You probably already know that it’s hard to stand out when there are 33 million businesses in the U.S. Your business name is a big deal for its success, and there’s no going back once it’s set—unless you’re ready to deal with a mountain of paperwork and new branding materials. .

We get it - it’s a lot of pressure! But relax, this guide will walk you through creating a business name you’ll love. We’re not just talking about brainstorming; we’ll cover the essential practical and legal steps to get it right.

Finding the Perfect Name: A Step-by-Step Guide

Choosing a business name involves more than you might think, but don’t worry—most of it is fun!

• Brainstorming Your Business Name
• Key Steps in Creating Your Business Name
• Avoiding Common Business Name Mistakes
• The Legal Side of Naming Your Business

How to Come Up with a Business Name: Brainstorming Tips

This is where you can let your creativity flow! Let’s explore some tips, prompts, and ideas to jumpstart your business name brainstorming session.

1. Tell Your Story on Paper

This might seem tedious, but it’s crucial. Don’t aim for perfection; this is just for you. When you write about something instead of just thinking or talking about it, you’ll be surprised by the ideas that emerge. Jot down your business idea origin story, your motivation for starting or wanting to start it, the challenges and opportunities you’ve encountered, and your vision for the future. This exercise not only sparks creativity but also proves helpful later when crafting your mission statement and about us page.

2. Explore Your Personal Side

Let’s see if any of your personal attributes can be woven into your business name. Take a moment to list your:

• Passions
• Nicknames
• Favorite books, songs, and quotes
• Childhood memories
• Core values Also, consider:
• How people describe you
• People, places, and things you cherish
• Your sources of inspiration

Did you know IKEA is an acronym for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd—the founder’s first name, last name, childhood farm, and hometown?

3. Scope Out the Competition

Analyzing your competitors’ business names offers several benefits. Firstly, it reveals what names to avoid for the sake of uniqueness. Secondly, it can spark creative ideas. Lastly, it sheds light on common themes within your industry. As we’ll discuss later, a degree of conformity in business names is often necessary to avoid sounding out of place.

• Explore industry-specific directories.
• Use Google Maps to search for your business category in different states or countries.
• Try searching “list of [industry] businesses” on Google.
• Don’t miss our comprehensive list below! >> 268 Catchy and Creative Business Name Ideas (Curated, Not Generated!)

4. Think Outside Your Industry

Don’t limit yourself to your specific niche; explore business names from other industries. They can offer a wealth of approaches and inspiration. For example, consider the name “Happy as a Clam Dock Builders.”

This playful name might spark ideas like:

• Cool as a Cucumber Salon?
• Light as a Feather Weight Loss?
• Pleased as Punch Tiki Bar? Boxing gym?
• Right as Rain Law Firm? Okay, maybe not that one—we’ll explain why later).

5. Tap Into Emotions

Reflect on how you want your customers to feel when they experience your products or services. A single emotion-evoking word can create a compelling and memorable business name that doubles as marketing. For instance:

• Online pet store customers: pride, relief, joy, laughter, excitement, love.
• Gym members: strength, competition, progress, admiration, accomplishment.
• Speech therapy students: security, confidence, happiness, belonging.

Confidence Connection: evoking emotion and using alliteration in a business name. Need some inspiration? Check out our list of emotion words.

6. Consult the Thesaurus

Take those brainstorming keywords (emotions, core values, etc.) and see what the thesaurus suggests. You’ll uncover a treasure trove of interesting, sophisticated, and even playful synonyms. Let’s try “bravery” as an example. Synonyms include:

• Gallantry (Gallantry Web Design)
• Grit (Grit n Glory clothing line)
• Fortitude (Fortitude Fitness Academy)
• Intrepidity (Intrepid Detox • Residential). The possibilities are truly endless!

7. Draw Inspiration From Myths, Movies, and Legends

Can you incorporate a favorite movie character, quote, or legendary figure into your business name? For instance:

J.A.R.V.I.S., the super-intelligent system from the Marvel movies, stands for Just A Rather Very Intelligent System.

Archimedes, the renowned Greek mathematician.

Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. History and pop culture are filled with figures and concepts that might resonate with your brand—get researching!

8. Explore Business Name Generators

While I wouldn’t rely solely on business name generators, they can be useful for sparking initial ideas or even providing a few laughs. For example, typing “events” into Shopify’s Business Name Generator yields results like:

There are a few decent options:

• Stratos Events
• Asterisk Events
• ClassAct Events As mentioned, treat these generators as brainstorming tools rather than definitive solutions. Plus, do you really want to admit you used a generator when people ask about your business name’s origin story?

5 Essential Steps for Coming Up with a Business Name

Now it’s time to blend creativity with practicality. Let’s put those brainstormed names to the test in the real world.

1. Check Availability: This involves searching state and national databases, domain registrars, and social media platforms to ensure your chosen name is up for grabs. We’ll delve into this later.
2. Do Keyword Research: Use a keyword research tool to check if your potential business name is a popular keyword. This helps you avoid negatively impacting your search engine rankings.
3. Google It: Low search volume for a term doesn’t always mean there’s no existing content. Google your potential business name to uncover any slang, inappropriate associations, or prominent search results that could steal your website traffic.
4. Visualize It: Picture your business name on your website, logo, and marketing materials. Some names lend themselves better to visually appealing logos than others. Experiment with design templates to ensure your name doesn’t limit your branding options.
5. Get Feedback: Share your top name contenders with a diverse group of people, including those familiar and unfamiliar with you and your business. Their objective perspectives and feedback are invaluable. For example, Klaviyo’s founders initially chose “Clavija.” However, feedback from friends revealed that the name was difficult to spell and “sounded scary, like a disease.”

