Ever wondered where those curiously strong mints got their name? Or that certain malternative? The stories behind those popular product names and a lot more can be found in Evan Morris’s wonderfully entertaining book From Altoids to Zima.

Evan takes you behind the scenes to reveal the thinking — or sometimes lack of thinking — that went into naming each product. Among the many interesting facts, you’ll find out what the Ms in M&Ms stand for; if Scotch tape was invented in Scotland; and why a cereal that contains neither grapes nor nuts is called Grape Nuts.

The story of each product name is told with Evan’s trademark wit, and the writing is as informative as it is amusing. He also talks about bad names (Edsel), names that suddenly get unfortunate associations (Kool-Aid), and even debunks a few urban legends along the way, like that one about Pop Rocks and soda.

In addition to the book, Evan also has a few equally entertaining websites: there’s Ask For It By Name, where additional product names are explored, My Favorite Word, which is kind of self-explanatory, and The Word Detective, based on his popular syndicated newspaper column, where you can learn just about anything you ever wanted to know about words, except one that rhymes with orange. That one you’ll have to figure out.

Steven Stark is a writer, creative director and word nerd. You can see his work and read some of his other musings here.

Article Tags: Beneath the Brand | Branding | business book | evan morris | from altoids to zima | Naming | Steven Stark
Filed under: Book Review, Branding, Naming, Steven Stark