How to Name Your Apartment Building: Tips for Boosting Occupancy and Naming Mistakes to Avoid

One surprisingly tricky decision when starting an apartment business is choosing the building's name. The apartment name is a critical factor that directly affects occupancy rates, and there are many cases where changing a name has led to improved occupancy. This article covers everything from the history of apartment naming to key considerations and specific naming techniques.

Who Decides the Apartment Name?

For individually owned apartments, the landlord is free to choose any name they like. Large real estate companies often use their brand names, but individually owned apartments allow for unique naming. Since the apartment name becomes part of a resident's address, many tenants prefer something stylish.

How Have Apartment Names Changed Throughout History?

Apartment naming has followed trends that reflect each era.

Edo to Meiji Period

During the Edo period, single-story wooden row houses were the norm. From the Meiji period onward, two-story buildings appeared, and Western-style structures began to increase due to the influence of Westernization.

Taisho to Early Showa Period

Reinforced concrete construction emerged during the Taisho era, and names like "〇〇-so" and "〇〇 Heights" became common.

High-Growth Era to the Present

The high-growth era brought a condominium boom. Naming using French and Italian words such as "〇〇 Palace" and "〇〇 Maison" became fashionable. Today, English-based names like "〇〇 Residence" and "〇〇 Terrace" are the mainstream.

How to Choose an Apartment Name That Improves Occupancy?

Keep the following points in mind when thinking of an apartment name.

Make It Easy to Read and Remember

Avoid difficult-to-read or overly long names; a simple name of around 3 to 8 characters is ideal. Consider whether the name will be convenient when written as part of a mailing address.

Keep Your Target Audience in Mind

For family-oriented properties, choose a warm and welcoming name; for single-occupant units, go for something stylish — select a name whose image matches your target residents.

Leverage the Location's Characteristics

Incorporating the nearest station or local features makes the location easy to visualize and improves searchability. However, consider the possibility that place names may change over time.

Avoid Negative Impressions

It is also important to check that the pronunciation or spelling does not carry a negative meaning in any foreign language. With the growing number of international residents today, consider how the name comes across in multiple languages.

What Naming Patterns Should You Avoid?

• "〇〇-so": Tends to give an outdated impression and may deter younger tenants
• Using a personal name directly: Names like "Tanaka Apartment" can also raise privacy concerns
• Names that are too long: Tenants may be put off by the inconvenience of writing them as an address
• Names that are hard to read: Increases the risk of misdelivery of mail and packages

What Are the Procedures and Precautions When Changing an Apartment Name?

When changing an existing apartment name, the following steps are required.

1. File a building name change registration at the jurisdictional Legal Affairs Bureau
2. Notify current residents and support them with their address changes
3. Notify the post office: arrange mail forwarding from the old name
4. Update information on real estate portal sites

Since residents will have to go through the trouble of updating their address, it is ideal to make the change at a time when tenant turnover is occurring. Be sure to also check in advance for any impact on property management operations that the name change may cause.