Naming a business or company isn’t like naming your pet. After all, a business name is something you present to the whole world, your customers, and investors. It is the first impression of your company, and it should be impactful.
Moreover, your business name headlines your advertisements, sets your company tone, and will be with you for a long, long time. Therefore, you should definitely read this detailed guide and learn how to select a ‘catchy’ business name.
1. Know What Your Brand Is All About
Before you start thinking of different business names, know what your brand is all about. Know what is your company’s mission, vision, values, target audience, and personality. To know this, answer the following questions:
- What is the purpose of your business?
- What do you aim to achieve?
- What principles guide your business operations?
- Who are your customers, and what do they value?
- What are your unique selling points (USP)?
- Is your brand formal or casual?
- Is it innovative or traditional?
- What emotions do you want your brand to evoke?
Example: If you are running an eco-friendly cleaning service, the aforementioned aspects of it may be like this:
- Mission—Sustainability and health
- Target audience—Homeowners who are conscious of saving and sustaining the environment
- USP—Use of organic, non-toxic cleaning products
Following these aspects, you can think of and/or choose names like: “GreenGlint” | “EcoCleaners” | “GreenCleaners”
2. Keep It Simple, Short, and Memorable
A business name should be easy to spell and easy to say. To make it like this, keep it short and concise. DO NOT use complex words, terms, and unusual spelling.
Examples: “Apple” | “Bean” (a name for a coffee shop)
While short, easy-to-say names are recommended, keep them unique and unexpected to make them memorable and stand out. Use techniques like alliteration, rhyme, and/or puns to create memorable business names.
Examples: Alliteration (e.g., “Coca-Cola”), rhyme (e.g., “Lean Cuisine”), or puns (e.g., “Bread Pitt” for a bakery).
3. Ensure The Name Is Relevant to Your Brand
The name should clearly depict the ‘niche’ of your business, tell your customers the unique aspect (s) of your brand, or convey something meaningful.
Examples: These are some names that reflect a particular trait of the company:
- “Dixi Tech Solutions”—indicates that the company is in the technology sector
- “Lean Cuisines”—shows that it is a restaurant
- “Speedy Car Wash”—reflects the quality which is ‘fast’ service
- “Velvet Touch Car Wash”—gives an appeal of ‘carefulness’
NOTE: Consider the cultural values and social norms of the area in which your business operates. Have a name that doesn’t feel ‘offensive’ to the customers. According to the GovDocFiling guide, your legal business name and your trade name or DBA for marketing purposes might be different.
4. Keep It SEO-Friendly
Ignoring online marketing is like opening a business but not telling anyone. A business or company has to be online to acquire more customers.
The first step in this journey is to buy a domain for your company name. Since the domain name matters in SEO, your company name should also be SEO-friendly to rank well on the search engine result pages.
For this, use a keyword in your business name or the domain name you’ll buy later for it. While it shouldn’t consist of the exact keyword phrase, it should only have a relevant concept to provide clarity around your brand.
Example: A famous fashion brand ‘Sabo’ uses the domain name ‘saboskirt’ in its URL: www.saboskirt.com. The ‘skirt’ keyword is for the brand’s flagship product.
5. Combine Different Words to Form Brand Name
One technique to come up with a catchy and unique business name is combining different words. For example, combine “sweet” and “artisan” to create a “Sweetisan” Bakery. Or, merge different parts of words, such as “Brunchies” for a brunch café.
6. Choose Name That Doesn’t Limit Your Growth
When choosing a company name, evaluate that it doesn’t limit your growth or, more specifically, expansion in the long run. For example, if you sell mobile phones, there are chances that you’ll also sell laptops one day.
So, think about your long-term business goals and ensure the name can grow with you. Avoid names that are too niche or specific to one product or service.
Answer this: what if ‘Amazon’ was named ‘online books’ when it started back in 1994? Won’t it be difficult to sell all the items this platform is selling now other than the ‘books’? The name would’ve limited the growth.
TIP: Consider the international markets, too, if you’ll expand there. If so, ensure the name you choose isn’t tied to only one specific location.
7. Check Availability of Brand Name you Choose
Trademarks
First of all, if you want to start a corporation or limited liability company, check whether the business name is already taken or not. According to the state’s laws, you can’t use a name that another business is already using.
In the US, use a free tool called the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), provided by US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO to check for existing trademarks. Use this tool to perform a trademark search and ensure the name isn’t taken.
Domain Name
Once you find out that your desired name is available for trademarks, look for a matching domain name (with the ‘.com’ TLD extension). Use tools like Namecheap or GoDaddy to check the domain availability.
In case you find one, buy it immediately. In addition, secure its .net, .org, .biz, and other versions, too. Doing this will stop others from using the same domain name as yours but with a different TLD extension.
TIP: Contact owners if the ‘.com’ version of the desired domain name is taken. Most of the time, they are willing to sell the name for the right price.
8. List Down All Business Names and Choose One
Write down all the business names you find on a page following the aforementioned tips and tricks. Or, open a document or a spreadsheet on your computer and type in all of them.
If you find that you need more name ideas, use a company name generator tool. This tool helps you come up with creative and unique names that you might not think of on your own. The company name generator saves time and effort by quickly generating a list of potential names based on topics or keywords you provide.
Conclusion
Many key steps are involved in the process of choosing a catchy business name. First, understand your brand; know its mission, values, target audience, and unique selling points. Try to find names that are simple, short, and memorable.
Ensure it is relevant to your business, and reflects its niche and key qualities. Include relevant keywords in the name to make it SEO-friendly and improve online visibility. Combine different words for a unique touch and avoid names that limit future growth.
Check if the name is available for trademark and domain registration. Finally, list potential names, gather feedback from friends and colleagues, and select the one that best represents your brand and is easy to remember.
