME here].." Your response comes like it's the most natural thing, the app's name rolls off your tongue easily, as if it's always been here, like an old friend.
That's the effect you want to achieve with the name of any participatory app.

Example logos / names for Citizen Science Apps we created:

Check out the Page: Media & Logos in the Feature section for more Information

We're here to help!

Here at SPOTTERON, we're happy to assist you with finding the best name for your Citizen Science App and create a custom logo if desired, and therefore make your project stand out! Contact us here!