The art of naming needs no introduction! Good organization names don’t just grow on trees, as we all know.
Everyone understands why names are important. That’s why it comes as no surprise when you stress for weeks trying to find the best way to capture verbal relation to your product, differentiate your business without embarrassing yourself, and achieve the power and the catchiness with the best company name!
In this article, we will point out some hints that will help you to find a company name that fits you best! Stop asking yourself “How do I name my small business?” and get to the action!
The legalities of choosing a company name
Let’s get through the most boring part right away. Here we will briefly describe how to name your company without getting sued.
It’s obvious that a unique company name is much better than any replica or interpretation, but why? First of all, an unoriginal or completely replicated name will hurt your brand. You can also get sued for labeling your products or services with a name that has been already taken (or is protected).
So, our first advice would be to scour the registries of your state and the whole country. Company names are registered and protected at the state level, while trademarks are protected at the national level. But, there are also international trademarks.
Avoid name similarities at all costs, especially within your industry. Hire a trademark lawyer to be 100% sure that you
How to name a business in a meaningful way?
Most successful companies (if not all of them) have some deeper meaning in the name. While it’s not mandatory to hide little easter eggs, it surely helps to make your business name sound more relative and original.
The best way to be “deep” is trying to communicate with the consumer. Make the chosen words speak for you. While brainstorming how to name a company, think of your image, of the emotions you would like to convey. Look for the relative to your craft words and try playing with them.
Structurize and combine the chosen words starting with the material objects and moving to the emotional expressions. A great company name suggestion may come from listing the benefits that your business might bring.
The formula to the successful company name
In this section, there will be more descriptive and formulaic instructions on how to pick a name for a business. Let’s assume that you have established what you want to communicate and have a list of proper words that will help you achieve your goal: having a clever and catchy name. But what do you do with them?
Firstly, no matter how many words have you gathered, don’t make your name overcomplicated. Keep it simple. Yes, you may shift words, glue them together, but don’t overdo it.
Too simple of a name will also be problematic, though. If your name consists of less than 6 letters, there will definitely be problems with picking a domain for a website.
If you still struggle with the words that you’ve managed to gather, look up their foreign translations. You may find shorter and better-sounding alternatives. Latin is usually the most universal choice. But don’t go overboard while choosing the language. Make it relevant to your target audience and industry.
What NOT to do to achieve good organization names
It might be obvious, but we think these things are worth pointing out. In order to succeed with naming, avoid using generic names like “Los Angeles Tech” or anything of the sort. Human names, city names, initials… any wisp of these words will leach the creativity away from your business.
Another common mistake that people often tend to make is making a name too deep. When we say “too deep”, we mean indecipherable, a name that makes sense only for those who have created it. It’s basically an inside joke. This kind of naming will not communicate anything to a client. It will only stir confusion. So if you still question yourself “How to pick a name for your business?”, the best answer would still be “Just keep it simple.”
How to name a business: final steps
Now you are ready to embark on the journey of successfully naming your business! But before you start brainstorming fabulous names, set yourself in an open-minded state of mind, listen to your family and friends, form a group of people to help you gather the most various ideas!
One more tip: think ahead. Consider whether you are going to change your product line or conquer the other markets. The name you’ve picked may not click in a different context.
Lastly, if you really want to build a strong brand image, consider hiring creative professionals. Here at RGray, we happen to have some of those around. They will build your brand from ground zero, execute masterful rebranding, or think of a spot-on styling! If you crave for a brand with an edge to it, you know whom to contact.