How to Name a Production Company

You may already have some ideas for a production company name. If so, go ahead and write them down.

This will make it easy to narrow down the list later, while letting you jot down all ideas that may spark something later on.

If you’ve got a business plan for your production company, the research there should give you ideas for words, phrases, and concepts that fit your brand.

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 production companies.

There are many production companies that have used the owner's name, like Walt Disney Pictures and LucasFilms. However, using your own name comes with the risk of others thinking your company is unimaginative.

It's currently fashionable in the movie industry to complain about things becoming "too corporate." Brainstorm corporate sounding names that will communicate your importance to the world while subtly mocking the corporate culture. For example, David Letterman's "Worldwide Pants".

Confidence is key in the movie industry, so try brainstorming keywords that shout out that you are ready to take on the world. For example, look at Thomas Tull's "Legendary Pictures," Stan Lee's "POW! Entertainment", and Nick Cassavetes's "Darn Good Films."

On the other hand, Hollywood enjoys self-deprecating humor and often finds modesty to be endearing. Brainstorm ideas such as "Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment" or "Pascal Caucheteux's Why Not Productions."

If you are planning on producing films in a particular genre, you can reference these in your name, like Zach Snyder's "Cruel and Unusual Films." You can also use the movie business's technical jargon in your name, like Chris and Paul Weitz's "Depth of Field."

Brainstorm words that can act as a metaphor for a larger, universal sphere that will give people the idea that your company reaches for the bigger picture. Think of Dreamworks, Imagine Entertainment, and Icon Entertainment.

Antiquity can be a great inspiration for a production company name with a more weighty tone to it. For example, Wesley Snipes's "Amen-Ra" (of Egyptian origin), Alexander Payne's "Ad Hominem" (from Latin), and Leonardo DiCaprio's "Appian Way" (a road in Rome).

Production companies are often known as production houses, and you can use this idea in your company name to invoke a sense of home, like "Picturehouse." Alternatively, you can go in the opposite direction with something a little more unnerving, like Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi's "Ghost House Pictures."

A street name can help people find your production company, make naming easy, and connect it to a neighborhood or sense of place. For example, Tyler Perry's "34th Street Films" or Kevin Spacey's "Trigger Street Productions."

Neighborhood, city, and state nicknames, whether real or imagined, can sometimes work well for a local production company. Examples include Will Smith and James Lassister's "Overbrook Entertainment," as well as Ivan Reitman and Tom Pollock's "The Montecito Picture Company."

Try combining various words from your list to see if they form any interesting names. Also, try using the following words to create production-inspired names:

• Video.
• Media.
• LLC.
• Short Films.
• Films.
• Production.
• Entertainment.
• Studios.

NameSnack can help combine your ideas and make associations that you wouldn't have thought of.

Mixing up words, misspelling them, or simply creating new words can generate really unique and creative ideas. For example, Pixar is a combination of radar and "pixer," a made-up word that Alvy Ray Smith thought sounded like a possible Spanish word for making pictures.

Translating English words into a foreign language can be a creative way of giving a production company name a sense of personality, like Salma Hayek's "Ventanarosa Productions." Just be sure to check that the word doesn't have any negative connotations in the language you are using.

See if there are any others that stand out, and mark them. As you are going through your list, keep in mind why you're starting this company. Articulating your purpose can result in interesting, unique, and informative names.

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.

Read your names to friends and colleagues, and get their take on your production company names. Come back a day or two later and see which ones they still remember.

Use online surveys to test out your name ideas with the general population.

You can ask for advice on your name ideas from other production company owners who have more experience in the industry.

Use a site like Namecheap to see which of your top business name ideas has a related URL available.

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.

Google your favorite name ideas to see if there are any other well-known production companies with the same name, or if there are some associations you hadn’t thought of.

You can do this through sites like Namecheap.

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.

This offers additional protection from other businesses using your production company name.