Naming Room 65

Graham Coreil-Allen is someone who often thinks about forgotten spaces in society. He wrote a book about these spaces called New Public Sites, and he claims that “It’s important to name these places, because by giving these places succinct and fun and poetic names we can help start a discourse about our public spaces and how we want to envision them for the future.”  The operative words here are “succinct, fun, and poetic.”  A good name should be one that is easily remembered, connects a space to a larger purpose, and prompts discourse which increases the public awareness of the space.  Some of the most known places on Dartmouth’s campus have quirky little names; the DEN, Robo, Foco, FFB, or Top of the Hop.  Even if these names may seem foreign, they are instantly recognizable by students here and associated with their respective places on campus, no matter where they are.  This instant recognition is important when connecting spaces to a larger campus and a better name for Room 65 can give it more recognition in the campus setting.

The DEN is an example of a creative space with a catchy name, Courtesy of Joseph Ferraro Photography

Laurel Sutton is the co-founder of “Catchword Branding,” a firm that specializes in the science of naming things.  She breaks down the importance of a good name, because “Only the names that are most interesting, most pleasant on the tongue, can survive”.  Coming up with good names is not an easy thing to do, and there is a spectrum on which names are placed.  The spectrum goes from most specific to completely arbitrary, from Raisin Bran to Hulu. In the case of Room 65, a “semi descriptive” or “suggestive” name seems most appropriate.  These are names that don’t exist, yet still derive meanings from their root words, like Microsoft.  The name should hint at the potential of the room without losing the charm of a good name.

The bottom line is that names are important, and even simple words can open up a space to possess more importance in a campus community.  With a creative name, the neglected Room 65 can rise out of obscurity and become an area with constant use.

Now it’s your turn to help me name this space!

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