Fortune’s “America’s Most Innovative Companies 2024” list honours 200 U.S. companies leading in innovation across various industries. Statista compiled a list of more than 25,000 companies in the selection of this list and ranked them on three pillars: product innovation, process innovation, and innovation culture.
Innovation can spark in a multitude of ways: R&D teams who invent new products; efficient processes that pad a company’s bottom line; inspiring leaders who foster brainstorming and collaboration that lead to original creations. And innovation isn’t just a nice-to-have—nearly every company on this list posted revenue growth in the last three years.
Fortune
Domain Names and Naming Highlights
Based on our analysis of the companies featured in Fortune’s 2024 America’s Most Innovative Companies, we have identified the following key highlights in naming and domain name usage.
Domain Names
Out of the 200 companies in Fortune’s 2024 America’s Most Innovative Companies list, 193 have chosen .com domains. The .com extension has dominated the internet for decades and continues to be the most memorable and widely recognised by internet users globally.
184 companies use Exact Brand Match (EBM) domains. An EBM domain is important for ensuring that a business is easily found online, as it directly matches what customers typically enter when searching for the company.
2 companies on our list use a dash in their domain names. However, using hyphens is generally discouraged, as it makes the domain harder to remember and type accurately. People often overlook the dash, leading to confusion and making the website more challenging to find.
Naming
Personal Names as Brand Names
Numerous companies on the list have adopted personal names as their brand name to create a sense of closeness and trust with their audience. These names, often derived from their founders, honour their legacy while conveying authenticity and establishing a human connection, making the brand more relatable and approachable to consumers.
Examples include Mars, Nike, Dell, Tesla, Johnson & Johnson, JPMorgan Chase, Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, Walt Disney, Timken, Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab, Becton Dickinson, Henry Ford Health, McKesson, Ally Financial, C.H. Robinson, Hewlett Packard (HP), Keller Williams Realty, Pfizer, Edward Jones.
Dictionary Words as Brand Names
Using dictionary words as brand names is a popular choice among companies because these words are globally recognisable, easy to remember, and simple to share.
Examples include Apple, Oracle, Target, PetSmart, Republic Services, Progressive, DoorDash, CarMax, Anywhere, AutoZone, Discover,, Nationwide, Synchrony, Best Buy, WestRock.
Brands with Brandable and Made-up Names
Brandable and inventive names are increasingly favoured by businesses aiming for a unique identity. These fabricated or blended names are memorable, easy to pronounce, and offer endless branding potential, free from existing associations, allowing companies to craft their own narrative and values.
Examples include Airbnb, Netflix, Microsoft, Verizon, Intel, Cisco, Exxon Mobil, Akamai, Corteva, Ebay, AbbVie, Nvidia, Walmart, FedEx, Clorox.
Acronyms and Initialisms
Acronyms and initialisms simplify longer names into concise, memorable, and easily pronounceable forms, establishing succinct and recognisable brand identities.
Examples include IBM, SAIC, RTX, AT&T, PNC, UPMC, CSI, TTEC, HP, CACI, USAA, H-E-B, CBRE, BMS.
Namepicks
Check out our article “How to Name a Unicorn?” for insights on choosing a brand name that can help elevate your startup to unicorn status.
BNY
BNY Mellon, or The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, is a global financial services company formed in 2007 through the merger of The Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation. Headquartered in New York City, it is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services holding companies.
The company’s roots date back to the founding of The Bank of New York by Alexander Hamilton in 1784, making it the oldest banking corporation in the United States. Mellon Financial, on the other hand, was originally founded as T. Mellon and Sons’ Bank in Pittsburgh in 1869 by Thomas Mellon and his sons.
BNY Mellon provides a wide range of services, including investment management, investment services, and wealth management, overseeing nearly $50 trillion in client assets across over 100 markets globally.
On June 11, 2024, BNY Mellon announced a rebrand to “BNY,” signalling its evolution and modern approach to financial services.
These changes complement the company’s evolution as a leading global financial services company. The updated brand conveys trust, resilience and innovation, and helps us align the full breadth of our offerings and capabilities under one brand, to improve familiarity with who we are and all that we do for our clients.
Natalie Sunderland, BNY’s Global Head of Marketing and Communications
As part of its rebrand, the company secured the three-letter .com domain BNY.com. These domains are highly valued for their brevity and versatility, often acting as memorable acronyms for longer names. With over 150 million .com domains registered globally, owning a three-letter .com signifies prestige and demonstrates a substantial commitment to building a strong, recognisable brand identity.
Mars
Mars, Inc. is a global leader in the food, pet care, and confectionery industries. The company was founded in 1911 by Frank C. Mars, who began making and selling butter cream candy from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington. It has since grown into one of the largest privately held companies in the world.
