How to Name a Business: 5 Tips for Naming Your Business

Your business’s name should indicate the goods or services provided and reflect your company’s values and mission. When brainstorming names for your business, keep these considerations in mind:

1. 1. Uniqueness: A business name should be attention-grabbing and communicate your desired brand identity in a way that distinguishes your business from competitors. Business names that are too generic will have poor SEO (search engine optimization) since search engine results will yield numerous similar companies.
2. 2. Simplicity: A great name is clear and easy to remember. If your business’s name is too complicated or needs additional context to understand, potential customers will be more likely to forget the name. Your company name doesn’t have to be one word, but it should be straightforward regardless of length.
3. 3. Availability: Avoid choosing a brand name that already exists or is similar to an existing name. You'll run the risk of confusing potential customers, and you may incur legal issues. To ensure your business name is available to trademark, search the name in the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s website. It’s also important to check your business name for Internet domain availability. Make sure there's an available domain name in your price range and that it's a “.com” domain as opposed to a less common domain like “.net.” Also, check that social media handles with your name are available. If everything looks clear, register all items as soon as possible.

Whether you're a new small business owner or you’re trying to launch the next big tech startup, these five tips can help you choose the perfect name for your company.

1. 1. Make your name adaptable. The right name is unique but not too narrow in scope. Your name should allow for your business to expand into related products and grow beyond a geographic location. For example, if you own a cake shop, you might avoid a name that overemphasizes cakes if you’re considering eventually selling other types of baked goods. Similarly, a business with a state in the name might have challenges expanding nationally.
2. 2. Use a business name generator. Brainstorm new business name ideas with the help of an online business name generator. Enter keywords that describe your brand, and a business name generator will automatically aggregate a list of potential business names. These tools are a great starting place for inspiration.
3. 3. Take readability into account. A name can look unique and memorable, but it should be easy to read out loud. Make sure there is only one possible pronunciation to avoid confusion. One technique for generating a memorable, readable name is to use alliteration.
4. 4. Be careful with creative misspellings. Intentionally misspelling words has been a naming trend, especially for tech startups and e-commerce businesses. This naming method’s benefit is that it's much easier to find an available domain name and social media handles. However, this naming technique can make your business name difficult to remember and explain. Before using this naming style, be sure to weigh the pros and cons.
5. 5. Consider your name's acronym. Customers may refer to your company by its acronym or abbreviation. Before finalizing your business name, double-check that its acronym is acceptable.

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