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A Guide to Naming Your Business
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet… but would it sell as many flowers? Naming. It’s one of the most exciting and potentially frustrating parts of starting a business. Here’s how we approach it with our clients.
Start with a huge list of potential company names.
Try to think of unique names, but not so different that no one will ever remember it.
Two syllable names are easier for people to remember, and spell.
Names that are phonetic (spelled exactly how they sound) lead to fewer misspellings in your search results, email, etc.
Pick 3-5 that make sense for your ideal customer.
Think about your ideal customer. If you’re selling a really high end product, you’ll probably want a name that’s sophisticated and elegant vs. one that’s cute and basic.
Check to see which names are available.
Check the business registration records for your state on the Secretary of State website where you live.
Google it. See what kinds of businesses and websites come up. If there’s something too similar, eliminate it.
Go to https://namechk.com for a one-stop search of social media usernames, urls & trademarks.
Go to httpnamecheap.com to see url costs.
Register and claim your name.
Register your b with your Secretary of State so anyone searching later sees that it’s taken.
Buy your url for your website.
Claim your handle on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram (whether or not you plan on using them)
Decide if you need to trademark. If you’re in a big industry (particularly food & beverage), and selling nationally, you should consider contact a trademark lawyer.
This creates a private checklist in your account.