The company’s diverse portfolio includes well-known brands such as M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Skittles, Orbit, Starburst, Altoids, Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin, and others, spanning categories like confectionery, pet nutrition, and packaged food.
Mars is also deeply committed to sustainability and corporate responsibility, with initiatives focused on renewable energy, sustainable sourcing, and improving the health and well-being of pets, people, and the planet.
Our corporate purpose – “The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today” – is our way of articulating what we’ve already been doing as a business. Ultimately, our purpose is the first question that will be asked on every business decision. We want to facilitate a culture that encourages people to think beyond today, and really think about tomorrow.
Andy Pharoah, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Strategic Initiatives and Sustainability, in an interview for Forbes
Mars, named after its founder, exemplifies how a personal name can effectively build a strong and enduring brand. Mars Inc. strategically manages a portfolio of domain names to support its diverse range of products and brands. The company operates its primary website, Mars.com, and owns numerous Exact Brand Match domains for its individual brands, including MMS.com, Snickers.com, Winterfresh.com, Twix.com, Altoids.com, Skittles.com, Ebly.com, Pedigree.com, Starburst.com, Whiskas.com, RoyalCanin.com, and more.
Walmart
Walmart Inc. is one of the largest retail companies in the world, known for offering affordable prices and a wide variety of products. It was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton in Rogers, Arkansas, and has grown to operate more than 10,600 stores and clubs in over 20 countries.
The company provides a range of products, including groceries, clothing, electronics, and household items, all focused on affordability. Walmart also owns a diverse group of brands, such as Great Value, Equate, Sam’s Choice, and Mainstays, catering to a wide range of customer needs. Additionally, Walmart is one of the largest employers globally, with 2.1 million employees.
Walmart’s original legal name at incorporation was Wal-Mart, inspired by FedMart, a discount department store chain founded by Sol Price in 1954. Sam Walton admired Price’s concept and stated that he chose the name “Wal-Mart” because he “really liked Sol’s FedMart name.” On January 9, 1970, the company name was changed to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., a name it retained until February 1, 2018, when the company officially updated its legal name to Walmart Inc.
Our customers know us as Walmart and today they shop with us not only in our stores but online and with our app as well. While our legal name is used in a limited number of places, we felt it was best to have a name that was consistent with the idea that you can shop us however you like as a customer. Looking ahead, we’ll continue to invest in and strengthen our stores around the world and expand our eCommerce capabilities as we help save customers’ time and money. As time goes on, customers will increasingly just think of and see one Walmart.
Doug McMillon, Walmart president and CEO
Walmart’s domain strategy encompasses over 30,000 domains, including various extensions like Walmart.co.uk, common misspellings such as walmarr.com, and dedicated domains for its brands like George.com. Walmart also owns Jets.com, acquired through its $3.3 billion purchase of Jet.com in 2016, which now redirects to its official website, Walmart.com.
RTX
RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) is one of the world’s leading aerospace and defence companies. Raytheon Technologies was formed in 2020 through the merger of Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation (UTC), combining their expertise in defence, aerospace systems, and advanced technologies. In 2023, Raytheon Technologies rebranded to RTX.
RTX is a nod to the past and a nod to the future.
Greg Hayes, the company’s chief executive
The company has three subsidiaries: Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon. The company produces a wide range of advanced technologies, including aircraft engines, avionics, aerostructures, cybersecurity solutions, guided missiles, air defence systems, satellites, and drones.
The company operates under its three-letter domain name, RTX.com. Leading defence companies rely on strong domain strategies to strengthen their branding and establish credibility within the industry.
SpaceX
SpaceX, officially known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is a private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company. SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2001 with a vision to reduce the cost of space exploration and make life multiplanetary by enabling human colonisation of Mars.
The company is also advancing global internet connectivity through its Starlink satellite constellation, which provides high-speed internet access to underserved areas worldwide.
Space X has achieved numerous milestones in aerospace innovation, including the development of reusable rockets such as the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. Its Dragon spacecraft became the first privately developed spacecraft to deliver cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and later achieved the historic feat of transporting astronauts as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. In 2024, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission set new records by completing the first private spacewalk and reaching the highest Earth orbit since the Apollo era.
The company is also developing Starship, a fully reusable spacecraft designed for missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship aims to carry both crew and cargo, with the goal of making space travel more accessible and paving the way for interplanetary colonisation.
You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.
Elon Musk
SpaceX operates under its EBM domain, SpaceX.com. Elon Musk prioritises strong domain names for his brands to strengthen their identity and enhance user experience.
While we make every effort to ensure the data on our site is accurate, complete, and up-to-date, we cannot guarantee its reliability. Our data is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal, financial, or other advice. We strongly recommend that you independently verify any information before relying on it.
The right domain name is an important consideration when it comes to building and protecting your brand. If you’re ready to take the next step and invest in a perfect domain name for your business, contact us to learn more about our available options and how we can help you get started.
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