How to Come Up with a Business Name: The Perfect Checklist (2023)

Dom—Blog—How to Come Up with a Business Name: A Creative and Practical Checklist

Did you know they exist?33 millioncompanies in the United States? That alone makes it difficult to come up with a unique business name, and then add the fact that your business name can play a role in your success. Oh, and once you say so, there's no going back (unless you want to wade through paperwork and buy new business cards and warranties).

There's a lot of pressure here, but don't worry. Because in this post, I'm going to show you how to create a business name you'll love: not just creative ideas and tips to think about, but also the practical and legal steps you need to take to get it right. .

Content

Who knew there were so many steps to creating a business name? Don't worry, most of them are funny.

How to come up with a company name(creative part)
Basic steps to create a business name
Checklist for creating a business name
How to name the company(legal part)

How to come up with a company name: tips for brainstorming

This is the fun part where the creative gears turn. Here are some tips, tricks, and ideas to help you think of a successful business name.

1. Write your story

Yes, I know, this can be very distracting, but you absolutely have to do it. It doesn't have to be perfect; That's not the point. This is not for just anyone to read. It's up to you to write (or write). Because you'll be amazed at what comes out when you write about something instead of talking or thinking about it. Depending on the stage you are in, write about how you came up with your business idea, why you started it or want to start it, what challenges or opportunities arose, and where you want it to go.

This will get the gears rolling and will also come in handy later when you write your own.mission statusipage about us.

2. Take a personal inventory

Now is the time to see if there are any personal attributes that you could include in your business name. Take a little more time to register your:

passions
Nicknames
Favorite books, poems and quotes.
Education
Core values

As well as:

How do people describe you?
People, places and things that are important to you.
What inspires you

Did you know that IKEA is the acronym for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd? That is, the name and surname of the founder, the farm where he grew up and his hometown.

3. Look at the names of other companies in your industry.

This strategy is useful in several ways. First, it will tell you whatesName your company if you want to stand out. Second, it can bring you creative ideas. Third, it will also give you some general themes to stick with. As we will see later, most company names requiresomelevel of conformity, because you don't want to be so unique as to be a foreigner.

Look up industry-specific directories.
Look up your business category on Google Maps for different states or countries.
Literally Google "list of [industrial] companies".
Take a look at our epic list below

>>268 attractive and creative business name ideas (selected, not generated!)

4. Look at other industry trade names

There are many approaches you can take to naming a business regardless of industry, so don't do yourself a disservice by only looking for company names in your niche. Take, for example, Happy as a Clam Dock Builders.

This inspires…

Cool as a cucumber lounge?
Weight loss light as a feather?
Satisfied with Punch Tiki Bar? A boxing gym?
Same as Rain Law Firm? Just kidding, we'll get to that later.)

5. Create an emotional brainstorm

Think about how your customers want or feel as a result of your products and services.A word that evokes an emotion.You can create a strong and attractive business name that markets itself. For example:

6. Consult the thesaurus

Take the words that you have come up with so far in your brainstorming, such as emotions and core values, and include them in the thesaurus. There are dozens of interesting, fancy, and fun words that make great business names. Take, for example, the word "courage." Synonyms include:

Gallantry (Gallantry Web Design)
Grit (brand name for the Grit n Glory clothing line)
Fortaleza (Fortitude Fitness Academy)
Intrepidez (Intrepid Detox • Stambeno).

The possibilities are endless.

7. Think about mythology, movies and legends.

Do you have a favorite character or movie quote that you could somehow incorporate into your company name? For example:

J.A.R.V.I.S is a character from the Marvel movies, which simply means a highly intelligent system.

Archimedes is a Greek mathematician.

Dionysus is the god of wine.

There are many characters from history and pop culture that can represent concepts associated with your brand, so do some research!

8. Use the company name generator

I'm not too keen on this idea and I doubt you'd actually find a trade name using one of these. But they can still give you starting points for good ideas or at least make you laugh a little. For example, this is what you get when you type "events".Shopify Business Name Generator:

It has some competent ones:

Stratos Events
featured events
class events

It's not bad, but like I said, it's better as a thinking tool. (Also, do you really mean you used a business name generator when people ask you how your company got its name?)

5 basic steps to think about a company name

This is where play meets practicality. It's time to take the names you've come up with and try them out in the wild.

Check availability:This means checking state and national databases, domain, and social availability. i cover all that
Research keywords:Now you'll want to insert your company name into akeyword research toolto make sure it is not a popular keyword that could negatively affect your SERP presence.
Search in Google:A term with low search volume doesn't mean there isn't rich content behind it, so be sure to Google your business name as well. Make sure it's not slang or associated with something inappropriate or irrelevant and doesn't produce a popular result that could detract from it.traffic on your site.
Try it:Think about how this name would look as part of your logo, on your website, and in your marketing content. Some names give you more options than others for logos that contain a name or a letter. Try it out in design templates to make sure your name doesn't limit you in this regard.
Proof:Share the name with others. This includes people with different levels of knowledge about you as a person and your business or business idea. Get their reactions, comments, and opinions for that objective perspective.

For example, the founders of Klaviya originally used Clavia, but when they tested it on friends, they found that no one could spell it and that it "sounded scary, like a disease."

keysHe knows a thing or two about naming companies.

