Choosing a business or product name is incredibly nerve-racking and challenging. It’s one of the more difficult decisions to pivot from down the road because we will be investing in that name from day one. Changing our name requires some level of rebuilding.

Names often reflect a brand’s position. Tito’s represents a hardworking Texan while Tahoe Blue showcases the cause it supports and Reyka explicitly states where it’s from. For us, we wanted a name that fit our mission to give back and change the world, while also easy to order at the bar (e.g. Jack & Coke).

I kept a Notes file on my phone and would add any name that popped into my head. Over the course of 6 months, I’d add look for names, think of names, and ask friends for suggestions.

I showed the list to anyone who was willing to comment. I ended up with over 70 names - the list is pictured below (the ones in bold were taken) - and I would try each of the names out in my head. Pretend order it at a bar. Pretend elevator pitch. Pretend explain the meaning.

I looked at different languages, past nicknames, names associated with change, and anything that I could get excited about. A few that excited me the most included Fresh Tracks, Fair Shake, and Dregs.

I really loved Fresh Tracks (a play on the ski term first tracks) because it represented opportunity and a clean slate. Unfortunately, it could also be associated with fresh track marks - a connotation I definitely wanted to avoid.

I chose Dregs. Ultimately, I couldn’t get past the dual meaning of dregs:

the remnants of liquid left behind (e.g. the dregs of wine)
a group of people in society who are considered to have no value

“Drink to the dregs” is a term Franz Kafka used, signifying drinking to the bottom of the glass and getting drunk, but for me it could also mean drinking to the “dregs of society” - the folks who our systems and societal structures have left behind.

Dregs Vodka was born, but the name stumbled out of the gate.

A close friend, who new the term “dregs” wondered why we’d name it after the sediment of a drink. A patron questioned me about oil dregs; another asked if we made our vodka from the leftovers of food scraps. Far too many called it “drugs” vodka and expected something entirely different.

But, over time, as we honed and crafted our story and got better at sharing why Dregs, the name became natural. It’s who we are. Plus, it sounds good to order a Dregs and soda at the bar.

Building in Public: Part I Selecting a Name