Why Alliteration and Rhyme Still Work in Branding

It's an old trick, but it's old because it works: names that repeat a sound are measurably easier to recall than names that don't, and the effect shows up in controlled studies of memory, not just anecdote.

Why the brain likes repetition

Repeated sounds create a kind of internal rhythm that the brain processes as a single memorable chunk rather than several unconnected syllables — the same mechanism that makes rhyming slogans stick.

Where it's overused

Alliteration can tip into feeling gimmicky in serious categories — enterprise software, healthcare, finance — where a playful name can undercut trust. It works best when the category itself has room for personality.

Testing it yourself

1. Say your candidate names out loud back to back with 2-3 competitor names

2. Ask someone to repeat all of them back after a five-minute distraction

3. Whichever they recall correctly first is doing something right