(FORTUNE Magazine) – Peter Lynch says you should know what you own and know why you own it. Perhaps he should add, Know what it spells. The companies below have opted for one-word ticker symbols--although in some cases they have little to do with the company's name. Southwest Airlines, for instance, goes by LUV because many of its flights originate in Love Field. KISS is easier to figure out: It's short for Kismet Energy Corp. "It's easy to remember, and people can fall in love with it," explains Kismet CEO Rakesh Dhir. Of course, having a cute symbol doesn't promise success. Of the 15 stocks below, at least four are trading at sub-IPO prices. Which begs one more axiom: Know what your stock spells--and when it spells trouble.

--Jane Hodges