Hot property: The quirky, clever and captivating house names going viral

by Nasya

on May 26, 2025

Armorel at Mermaid Waters is part of a new group of houses finding fame with personalisation and branding.

Queensland houses are finding fame with personalisation and branding sending them viral and increasing their value.

While property experts say naming a house isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s certainly surged in recent years.

Designer Jayson Pate, of Jayson Pate Design comes across dozens of property names each week in his line of work.

Mimosa Estate at Hawthorne.

This property in Fletcher St, Toowoomba, is called Cliffhanger. Photo: Cameron Murchison.

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“House names allow the public to easily identify projects and follow along, creating an emotional connection that can help clients and developers get the best pricing for their product if they choose to sell,” he said.

“Settling for a name can at times be difficult, but generally when the right name is found, there’s no question.”

Planchonella House at Cairns. Photo: Sean Fennessy/Supplied

Scorpia at Hamilton. John Gass

Mr Pate said there were several reasons homeowners would name their house.

“The rise and rise of Instagram has seen dwellings almost find fame, and a clever name helps fans follow along,” Mr Pate said.

“It provides personalisation and a way to make a home feel even more like their own.

“And once a home or development has been named, branding can be created which can aid in sales campaigns and marketing.”

Architectural historian Marianne Taylor, of The House Detective, said naming a house continued to gain popularity throughout Queensland.

“I’ve come across quite a few names in my research,” Ms Taylor said.

“One of the most common ones is ‘Emoh Ruo’ which is ‘Our Home’ backwards.”

Dahlia Estate at Tallebudgera Valley.

Ms Taylor said pent-up demand had pushed her to establish a guide to naming a house.

“So many people want to know if their home had a name or what they can call it,” she said.

“In Queensland, it was normally the more prestigious homes that had names.

“It was a way to make a house appear a bit grand or even elite.”

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This month, a Gold Coast new build named Pala — after the vendor’s love of cars including the Chevrolet Impala — sold for a suburb record of $14.005m, via marketing agent Jamie Harrison of Kollosche.

“The name became a symbolic nod to that inspiration, and the car itself was even featured in the campaign, which added a layer of personality and charm,” Mr Harrison said.

“Media, including TV news, picked up on the story, filming segments in front of the car — it became a strong PR moment.

Altitude penthouse at Surfers Paradise.

He said the name became a talking point and helped drive engagement and buyer interest.

“With Pale, the name played a key role in shaping the lifestyle narrative and contributed meaningfully to the success of the campaign,” Mr Harrison said.

“Ultimately, our buyer for this property is also a lover and collector of cars.”

A render of Cloudbreak at North Burleigh.

The Palms at Burleigh Heads.

Mr Pate said his favourite project name he had come across in his career as a designer was Cloudbreak, a luxury property set to be built in North Burleigh.

“While searching for the right name for the project my mind wandered to my client’s favourite interest, surfing,” Mr Pate said.

“While rattling off world famous surf breaks that might have a ring to them, I stumbled across Cloudbreak, (and) that couldn’t be more perfect.

“When standing on the rooftop entertaining decks, you feel like you’re standing on top of the world where the clouds could blow by and break around the dwelling.”