How does IKEA come up with names for its products?
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IKEA names products using Swedish words, with specific categories like sofas getting place names and bookshelves getting men's names.
IKEA names around 2,000-3,000 new products each year. Founder Ingvar Kamprad disliked numbers, so he used names instead. Two rules govern naming: products get Swedish names (real words, 4-12 letters, preferably containing Å, Ä, or Ö, checked for trademark conflicts and unwanted meanings), while services and functions use local language. Examples include sofas named after Swedish places, bookshelves after men's names, and children's products after animals and nature.
What commenters are saying
Commenters praised the article for clear, direct communication, contrasting it with typical corporate jargon. Some noted the repetition 'remembering numbers and numbers' is likely a translation error. A side thread discussed how Swedish letters Å, Ä, Ö are used on purpose for exotic branding, comparing it to Häagen-Dazs and metal umlauts. One commenter marveled at the difficulty of checking 2,000-3,000 names annually against all languages to avoid obscenities.