Behind our name
Let's delve into the roots of our brand with a little series that brings the backstory to life.
My Dad and I worked on the concept of Yeu for the first six months without even naming it. All our documents and folders in those early days were just vaguely titled ‘healthy longevity idea’. It wasn’t until we had validated some key assumptions that we even started thinking about naming this new venture. In retrospect, this approach helped us flesh out the business model and value proposition, and decide to go all in based on that - not just the idea of a good-looking brand with a cool name.
With my background in teaching, I quite enjoy a deep dive into names, words, and definitions from time to time. I developed the letter combination "Yeu" for our ‘healthy longevity idea’ (along with a few other options that are still in the vault for now!) Intrigued by its unique sound and potential meaning, I explored its linguistic roots. This lead me to the discovery of the ancient Indo-European root *h2yeu‑ which signifies "vital force" and "youthful vigor." Could we be any more spot-on with a name like that?
The suffixed zero-grade form *yuwen‑, meaning "possessing youthful vigor" or "young," perfectly aligns with our mission in the healthy longevity market. This exploration into etymology not only gave us a distinctive name but also a meaningful foundation. Since then, embracing the spirit of vitality and the journey into healthy aging, we haven't looked back.
So what about pronunciation? We say Yeu just like ‘you’. This means we can play with words and address… you - the people we want to help with our brand and products. You may have noticed us experimenting with this already with our website content and with the URL itself; helloyeu.com!
After settling on the name, we were excited to start bringing Yeu to life with colour and a logo. Curious to know more about our branding story? Stay tuned for part II where I’ll share how we captured the landscape of life contours with a brand identity that combines both nostalgia and innovation to speak to an audience of active, adventurous, and extraordinary people who aim to make the most out of life after the age of 50.
Seize the years,
Rachael
Head of Brand and People
