What's With the Name?

A Calculated Naming Process

The invention plectrum originally was named The Jawbone (see Origin Story of the 6ePick in the site menu), but at a certain point I decided that name just didn't fit. It was a bit too somber, if not morbid, so I set about to come up with a new one. The result: 6ePick (pronounced "6ixie Pick").

There's 26 letters in the alphabet and, well, there's an infinite number of numbers, so how did I land on the combination of five letters and one number that comprised the new name? No, my grandchildren didn't randomly spell it while playing with the magnetic characters on my filing cabinet (though that would make a great story). In truth, the name emerged from a deliberate and calculated process.

It began with the requirement that the name, as a Name.com web address, needed to appear - embossed or debossed - on the body of the pick somewhere, for branding purposes. Since the body is relatively small, and has just a few flat-ish areas that work as mini-billboards, the name had to be short. The obligatory ".com" already ate up four characters of the valuable real estate.

The next consideration was function. While "pick" applies to many types of tools (dental pick, lock pick, toothpick, etc.), its selection helps establish what the device actually does. Sure, "plectrum" would be more accurate, but it has four more characters than "pick" - a huge difference when branding space is limited.

"You 6e Thing": the Shape of 6 and the "e" Bridge

With "pick.com" locked in, I started exploring whether additional characters to the name could echo or complement shapes found in the design itself. At the time, the Playing Tip was shorter than the current version, and when inserted into the Main Body and viewed from the right side, its outer curve resembled the left side of the number 6 (see accompanying diagram). I felt like I could work with those two similar shapes.

From there I observed that with the right font, or a custom character, the number 6 could be flipped and rotated to resemble a P, the first letter in "pick". This opened up some exciting opportunities for both name and logo design. So, now I had "6Pick.com".

But that name just didn't roll off the tongue very well—it needed a bridge character. "Maybe a vowel? Well, there's just five of them-let's go through them". The only one that really sounded right was "e". Not only does it nod to the world of tech, where “e” often stands for “electronic”, but its lowercase form can echo the circular shapes present in 6 and P, adding a cohesive element to the overall design.

I had my name!

I quickly realized something else: "6ePick" sounds a lot like "Sexy Pick", especially when said with certain accents, such as British, Irish or Australian. The name is catchy. It's memorable. And, hey, we all know the old marketing adage: Sex sells.

So don’t be surprised if, while holding this innovative pick in your fingers and admiring its ergonomic curves and pleasing protuberances, you find yourself softly whispering: “oh, you 6e thing.”

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