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How to Name a Media Company
A step-by-step guide to coming up with a unique, compelling, and powerful media company name.
Start a list.
Write down any ideas you already have.
You may already have some ideas for a media company name. If so, go ahead and write them down.
Highlight or star your favorites as you go.
This will make it easy to narrow down the list later, while letting you jot down all ideas that may spark something later on.
The words you add to the list don’t have to be fully formed media company names. They can be single words or concepts related to the media business that help you get to the final name.
Perform essential research before you name your media company.
Review your business plan.
If you’ve got a business plan for your media company, the research there should give you ideas for words, phrases, and concepts that fit your brand.
Talk to likely clients or target audiences.
This is something you’ll want to do, no matter what, to learn more about the people you’ll be catering to. While you’re meeting with them, be sure to write down words, phrases, and concepts that they associate with the work you do.
Learn from the leaders in your field.
Write down your favorite names from the most successful in your industry and pick them apart. Find out why you like them, why they work as names for you, and what they all have in common.
Review words specific to the media business.
Revisit your mission and vision.
Allow your mission and vision to suggest words and concepts you can use. For example, if your mission includes speedy service, then "lightning," "cheetah," and "bullet" spring to mind.
Be guided by your company's key attributes.
Make a list of those activities your company excels at and then extract words and concepts from the list.
Adapt industry slang and jargon.
Gather words that are specific to the work your company does, words that have a specific meaning in your industry.
In some cases, words from the wider culture surrounding your industry can be a good source.
Brainstorm region specific vocabulary.
Try city and state names and nicknames.
Cities and city nicknames can sometimes work well for a local media company. For example, The New York Times.
Keep in mind that your company may expand in time.
Consider your street name if you’ve got a location.
A street name can help people find your media company, make naming easy, and connect it to a neighborhood or sense of place. For example, Main St. Creatives.
You'll want to be sure you'll be at this location for a long time. You don't want to call yourself "2nd St. Digital" if you have to move to 3rd St. a few years later.
Review local landmarks.
Local landmarks can be another great way to tie your media company to its location. For example, Waterfall Films.
The names of iconic landmarks could also work.
Create more name ideas from your list.
Combine words from the list.
Try combining various words from your list to see if they form any interesting names. Blend them in interesting ways to create unexpected hybrids.
Use a name generator.
NameSnack can help combine your ideas and make associations that you wouldn't have thought of.
NameSnack's AI will prompt you to add different words. You can try adding them all, or go with smaller groups.
Write down any media company names you like.
NameSnack will also tell you if the domains are available. Check the ones that have domains off on your list.
Add descriptors to the names.
Many media companies include descriptors in their names, such as "Production," "Creative," "Media," "Digital," "Studios," "Films," "Communications," etc.
Make sure your descriptor is relevant to what your company does.
Review and reflect.
Read through your list again.
See if there are any others that stand out, and mark them.
Set the list aside for a day or two.
Come back with fresh eyes and see which names stand out. Also, see which names you still remember. This may give you a clue as to which ones are most memorable.
Rate the best of the names.
Gather your favorites from the lot and award them each a score out of five for intuitiveness, how they sound, how they look, and, finally, emotional evocativeness. The name with the highest score out of 20 is your best option.
Get feedback on your top media company names.
See what potential clients think of the names.
See how your target audience reacts to different names.
You could conduct a survey among clients and target audiences, or you could run a social media campaign to see which name receives the most engagement.
Test the names on friends and colleagues.
Read your names to friends and colleagues, and get their take on your media company names. Come back a day or two later and see which ones they still remember.
Check availability.
See if the web domain name is available.
Use a site like Namecheap to see which of your top business name ideas have related URLs available.
See if the name is already in use in your state.
If the business name is already in use for a similar business in your state, it's likely you won't be able to use it.
Check the names on Google.
Google your favorite names to see if there are any other well-known media companies with the same name, or if there are some associations you hadn’t thought of.
Get the name.
Buy the domain name.
You can do this through sites like Namecheap.
Register the business name with the state.
You'll need to register the name in your state once you've chosen it. In most states this is fast and easy, and can be done online.
Consider trademarking the name.
This offers additional protection from other businesses using your media company name.
Learn more about trademarking your business name.
