The word "名称" is formed by combining the character "名", meaning "name", which historically incorporates "夕" for evening and "口" for mouth to imply calling out to identify, with "称", meaning "to call" or "designate", which combines "禾" for grain and "爯" as a phonetic component, originally related to weighing and thus extending to naming. Together, "名" conveys the essence of a name and "称" adds the action of calling or assigning, resulting in a compound that denotes a designation or title.