Branding words in plain English

Logo

The picture or styled name people remember your business by. It goes on your sign, website, cards and posts.

How Spark helps: Spark draws a logo for each of your 6 names.

Wordmark

A logo made only of your business name, written in a chosen font, with no picture.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes with a name-only logo (wordmark).

Logo mark (symbol)

The picture part of a logo, without words. Once people know your brand, it can stand on its own.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes with a symbol.

Lockup

The fixed way the symbol and the name sit together, such as the symbol above the name or beside it. Many brands have a stacked version and a wide version.

How Spark helps: You get a main logo and a wide logo.

Favicon

The tiny icon in a browser tab, next to your website’s name. It has to read clearly at a very small size.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes with a browser-tab icon.

Brand palette

The small set of colors your brand always uses, often two to five. Using the same colors everywhere makes you easy to recognize.

How Spark helps: Each brand comes with its colors, with codes you can tap to copy.

Hex code

A six-character code for one exact screen color, like #0071E3. Give it to anyone who builds your website or posts, so your blue is always the same blue.

Typeface or font

A typeface is the design of the letters, like Inter. A font is one version of it, like Inter Bold. Most people use the two words the same way, and that is fine.

How Spark helps: Spark picks 2 fonts for each name.

Brand voice

How your business sounds in words: warm, playful, calm or formal. Keep the same voice in posts, emails and signs.

How Spark helps: Spark writes slogans, bios and launch posts for each brand.

Tagline

A short line that sits with your name or logo and rarely changes. It says what you do or what you promise.

Slogan

A catchy line for ads or a campaign. It can change over time. Many people use “tagline” and “slogan” to mean the same thing.

How Spark helps: Each brand comes with slogans you can use or change.

Trademark

A legal right in a name, logo or slogan you use to sell goods or services. It can stop others in your field from using something confusingly close. In the U.S., using a mark in business gives you some rights; registering it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) gives you stronger, nationwide protection.

How Spark helps: Spark gives every name a preliminary trademark screen, a first look and not legal clearance. Try the free name check.

™ vs ®

™ means “we claim this as our trademark.” Anyone can use it, with no registration. ® means the mark is registered with the USPTO. Use ® only after the registration is granted.

DBA

Short for “doing business as.” It is a business name that is different from your own legal name or your company’s legal name. Many states or counties ask you to file it. A DBA does not give you trademark rights. Rules differ by place, so check with yours.

Domain name

Your address on the web, like sparkmyname.com. You pay for it every year to a domain company (a registrar).

How Spark helps: Spark checks the domain live for each name. You buy it yourself, from any domain company.

.com

The most common ending for a web address. Many people type .com out of habit, so a matching .com is worth a lot. Other endings include .co, .net and .shop.

How Spark helps: Spark’s free name generator checks the .com live.

Social handle

Your @name on Instagram, TikTok, X and other apps. Try to get the same handle everywhere, as close to your business name as you can.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes with a profile picture for your accounts.

Vector and SVG

A vector file is made of shapes and lines, not dots, so it stays sharp at any size, from a pen to a billboard. SVG is a common vector file. Sign shops and printers often ask for vector files.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes in SVG and PDF, plus PNG and JPG.

PNG

A common picture file made of tiny dots (pixels). Great for websites and posts, and it can have a see-through background. It gets blurry if you stretch it too big.

Transparent background

No background color behind the logo, so it sits cleanly on any photo or color. It is usually saved as a PNG or SVG.

Brand guide

A short document with the rules for your brand: which logo to use where, your colors, your fonts, spacing and what not to do. Hand it to anyone who designs for you.

How Spark helps: The brand you choose comes with a 1-page logo guide and a 10-page brand book.

Mockup

A picture that shows your logo on a real thing, like a sign, a shirt or a cup, before you pay to print it.

How Spark helps: Spark shows your logo on a sign, a shirt and a mug, plus a 3D storefront preview.

Brand identity

Everything that makes your business look and sound like itself: name, logo, colors, fonts, photos and voice. A logo is one piece of it.

How Spark helps: Each of Spark’s 6 brands has a name, logo, colors, fonts, a brand photo and words.

Brand photo

A photo that shows the feel of your business, its people, place or product. You use it on your website and in posts.

How Spark helps: Each brand comes with a large (2K) brand photo, made with AI and labeled as AI-made.

Rebrand

Changing your name, logo or look. Good reasons include outgrowing your old look, being confused with another business, or a name problem. It costs time and money, so do it for a clear reason.

How Spark helps: Want to keep your name? Spark can build the brand around your business, for the same price.