If you’re looking for a business name, it should be memorable and embody the feeling of your brand. Unfortunately, paying someone to find that perfect company name can cost thousands of dollars but don’t worry!
You can tap into your creativity instead and get inspired on your own by brainstorming or asking friends for help. This article gives you tips to deal with how to come up with a business name.
Tips for coming up with a business name
Source – link
Use acronyms
Many major companies use acronyms instead of their full names. For example, AOL and BBC are both well-known examples of this practice. Therefore, if your business is called Pearce Marketing Agency, you might want to consider going by PMA (Pearce Marketing Agency).
Create mash-ups
What are two or three words that you and your business can combine in a meaningful way? One example is TripAdvisor, which comes from “trip” and “review.” Another is Evernote (from “forever” + note) which produces an app known to save everything.
Netflix derives its name from combining the internet with movies = Netflix. A great example of this technique would be ‘SaladGo,’ a restaurant specializing in salads-to-go. It fits on just three syllables; this is a potential answer to how to come up with a business name.
Draw inspiration from mythology and literature
Nike is one of the most iconic brands in Greek mythology. Other well-known companies like Oracle, Hermés, and Mars have mythological names.
One option to channel your name’s origins with Nike is to research other well-known companies’ origins and see if there are any that might match what you’re looking for. There’s a wide range of options available, such as Bacchus for wine shops or Aphrodite for beauty stores.
Use your own name or Mix things up.
Another way to solve the mystery of how to come up with a business name is by using your own name. Make your business feel personal by incorporating your own name. Many well-known brands use the creator’s name – like Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Boeing (named after its founder William Boeing), and even Mc Donalds.
If you’d like to try blending numbers five and six, see if you can come up with something by combining parts of your name with other words. For example, Ikea combines the founder’s name Ingvar Kamprad and his hometown Elmtaryd Agunnaryd.
Use nicknames or try to tweak the spelling
Consider using your own name or child’s name for a personal touch. Or, use the nickname of someone you love for an impactful brand that will make them sentimental. After all, Mercedes was named after the founder’s daughter.
Add or remove a letter or change the spelling of a word you are already using to create an eye-catching business name. Flickr and Tumblr dropped the “e” at their names to develop concise, attention-grabbing brands. Or invent new ways to sell your company’s reputation by choosing essential words for your business like Reebok did–the athletic brand was inspired by “rhebok,” meaning antelope in African languages.
Use a symbol or Abbreviate
How can you come up with a business name? You could draw inspiration from an essential element of your work. A good example would be Naturol, which communicates what the company is and is easy to remember (Small business win-win).
A great business name should not be too long. If there’s a word or phrase with a definite meaning to you, think about using part of it for your brand name. Take Cisco; the founders were inspired by their founding location, San Francisco.
Look at your product from another angle.
Sometimes when it comes to your product, you have to step back and see if your phone looks like a Blackberry! Or maybe designing makeup palettes with flowers. Why not use the idea as part of the brand name?
Source – link
Tell your story or Make it descriptive.
Another way to solve the mystery of how to come up with a business name is by using your own name. Why not get creative and pick your unique story-telling name like Virgin (the founders’ way of saying they were completely new) – we’ve seen this many times.
What are the words that best describe your business? Think about this and write down all of the options. Consider 7-Eleven’s logo, and they use their company name (7-11) to tell people what they offer: 24 hours a day service.
Your business name is a way of reminding yourself (and your employees and customers) what you believe in. A name like Nomad immediately conjures thoughts about travel, adventures, and the idea of wandering freely without any limitations.
Things to be checked before finalizing a name
The next thing to take care of after dealing with the question of how to come up with a business name is a checklist of things before finalizing.
Source – link
Is the name hard to spell?
You don’t want potential customers to have difficulty finding your business online. It makes sense to avoid being constantly reminded of the misspelled version of your name when you are told it’s wrong or asked how it’s spelled. Keep things simple.
What you want for your business is a name that’s not too boring but also not too “out there.” You want it to be something everyone can say without hesitation and something the target audience will resonate with.
Is the name limiting your business growth?
Narrowing your company’s name too much may cause you problems. Imagine if Jeff Bezos had picked a more specific name like “OnlineBooks.” Choosing something vague and applies to many different products, like Amazon, would have been better. So avoid titles such as “Wedding Dresses of San Francisco” or “LugNuts Unlimited.” You don’t want to limit your business to one product or just one city.
Is the name available?
When you have finally settled on a name you like, search the web. More often than not, there will be someone who has already taken that business name as their own. Search USPTO.gov to get an idea of whether you can get a trademark or service mark for the name.
Before registering your business, search the Secretary of State’s records to ensure that the name won’t be confusingly similar to the one already registered. If it is too similar, the Secretary may not allow you to register it. Your corporate lawyer can help with this kind of search.
Is the domain name suitably catchy?
Customers tend to associate a “.com” name with an established business. Undoubtedly someone will already own your desired “com” name, but many domain owners are willing to sell their names for the right price.
Does the name convey some meaning?
Your business name should be clear and meaningful. Can people instantly figure out what the purpose of your business is? While names like “Google,” “Yahoo,” or “Zappos” are catchy, they will cost you more to brand. Some examples of good domain names are Canny.com, Cling.com, Afire.com, and Administer.com. A domain name such as ‘OnlineTickets’ conveying meaning about a company’s work may be genius for search engine optimization.
Conclusion
First of all, make sure your name is available by ensuring it does not match a competitor’s. If you are downright lucky and find your business has an original name, secure the matching domain right away, set up an Instagram handle, and even consider applying for a trademark.
Once you have a name for your business, start promoting it with some marketing materials. Display your company’s logo on postcards and more so that customers will easily recognize it. Keeping the font consistent along with the logo is also essential to create a cohesive experience from start to finish to stay true to its brand identity.
