What's in a name?
- Wave Staffing Editor
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
What we think when your naming your event.
Reflect the essence and truth‑in‑advertising
The name should encapsulate the core theme and experience, not just sound clever; people expect the programme to match what the title promises.
Over‑promising with grandiose terms like “Global” or “World‑Leading” without the substance can damage trust once attendees compare expectations with reality.
Align tightly with your target audience
Use tone and vocabulary that map directly to your ideal attendees’ world (industry language for professionals, evocative sensory cues for food and drink fans, aspirational language for personal‑growth audiences).
Check for cultural reference points and connotations; familiar references can increase comfort, but may exclude or confuse others if too niche.
Engineer emotional and outcome cues
Decide which primary emotion you want to evoke (excitement, exclusivity, calm, discovery) and choose words and sounds that support that.
Where appropriate, signal outcomes in the title itself (e.g., “Intensive”, “Bootcamp”, “Retreat”, “Showcase”) so people can infer what they will.
Prioritise clarity over cleverness - this is a big one!
While wordplay can help distinctiveness, the name still needs to make immediate sense; attendees should be able to guess the category and topic in one.
Overly abstract or metaphorical titles increase cognitive load and can depress response rates because people are unsure what is being offered.
Think long‑term brand asset, not one‑off label
For recurring events, treat the name as a core brand asset you will build distinctive memory around year after year.
Consistency in the main name with flexible descriptors or themes (“Festival Name 2026: Theme”) allows you to preserve recognition while keeping content.
Now you've got the name. Talk to Wave about the staffing of the event
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