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How to Create a Memorable Business Name:
To make it memorable, your business name should convey the feeling of your brand, its mission, and values, hint at the story behind why you started this business, and be user-friendly. We've put together an easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to help you create a great, memorable business name.
Create a naming brief.
Write a description of your business.
You should be able to write down a clear and concise description of your business and the kind of products or services you provide. This may sound very simple at first, but people tend to over-explain and complicate their answers. The more specific you are, the better.
Consider your target audience, too, and write down a description of them. Use your business plan to help you out with your descriptions.
Tell your story.
The reason you started your business may provide some valuable inspiration for your business name. Also consider what you do differently and the products or services you provide, and write down key points.
We recommend asking more specific questions, such as:
- Why did I decide to open a cafe instead of a bar?
- Why did I choose to produce uniforms for companies instead of schools?
- Why did I choose to offer accounting services to individuals instead of companies?
Write down some character traits for your business.
Talk to friends, family, and peers who know about your business idea and ask them to write down some characteristics and adjectives that come to mind when they think about your business. This can help you gather an idea of what you'd like your business name to convey.
Once you have a list of character traits, create a sub-list of synonyms and related words for each trait.
Get creative.
Keep a list of competitors' names handy.
You will want to be sure that your name is unique, attention-grabbing, and memorable, so keep a list of competitors' names handy. This will also help you to avoid names that sound too similar.
Keep in mind what makes a good name.
A memorable business name will evoke a feeling or image related to the brand. It is usually rooted in something familiar, as that makes it easier for people to remember, or it can evoke an image to help our brains make associations. Ideally, it should move people and cause a reaction, whether that's happiness, laughter, or nostalgia.
A good business name will also encompass the theme of the business so that it has staying power for the future, even if the business expands to include other products or services.
Start brainstorming names.
Using the lists you've created, you can now start brainstorming names. Try out names that evoke a feeling or image related to your brand. You can also take your keywords and run them through a name generator.
Once you get started, you'll soon realize how easy it will be to write interesting and intriguing names and, above all, names that allude to the experience your customers will have, tell a story, and evoke feelings.
It's a good idea to have some creative constraints, such as sticking to words with no more than two syllables, or trying to come up with alliterative words. This will keep you focused so you don't have too long a list to choose from.
Name your company.
Review the names you have come up with.
Go over your list of possible names and consider the following:
- Does it sound good or is it fun to say?
- Does it look good when written out?
- Is it easy to spell and pronounce?
- Does it describe my business?
- Is it simple?
- Is it similar to any of my competitors?
- Will it work if I expand my business?
- Would it make a good domain name?
- Is the corresponding domain name available?
See how your names look in different mediums. Draft a logo, say the name out loud, write it in an email. By making the name ideas real, you will get a better sense of what works and if it connects to your brand.
Poll your name with potential customers.
You should have cut down your list a bit in the previous step. Now, gather a focus group and show them your shorter list of potential business names. Ask them to pronounce the names and ask them what the names mean to them.
Check back after a day or two and see what names people remember.
Check for any weird meanings.
When you create a business name, you stand the chance of it having a strange or inappropriate meaning in another language. Do a Google search to check for any such issues.
Pay attention to the Urban Dictionary when looking through your Google results.
Check for legal viability.
You should now have a very short list of potential names. You'll want to do a trademark and state business name search on each name to be sure that it is legally available.
If all of your shortlisted names are available, then pick your favorite one. If not, you can simply go back to your longer list and perhaps poll a different focus group.
Things to Consider:
1. The difference between a name and a brand.
Your brand is a series of elements: the mission and vision of the company, color palette, typography, logo, company voice, and marketing strategy, among other things. In other words, it is the personality of the company and how it presents itself. Your business name should convey your brand in one easy title.
2. Every memorable name comprises two parts.
The story is what will connect emotionally with your audience and the message you want to convey as a brand. The strategy is weighing the tangible aspects of a name, such as legal availability.
A great business name balances both these aspects: if you give more weight to the strategy, for example, then your customers will only connect with your name on a rational level and will not create an emotional connection with your business. Thus, evaluate your options from both perspectives, not just whether they sound "right" or "wrong."
3. Your name should be future-proof.
A common naming error is to name the business after a product or the service you provide. If in the future, you want to expand to other products or services, then your name will no longer be viable and you may have to go through the long and difficult rebranding process, risking losing customers and all memorability.
4. Your name should be legally available.
Do not choose your business name before checking for trademarks, registered business names, related domain names, and social media use. You will want to be able to use your business name consistently in all contexts, so be sure to do your research before settling on a name.
5. Let go of expectations and personal preferences.
Let go of any expectations you have for your name since they can discourage creativity. You should evaluate a possible business name based on its potential and not based on your personal preference, as the name will likely be more memorable to your audience.
6. You should love your chosen business name.
Make sure that the name you choose is one you love. To do this, take the necessary time to follow our steps, brainstorm, and think it over so that you can find a name you feel confident in putting out into the world.