In the end they chose Klaviyo, which is better, but there is still confusion about its spelling and pronunciation. Which brings me to the next section:

Checklist for creating a business name

Well, you've brainstormed and tested and your company name selection is available. Great, but you're not done yet. After all, some company names are available for a reason. It's almost like there's always a plethora of banana-flavored lollipops. Here are some questions to ask to make sure your business name is safe.

1. Does it make sense?

It may be very clever, but if it only makes sense to you or some members of your audience, it's probably not a good idea to use it. Think about having to explain the name at every networking event or every client. That is why it is very important to test the name with people who know and do not know your business and you as a person.

2. Is it a good fit for your industry?

there are a lot of themStrong wordsavailable, but make sure they have the right type of wattage for your industry. For example, words that refer to strength and perseverance are fine for locksmiths and security companies, but for nursing homes or home care? Not so much. It would be better to use words associated with gentleness and kindness.

As the rain. Perfect for sprinkler repairs. Smart for a lawyer, but not the tone.

3. Are you prepared for the future?

We can't predict the future (otherwise 2020 wouldn't happen), but you have to consider all possibilities when thinking about a company name.

If you are moving or expanding to other locations, avoid names likeCantonDryshop or Manny's onPrincipal.
If there is the possibility of expanding your offer, avoid names likeBreakfastat Tiffany's or Suro'sLaptopFix.
If there is a chance to pivot, avoid titles aimed at your audience like Clear Paths forOld people.

4. Is it easy to spell?

The company name may roll off the tongue, but is the spelling intuitive? You want people to be able to easily find your business in search, and you also want to avoid confusion with anything related to billing or legal action. For example, the prints & printsess pottery is fun, but if you want to tell someone to visit your website, you'll lose their attention before you finish explaining how to spell.

"So it's a prince and a princess, but instead of a c, it's a t... except for the two s's at the end..."

5. Is it easy to pronounce?

Your company name can be a work of art in itself. But if you have to manipulate letters to indicate pronunciation or meaning, it can lead to confusion.

This company name looks great on paper...but is it valid-DATE-tech? or goes-LID-a-tech?

6. Is it easy to remember?

Spelling and pronunciation affect the memorability of a company name, as does its length. The brief is easy to remember, but could be lost when flipped. Too long could be a barrier to entry for customers looking for it, not to mention a design issue. Also think about how closely it relates to your product or service. This might help to remember the brand, but unique and catchy names are also easy to remember. Everything is in balance.

How to name the company [official]

Ok, now you are ready to officially name your company! If you operate under your legal name, you do not need to register anywhere. But if you want liability protection or legal and tax benefits, you'll want to sign up. Here's how to do it.

1. Define your entity

First, select the entity type. Each differs in ownership, responsibilities, and tax filing requirements, and these requirements also vary from state to state. Below are some common business structures:

Autonomous entrepreneur:One person owns a business, unlimited personal liability, self-employment tax, and personal tax. Business assets and liabilities are not separated from personal assets and liabilities.
Camaraderie:Two or more people; unlimited personal liability unless structured as a limited partnership, self-employment tax (except LP), and personal tax.
Limited Liability Company (LLC):One or more people; the owners are not personally responsible; self-employment tax, personal tax, or income tax
Corporation:Same as LLC except corporate tax.

image source

Learn more about these structures with the SBA.

2. Verify the availability of the company name (state and national)

Depending on your state and entity, you may or may not need to register your name.

To check balance availability:Each state has different naming rules and requirements. Pages likethis LLC name search sitewill direct you to a page for each state where you can search for entity name availability
To check national availability,to live withAmerican Electronic Trademark Search System.

Not exactly the friendliest website...

3. Check domain availability

No matter how much you love your business name, it's not worth using if you can't have a website that closely resembles that name. it's hard enoughmake your website more visible; don't make it difficult.

Even if you can differentiate your domain by adding something like "get" or "go" in front of the name, it may not be worth it. Potential customers searching directly won't know how to do it and will likely end up on an existing website. If it's competition, you've lost someone. If not, they may simply abandon the target.

You can useGoDaddy Domain Name Checkerfor this.

4. Check social networks

Also see if you can create social tags that are closely related to your name and if you can have the same tag across all channels. If there is already an identifier that uses your exact name, check how popular it is. Because even if you come up with something close enough, if the real thing is a large account that could make yours look like a fake or unverified version of that account, you'll want to stay away.

5. Register your company name

Be sure to register your domain name as soon as possible (before someone else takes it!) and then, depending on your business, you may or may not need to register your entity name, trademark, dba, or all three. Learn more about how to register your companyby SPP.

How to come up with a company name [abstract]

As you can see, naming a company is a bit of a complicated process, but with something this definitive, you need to make sure all your bases are covered. To sum up:

Here's how to create a business name:

write your story
Take a personal inventory
See other company names in your industry
Consult the names of other companies in the sector.
Conduct an emotional brainstorm
Consult the dictionary of synonyms
Think mythology, movies and legends.
Use the company name generator

These are the basic steps to create a business name.

Check availability
Research keywords
search in Google
try it
test it

Follow this checklist before creating a business name

Makes sense?
Is it a good fit for your industry?
Are you prepared for the future?
Is it easy to write?
Is it easy to pronounce?
Is it easy to remember?

Here's how to officially name the company:

Specify your entity
Consult company name availability (state and national)
Check domain availability
check social media
Register your company name