From the guys who brought you Pollywog—a Minneapolis naming and branding agency that “works with brands in their formative stages”—a list of 2007’s best brand names. Pollywog’s principals and the authors of the list are John Stucker and Devon Thomas Treadwell, veterans of firms including Campbell Mithun, BBDO, J. Walter Thompson, and Young and Rubicam. Herewith, their picks.


{1}  Wii  With a name that sounds small and childish and makes an easy target for potty humor, the Nintendo Wii created a media firestorm when it was introduced. There were dire predictions of failure and the brand name was nearly universally panned. But it was a name that you didn't forget. Phonetically, it sounds like "we," a nod to its multiplayer design—or "whee," the sound of people having fun. Graphically, the lower-case i’s resemble two little people, which has been used to great effect in the Wii's TV commercials. The Wii quickly outsold the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3.


{2}  FUBAR  Could there be a better name for a demolition tool? Stanley scored a home run with this extreme name for its extreme redesign of the lowly crowbar. The [source of the] acronym ("f*cked up beyond all recognition") aptly describes FUBAR's end result. Having "bar" in the brand name helps define the tool, while the profanity embedded in the acronym gets the brand down and dirty along with its customers. And heck, it's just fun to say.


{3}  Jawbone  A Bluetooth headset whose brand name resonates with multiple layers of meaning. In addition to describing where the headset is worn, "jawbone" means to verbally persuade, and isn't that what you're doing most of the time you're on a cell phone?


{4}  Obsidian  Caribou Coffee's dark, smooth roast maps nicely to the black, glossy stone created by molten lava.


{5}  Twitter  It’s a Web site where people share what they happen to be doing at the moment, no matter how trivial. Imagine millions of cheeping chickadees and you won't be far off.


{6}  Blackbird  This sleek desktop PC is Hewlett Packard's answer to such high-powered computer gaming–system rivals as Alienware, Overdrive PC, and Dell's XPS series. Inspired by the famous Lockheed reconnaissance plane, the name perfectly suits the black wedge-shaped CPU that appears to hover a few inches above its aluminum stand.


{7}  First Blush  All-natural grape juice sold by Whole Foods. The name evokes the blush of the grape as well as a feeling of youthful innocence and purity—an attractive combination for a natural food product.


{8}  Chevy Volt   Electric concept car. The name is short, friendly, and perfectly fits the product. Now if they would just put it on the market.


{9}  RoughRider Wheelchair  Designed for use in developing countries, this inexpensive and easy-to-assemble wheelchair has a name that says it can handle less than optimal conditions.


{10}  Hint  A great name for a bottled water containing no sweeteners, no preservatives, and no calories—just a hint of natural flavor. And it's fun to order, too. "Can you give me a Hint, please?"