A quick note before we start: “Jernsenger” isn’t a word you’ll find in a dictionary. I made it up for this post, and I’m telling you that upfront. It’s an example of the exact idea I want to walk you through today — how picking one invented or unusual word can quietly reshape the way you think, work, and grow.
Here’s a problem I run into a lot. I set a goal, I feel motivated for about a week, and then life gets busy and the goal… fades. No dramatic failure, just quiet forgetting.
What actually helped me break that cycle wasn’t a bigger goal or a stricter plan. It was picking one weird, made-up word — my own personal “Jernsenger” — and using it as a mental anchor I couldn’t ignore. In this guide, I’ll show you why this works, how to build your own, and how businesses use the exact same trick to build brands people never forget.
What Is a “Jernsenger” Word, Really?
A Jernsenger word, as I’m using it here, is a short, invented or unusual term you attach to a goal, habit, or brand so your brain can’t file it away as “just another word.”
Think of it as a label with no baggage. Regular words like “focus” or “discipline” already carry years of mixed feelings for most of us. A brand-new word doesn’t. It’s a blank slate you get to fill with your own meaning.
I picked mine while trying to stick to a writing habit last year. I called the habit my “Vurn” — total nonsense, no dictionary meaning. But because it was weird, I actually remembered to do it. A normal word like “writing time” just blended into my to-do list and got skipped.
Why Unusual Words Stick Better
There’s real psychology behind this, and it’s not just a personal theory of mine.
Researchers call it the Von Restorff effect (also known as the isolation effect) — the idea that our brains remember things that break a pattern far better than things that blend in, and naming psychologists say a distinctive name can boost recall by a significant margin (source: IdeaFloat, “The Psychological Trick That Makes Your Business Name More Memorable”). In plain terms, your brain pays extra attention to anything that doesn’t match its surroundings, and a made-up word rarely matches anything.
This is exactly why so many huge brands use invented names instead of real words. Häagen-Dazs, for example, is a fully invented name that sounds European and upscale despite meaning absolutely nothing in any language. Kodak, Xerox, and Google (from the math term “googol”) followed the same playbook. None of these words existed before someone decided they should.
How to Build Your Own Jernsenger Word for Personal Growth
You don’t need to be a brand strategist to use this trick in your own life. Here’s the process I actually use.
- Pick a goal or habit that keeps slipping. Something you’ve tried and abandoned before is perfect for this.
- Mash two sounds or word fragments together. Grab a piece of a word you like the feel of, and combine it with another. Don’t overthink it.
- Say it out loud a few times. If it’s fun or a little silly to say, that’s a good sign. If it’s hard to pronounce, simplify it.
- Attach one clear meaning to it. Write down, in one sentence, exactly what the word stands for to you.
- Use it daily, out loud or in writing. Put it in your notes app, your calendar, or a sticky note. Repetition is what locks it in.
I’ll be honest, the first time I tried this it felt a little silly. But a few weeks in, I noticed I was checking in on my habit almost automatically, just because the word kept popping into my head at random moments during the day.
Using Memorable Words for Business Growth
The same trick scales up beautifully for small businesses, side projects, and personal brands.
Naming Your Product or Framework
If you run a business, an invented word can serve as a product name, a signature phrase, or even an internal team term. A few real-world examples worth studying:
- Spotify blends familiar sounds into something new and ownable.
- Trello and Slack are short, easy to say, and belong to nobody else.
- Pixar was built from playful, invented syllables that stuck instantly.
None of these words meant anything before the companies existed. That’s actually the point — an invented word has no competition for your customer’s memory.
H3: A Simple Naming Framework for Your Business
- List 3–5 core feelings you want people to associate with your brand.
- Break those feelings into short word fragments (2–3 letters each).
- Combine fragments until you get something pronounceable in one breath.
- Test it on five people who’ve never heard it. Ask them to repeat it back after a few seconds.
- If most people repeat it correctly, you’ve got a winner.
For a deeper look at brand psychology, our post on building a brand identity that people actually remember walks through this in more detail. If you’re specifically working on habits rather than branding, check out our guide to habit stacking for beginners.
Common Mistakes People Make With Invented Words
I’ve made a few of these myself, so consider this the shortcut version of my trial and error.
- Making the word too long. Anything over three syllables gets shortened or dropped by your own brain.
- Choosing something too close to an existing word. This confuses instead of standing out.
- Never writing down what it means. A word with no attached meaning is just noise.
- Giving up after a few days. New words need repetition before they feel natural.
If you want to see how naming and memory research applies more broadly, Verywell Mind’s overview of memory and recognition is a solid, non-technical starting point.
Final Thoughts
A word like “Jernsenger” doesn’t need a dictionary entry to be useful. What matters is that it’s yours, it’s distinctive, and it sticks in your head when the right word wouldn’t. Whether you’re trying to lock in a personal habit or name your next big idea, an invented word gives your brain something it can’t ignore.
Have you ever made up your own word for a goal or project? I’d love to hear what you came up with in the comments. And if this gave you an idea worth trying, share it with someone who could use the nudge, or subscribe for more practical growth tips like this one.
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