Most small business owners will tell you that coming up with a business name is like naming your first child—you want the name to feel right and show off your business’s identity, while making it one that people will remember.
There can be a lot of pressure and hand-wringing when it comes to landing on the perfect name for your business, but take some comfort in the fact that you have a little bit of flexibility. You can always change your business name later, or file for a trade name (often called a “doing business as” or “DBA”) if you need to.
However, finding the right fit from the start is rewarding, and it can save you a lot of administrative headaches down the line. Consider this your complete guide on how to come up with a business name that will leave a lasting impression on your future customers.
1. Do a brain dump
Figuring out how to come up with a small business name can seem intimidating at first. How do you choose which direction to take? An initial brainstorming session could be helpful to do a brain dump of all of your ideas and get the creativity flowing.
Tip: List things like your passions, nicknames, core business values, things that inspire you, attributes that are important to you, and words that describe your business to uncover some potential words and phrases you could use in your small business name.
2. Base it on your story
If you’re feeling particularly in tune with the story behind your business, choose a name that reflects this. Not only can this demonstrate your personal achievements, but it also can help relate your business back to your customer experience. Many customers do business with companies they can relate to, making this an optimal route to take.
Tip: Write out your business’ story and history—like why you started your business and where you see your business in the future. This can help spark creative thinking and inspiration that can lead you to that perfect business name.
3. Represent your brand
Your brand identity carries a lot of weight when naming your business, so make sure you think about what sort of image you want your name to portray. For example, an upscale business name should imply that your business is more high-quality, while a rustic name should imply that your business is more homey.
Tip: Make a list of brand attributes that resonate with your business and your target market to see if any words stand out to help you get the creative juices flowing.
4. Make it memorable
You want your business name to resonate with your target audience. One way to do this is to look at the competition within your industry and see what makes them memorable (or not). Use this information to consider how your brand can stand out above the rest to stay memorable for your potential customers.
Tip: Make a list of businesses you admire in your industry and study their brand names to determine what factors make them stand out from the rest.
5. Keep it easy to pronounce
You don’t want your customers to struggle trying to figure out how to talk about your business to other people. While you do have room to be creative and unique, consider the customer and any word-of-mouth advertising they might do. If they cannot pronounce your business name, you might be inadvertently turning away potential customers.
You’ll also want to make sure your business name is one that customers can pronounce correctly. Oftentimes, names with unique spelling can be tricky to pronounce. For example, Teva can be pronounced tee-vah or teh-va.
Tip: Practice saying your potential business name aloud to make sure it rolls off the tongue, and get feedback from family and friends to make sure they don’t have trouble with pronunciation.
6. Be unique
Generic small business names can be appealing because they often check the “memorable” and “easy to pronounce” boxes. But ultimately, a good business name should be as unique as the business itself. Dedicate considerable time and effort when choosing a unique business name to make sure it fits the bill.
Tip: Avoid generic words and words that don’t align with your brand’s identity.