How to Choose the Perfect Business Name

Don’t you wish there was a baby name book for new businesses? How are you supposed to come up with a name that encompasses your company’s brand, sounds good, and hasn’t been used before by someone else?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. You are the only person who can come up with the perfect company name for your organization. It takes time, but if you follow the right steps, you’ll get there. 

And you don’t have to do it alone. 

We’ve put together this guide to show you some of the best tips to stick to while naming your business, so make sure you keep reading below to learn more!

1. Make It Short, Catchy, and Easy to Remember 

If people can’t remember your business name, they won’t be able to recommend you to other potential customers or even look you up on the internet later. A long, complicated name might sound cool, but it will make you lose a lot of business in the long run. 

So keep it short. 

Your business name should be able to fit on a business card, in the domain of your website, or on signage around the city. Make the words as simple as possible so they stand out and are hard to forget.

2. Don’t Change up the Spelling 

Stick with basic spelling. You might think switching out the “K” in “bank” for a “C” makes you stand out from the competition, and in a way, it does, but it doesn’t make a positive impact. However, this can cause confusion in a few different ways. 

First of all, people who see the misspelling might not recognize it as a stylistic choice. They’ll wonder if you made a typo, and it can cause you to lose a lot of trust and credibility. Your customers will end up buying from your competitors simply because of a letter in your business name. 

An unusual spelling will also make it harder for people to find you. They might not remember the unique spelling, and typing in the standard version of the word into Google might take them to a different company instead. 

It’s not worth the risk. Keeping your spelling simple and traditional will give your business much better results in the future. 

3. Check the Availability 

You thought of the perfect name for your business! That’s great, but someone else might already be using it. Always Google your top business name choices to make sure they’re still available. 

Otherwise, you could end up getting sued and paying a lot of money. 

Even if you dodge the legal repercussions, using the same name of another business won’t do you much good. Your customers might have trouble finding you, which can lead to confusion and frustration. You’ll have to work twice as hard building your brand to compete with the other business than you normally would with regular competitors. 

Regardless of whether you’re launching a small company or online business entrepreneurship, you need to make sure your name is completely your own. 

Search for the Domain Name 

This is just as important as checking the name availability online, if not more so. Your website must be named after your business, so make sure the domain name isn’t in use either. 

If the name is available but the domain isn’t, you need to pick something else. No one is going to remember your domain name if it isn’t your business name, and they won’t be able to search for your online. 

4. Pick Something Clear and Specific 

As you’re naming your company, make sure you choose something that is clear and specific. A person should be able to read your business name and know exactly what you do right away. 

For example, something like “cleaning company” is too vague. What do you clean? Houses? Cars? Commercial buildings? Include words in your name that show your products or services, such as housecleaning, car wash, etc. 

5. Avoid Putting Your Local City/State in the Name 

It might be tempting to put your local city in your business name, such as “Monterey Housecleaners.” Don’t do this. Unless you’re planning to stay a small company for the rest of your career, this type of name limits your growth. 

What if you expand into the next city? What if you end up franchising and moving to different states? 

Keep your name specific, but don’t make it based on location. Otherwise, you’ll have to rebrand your entire company if you launch into a new market. 

6. Don’t Base It Off a Trend

You want your name to be catchy and trendy, but don’t completely base your business off a trend. This can do more harm than good in the long run. 

While the name might be a good fit right now, think about how it will sound in a few years. Names that are too trendy will make you feel outdated, which can turn people away. 

Choosing the Perfect Company Name for Your Business 

Picking a company name for your new business isn’t an easy choice. It takes time, so do your research and have patience. You might have to go through dozens of name options before finding the perfect one for you. 

Do you want to learn some other helpful advice that will get your business off the ground?

Don’t go anywhere! You’ll find a lot of other tips and tricks on our blog, so make sure you check it out today!