Diamond Framework for Naming

A four-point exercise to define your naming strategy around winning

David Placek
Building a culture of excellence | David Singleton (CTO of Stripe)

Diamond Framework for Naming

"Draw a shape of a diamond on a piece of paper... On the top of that diamond, put the word win. How do you define winning is really it." - David Placek

What It Is

The Diamond Framework is a strategic naming exercise developed by David Placek, founder of Lexicon Branding (creators of names like Pentium, Blackberry, Sonos, Vercel, and Windsurf). It helps teams move beyond thinking about naming as "finding a word" to thinking about it as "creating an experience."

The framework forces founders and product teams to connect their naming decision to their broader winning strategy, ensuring the name serves business objectives rather than just sounding good. It's designed to be repeated over several days, not completed in a single session.

How It Works

Draw a diamond shape with four points, each representing a key strategic question:

           WIN
          (top)
         /    \
        /      \
   HAVE         NEED
  (right)      (bottom)
        \      /
         \    /
          SAY
         (left)

1. WIN (Top) - How do you define winning for your company? Start here. Different team members often have different definitions. Getting alignment is crucial before naming can proceed effectively.

2. HAVE (Right) - What do you have to win already? Startups often underestimate what they already possess. You wouldn't be in YC or raising money without something valuable. Document your existing assets.

3. NEED (Bottom) - What do you need to win? Technical capabilities, talent, resources, distribution, a good name. List everything required for success.

4. SAY (Left) - What do you need to say to win? This is where naming lives. Work through all the things you need to say, can say, and want to say in the future. This becomes the foundation for your naming brief.

How to Apply It

  1. Draw the diamond - On paper or whiteboard, create the four-point shape

  2. Work each point sequentially:

    • Define winning (don't rush this - it's foundational)
    • List what you have (be comprehensive)
    • Identify what you need (include intangibles)
    • Articulate what you need to say (this drives the name)

  3. Connect SAY to behavior and experience:

    • How do you want to behave in the marketplace?
    • How do you want the marketplace to behave toward you?
    • What experience are you creating?

  4. Iterate over 4-5 days - This isn't a one-hour exercise. Let insights develop.

  5. Use SAY to generate names - Focus on experience and metaphor, not description. Look for things that communicate your desired behavior.

When to Use It

  • Before starting to brainstorm names
  • When a startup needs a name for documents/fundraising but wants to think strategically
  • When pivoting and the current name no longer fits
  • When preparing to work with a naming agency (do the diamond first)
  • Anytime you're stuck thinking about names as "just words"

Source

  • Guest: David Placek
  • Episode: "Building a culture of excellence"
  • Key Discussion: (00:55:50-01:01:03) - David walks through the complete diamond exercise and explains how to use each point
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube

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