What’s in a [business] name?
In my opinion, your business name is simultaneously the most important and least important part of your brand. Why? Well, read on to find out.
When starting your business, picking a name can seem like the hardest part. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming exercise. Read on to find out how…
Photography: Kitti Gould via Broadsheet
Things to consider when selecting a business name:
Availability
It needs to be available on the business name register, as a web domain, and in some variation as a social handle.
Relevance
It's not irrelevant or contradictory to what you do. There’s not doubt that having a business name relevant to your industry or service offering is ideal, but as long as it doesn’t
Personal Responsibility
If you're using your personal name, you understand the sense of responsibility that may come with it. You might be required to always ‘show up’, even if you have employees.
Restricting
Your name doesn't limit or restrict your offering in a way you don't want it to, both now and in the future. ie 'Claire's Plant Pots' implies that I only sell one type of products.
Clarity
It makes sense. Is easy to spell. And isn't offensive, even in another language.
And here’s why your business name isn’t really that important:
Once you build a great brand through strategy, visual identity, product and service offering, communications, marketing, and customer experience, your business name really is just a name.
Think about Google. It’s the brand and services that they’ve created that we love and remember, not the name itself.
Tips for selecting a business name that’s right for your business:
Start a note page in your phone and every time you hear a word or phrase that resonates with you, just pop it down.
Think about the type of service or product you are offering. List synonyms or other words that relate or can be associated with your offering. Did you know… Netflix was chosen, simply by coming up with words that stood for the internet and for movies, and combining them together.
Workshop a name with your friends. Ask them what they do and don’t like.
Be logical: Once you have a list of business name options, create a table with 4 columns; one for all your options, then three for Business Name Availability, Domain and Social Handle. Go through each name and mark what’s available for each. This will help determine which name is the most logical decision.
