6 Great Product Names on the Shelf (and Why They Work)
From Goodles to Good Phats
In the crowded world of food and beverage, nearly 105,000 new products launch globally each year — roughly 300 every day.
That means even the most delicious, innovative product enters a marketplace where every brand is competing for attention.
A great name changes that dynamic.
Instead of shouting, the right name quietly tells a story — who the brand is, how it’s different, and why someone should care.
Here are six product names that do that beautifully.
Good Phats
Simple, effective, and packed with meaning.
At The Nameist, this kind of name hits the highest benchmark for product naming.
Goodles taps directly into the better-for-you comfort food movement. Consumers want the nostalgia of mac and cheese — but with modern expectations like higher protein and cleaner ingredients.
The name delivers both ideas instantly: noodles that are gooder.
The brand
Co-founded by Gal Gadot, Jen Zeszut, Paul Earle, and Deb Luster, Goodles aims to disrupt the $4.4 billion mac-and-cheese market.
Their products combine nutrient-dense noodles with flavors like “Cheddy Mac” and “Twist My Parm,” balancing childhood comfort with adult sensibilities.
Fishwife
No list of standout food names would be complete without Fishwife, the brand that helped spark the modern tinned-fish renaissance.
The name draws from a centuries-old term for the outspoken women who sold fish at market stalls.
It’s bold, slightly irreverent, and full of personality — exactly the tone the brand leans into.
The brand
Founded by Becca Millstein and Caroline Goldfarb, Fishwife sources sustainably caught fish from small canneries in Spain, Washington, and British Columbia.
Paired with bright, lifestyle-forward packaging, the brand transformed pantry seafood into a cultural moment.
Living Things
Phrase-based names continue to grow in popularity — and for good reason.
They offer multiple layers of meaning.
In the case of Living Things, the name references both live probiotic cultures and a broader idea of vitality and wellness.
It’s simple, human, and quietly evocative.
The brand
Living Things produces low-sugar probiotic sodas in flavors like passionfruit guava and ginger lime.
The brand focuses on balancing gut health benefits with real flavor — avoiding the medicinal taste that has held back many functional drinks.
Partake
Partake may be the most elegant name in the growing non-alcoholic beer category.
The word gets directly to the heart of the brand’s promise: participation.
It signals that you can still join the social ritual of drinking — without alcohol.
Few names communicate positioning so quickly.
The brand
Founder Ted Fleming created Partake after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and giving up alcohol.
Rather than leaving the craft beer experience behind, he set out to build a non-alcoholic option that preserved the social and sensory aspects of beer culture.
Today, Partake offers a range of award-winning non-alcoholic beers that focus on flavor rather than compromise.
What These Names Get Right
The strongest product names tend to do at least one of three things:
• Flip expectations (Good Phats)
• Elevate a category ingredient (Acid League)
• Capture a clear positioning (Partake)
Most importantly, they give people something memorable to hold onto in a crowded marketplace.
A great product name doesn’t just label what’s inside the package.
It tells the story before someone even picks it up.
Working on a product name?
The Nameist helps brands find names that stand out on crowded shelves. Get in touch.
This article was originally published on The Nameist Substack.