Klaviyo certainly knows the importance of a good business name. They eventually settled on “Klaviyo,” which, while better, still faces some spelling and pronunciation challenges. This brings us to our next point.

Checklist for Creating a Business Name

You’ve brainstormed, you’ve tested, and you’ve found available names. Fantastic! But hold on—we’re not done yet. Sometimes, readily available business names are available for a reason. Kind of like those banana-flavored lollipops that always seem to be in abundance. Let’s run through a checklist to ensure your chosen name is top-notch.

1. Does It Make Sense?

A clever name is great, but if only you and a handful of people get it, it might not be the best choice. Imagine constantly explaining your business name at networking events or to every new customer. That’s why testing it with diverse groups is crucial.

2. Is It a Good Fit for Your Industry?

Powerful words abound, but their power should align with your industry. For instance, words conveying strength and stability suit locksmiths and security firms. However, for nursing homes or home care services, such words might feel out of place. Gentler, more compassionate terms would be a better fit.

Right as Rain: Perfect for a sprinkler repair service, but perhaps not the ideal tone for a law firm.

3. Is It Future-Proof?

We can’t predict the future (if we could, 2020 might have played out differently), but anticipating possibilities is key when choosing a business name.

• Location-Specific Names: If there’s a chance you might relocate or expand to new areas, steer clear of names like Canton Dry Cleaners or Manny’s on Main.
• Limiting Names: Avoid boxing yourself in with names like Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Suro Laptop Repair if you foresee expanding your products or services.
• Target Audience-Specific Names: If a pivot is possible, avoid names that focus solely on a particular demographic, such as Clear Paths for Seniors.

4. Is It Easy to Spell?

Your business name might sound great, but is the spelling straightforward? You want people to find you easily online, and you don’t want any complications with invoices or legal matters. For example, while “Prints & Printsess Pottery” sounds charming, explaining the spelling could cause potential customers to lose interest.

_“So it’s prince and princess, but with t’s instead of c’s….except for the two s’s at the end…” _

5. Is It Easy to Pronounce?

Your business name can be a work of art, but if you’re constantly struggling to explain the pronunciation, it can create confusion.

This name might look fantastic on paper, but is it pronounced vali-DATE-tech? Or va-LID-a-tech?

6. Is It Memorable?

A memorable business name hinges on its spelling, pronunciation, and length. While short names are easy to recall, they can also get lost in the crowd. Conversely, lengthy names might pose challenges for searching and design.
Consider the name’s relevance to your products or services. A closely related name can aid recall, but a unique and catchy name can also be easily remembered. It’s all about striking the right balance.

Making It Official: How to Name Your Business Legally

Congratulations! You’re ready to officially name your business. If you’re operating under your legal name, no registration is required. However, if you’re seeking liability protection, legal advantages, or tax benefits, registration is necessary. Here’s how:

1. Choose Your Business Structure

First things first, determine your business entity type. Each structure has different ownership rules, liability implications, and tax filing requirements, which can also vary by state. Here are some common business structures:

• Sole Proprietorship: Owned by one person, offers no legal separation between business and personal assets and liabilities, and involves self-employment and personal income tax.
• Partnership: Involves two or more owners, carries unlimited personal liability unless structured as a limited partnership, and involves self-employment tax (except for LPs) and personal income tax.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC): Offers limited liability protection to its one or more owners, separating personal assets from business liabilities. Tax obligations can include self-employment, personal income, or corporate taxes.
• Corporation: Similar to an LLC but typically subject to corporate taxes.

Image source Learn more about these structures with the SBA.

2. Check Business Name Availability (State & National)

Depending on your location and chosen business structure, you may or may not be required to register your business name.

• State Availability: Each state has unique naming regulations. Resources like this LLC name search site provide convenient links to state-specific pages where you can search for available entity names.
• National Availability: Visit the ​​US Trademark Electronic Search System website.

Perhaps not the most user-friendly website…

3. Secure Your Domain Name

No matter how much you love your business name, it’s worthless without a corresponding website. Don’t make it harder for customers to find you online. Even if you’re able to modify your domain slightly—for instance, by adding “get” or “go” before your business name—it’s not always ideal. Potential customers searching directly for your business might not know this variation exists, leading them to a different site. If it’s a competitor, you’ve lost business. If not, they might give up altogether. Use GoDaddy’s domain name checker to check domain name availability.

4. Claim Your Social Media Handles

Consistency is key! Aim for the same handle across all social media platforms. If your exact business name is already taken, assess the account’s popularity. If it’s a well-established account, having a slightly different handle might create the impression that your account is unofficial or fake, which is best avoided.

5. Register Your Business Name

Once you’ve found the perfect domain name, register it immediately to prevent someone else from claiming it. Then, depending on your business structure, you might need to register your entity name, trademark, DBA (Doing Business As), or a combination of these.
Find more information on registering your business from the SBA.

How to Choose a Business Name: Recap

As you’ve learned, naming a business is a multifaceted process. Given that this decision is often permanent, it’s crucial to cover all your bases. Let’s recap: Here’s a step-by-step guide to finding a business name:

1. Write out your story
2. Take a personal inventory
3. Look at other business names in your industry
4. Look at other industry business names
5. Do an emotional brainstorm
6. Check the thesaurus
7. Mull over mythology, movies & legends
8. Use a business name generator Here are the essential steps in the business name creation process:
9. Check for availability
10. Keyword research it
11. Google it
12. Try it on
13. Test it out Remember this checklist before finalizing your business name:
14. Does it make sense?
15. Is it a good fit for your industry?
16. Is it future-proof?
17. Is it easy to spell?
18. Is it easy to pronounce?
19. Is it easy to remember? Here’s how to officially name your business:
20. Determine your entity
21. Check business name availability (state & national)
22. Check domain availability
23. Check social media
24. Register your business name