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How to Name a Software Company:
A step-by-step guide to coming up with an evocative, relevant, and modern software company name.
Start a list.
Write down any ideas you already have.
You may already have some ideas for a software 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 software company names. They can be words or concepts related to the software industry that help you get to the final name.
Perform essential research before you name your software company.
Review your business plan.
If you’ve got a business plan for your software company, the research there should give you ideas for words, phrases, and concepts that fit your brand.
Try to find key words, phrases, and concepts that convey your brand and what makes your software company special. Be sure to keep your future goals in mind so you don't limit yourself with your name.
Talk to likely customers.
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 software industry.
Focus on what your potential customers value in a software company.
Review words specific to the software industry.
Review your core services.
List keywords that reflect your company's expertise, such as "Python," "design," or "cloud."
Consider any stories behind your company's inception.
Think about why you are starting your company, how you got into the software industry, and any events or memories that made a big impact on your life. List keywords from these events.
Telling a story with your company name — whether it's from a good or bad memory — personalizes your company and helps customers to remember you.
Review competitors' names.
Go over the names of some of your competitors and see which companies are successful and which don't seem to be working. List any ideas that are sparked by competitors' names but be careful not to list words that are too similar.
Hold a brainstorming session.
Ask your friends and family members to join you in a brainstorming session. List any unique ideas that they come up with.
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. Try to be unique and original in your combinations.
An interesting way to make your company name memorable is to use rhymes, alliteration, assonance, or puns.
Use a name generator.
NameSnack can help combine your ideas and make associations that you may not 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 software company names you like.
NameSnack will also tell you if the domains are available. Check the ones that have domains off on your list.
Keep SEO best practices in mind.
Any names you create or generate should be internet-friendly so that potential customers can find you easily if they search a keyword on Google. To this end, focus on creating or generating names that are easy to pronounce and spell.
Try to avoid using common technology terms in your name or your company will end up lost in Google's inner pages.
Research any names you create.
Make sure you choose names that have positive meanings by doing thorough research online.
Whether you choose to translate your chosen name into another language or not, be sure to check for negative connotations in foreign languages.
Review and reflect.
Read through your list again.
See if there are any other names that stand out, and mark them.
Say your name ideas out loud to check that they don't just look good on paper, but sound good too.
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.
Get feedback on your top software company names.
See what potential customers think of the names.
See how your target audience reacts to different names.
Visit online forums for the software industry and make use of Facebook polls to ask potential customers for their opinions.
Test the names on friends and colleagues.
Read your names to friends and colleagues, and get their take on your software company names. Come back a day or two later and see which ones they still remember.
Ask your friends and family which names give them a sense of trustworthiness and what kind of quality they would expect when hearing each name.
Check availability.
See if the web domain name is available.
An online presence is a must for a software company, so 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 software company names to see if there are any other well-known software companies with the same name, or if there are some associations you hadn’t thought of.
Discard any names that have negative connotations.
Check for trademark availability.
Do a search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) database to check your top software company name options for existing trademarks.
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.
You have just come up with a unique and catchy name for your software company, so you should protect it from other businesses using your company name.
Learn more about trademarking your business name.
