Lynyrd Skynyrd v/s Lehnerd Skinnerd

Now I've often said vowels in a name make for a good brand name. So how come a name like Lynyrd Skynyrd that's so hard to spell, so hard to pronounce and without any vowels is such a great name? Apart from the fact that they made great music, something which came after the name, what else does the name have going for it?

Well, you don't have to have vowels in a name to make it a great name. Hang on, a second. Did I just contradict myself? Yes and no. A name made up of only consonants in which one or more of the consonants is pronounced as a vowel sound doesn't need vowels because it has consonants. Come again? Most certainly. The thing about Lynrd Skynrd is it has two vowels in each word. 'Ly' is a vowel sound. 'Nyrd' has a vowel sound built into it. What else does it have going for it? Repetition. Come again? Precisely. Visual and aural repetition, that's what the words Lynyrd and Skynyrd enjoy.

Words without vowels look odd and when you make up two odd-looking words that look and end similarly - with hidden vowel sounds - you've got yourself a complex admixture of memorable naming principles which throw up a mind-blowing name. Less interesting is what they would have looked had they chosen to brand themselves Lehnerd Skinnerd, minus the 4 Ys. (Though, repetition would still have stood them in good stead.)

In one way, the name Lynyrd Skynyrd is similar to another name I had spent some time analysing; Red or Dead. Also check out some of the unmemorable names they had before they hit upon Lynyrd Skynyrd. Now I hate saying this but since I did, I'll say it. As you ought to be aware of by now, repetition helps.