Questions for establishing the perfect name for your new business

Choosing a company name is easily one of the most daunting steps in starting a business. Whether you’re launching a new business or you’re updating an existing brand, many entrepreneurs get overwhelmed at this phase and aren’t sure how to move forward.

So many aspects of the branding process are fun - choosing your color palette, creating vision boards, or dreaming up logo ideas can feel like an enjoyable place to start, but without a name, it is hard to make much progress. As excited as you may be about the fun parts, it is essential to remember that these should come after you’ve settled on a brand name.

As you are preparing to launch a business, it may not be easy to set aside time for focusing on naming your brand. There are so many things that need your attention. 

BUT, it’s so important to take the time to really focus on what makes your business unique. The time you spend choosing a name will be time well spent – this will be time for you to better distinguish yourself from the competition.

Below are some questions to help guide the brainstorming process.

DOES IT STAND OUT?

Your name will often be someone’s first introduction to your business - you want to make sure you make a strong first impression. It’s important to choose a name that is unique to you, which will set you apart from the crowd. 

DOES IT HAVE MEANING?

A business name with a story behind it creates an emotional connection between your customers/clients and your business. Or, maybe you want to choose something that has a personal touch and incorporates your name.

That said, if your name doesn’t have a complex meaning, don’t force it. Many companies today have names that are made up (looking at you, Google). The options are limitless – get creative! 

DOES IT FIT YOUR VISION?

Words evoke feelings. When it comes to developing a company name, it’s essential to choose something that fits your vision for your brand identity. Take a minute to think about your brand’s personality. 

If you’re building a stoic brand, you may not want to choose a name that feels whimsical or playful.  

CAN YOUR AUDIENCE PRONOUNCE IT?

This might seem simple, but it’s incredibly important. While it’s important to be creative when choosing a brand name, don’t neglect things like spelling and pronunciation. If you have a hard time with it, chances are your audience will too. The easier to spell and pronounce, the better off your business will be.

This doesn’t mean all hard-to-pronounce names must be ruled out. If you happened to find a name with a strong meaning that isn’t easy to pronounce, don’t completely rule it out. 

Use it as an engagement opportunity to teach your audience and create a connection. 

WILL IT STAND THE TEST OF TIME?

You are building a business to last - which means you need to select a brand that will, too. While it may feel fun to follow the current trends, you want to be sure you’ll be proud of your name in two, five, and ten years. As your business grows, will your name grow with it?

At some point, rebranding may be necessary, but it should be subtle. Your name should remain consistent as your business evolves.

DO YOU LIKE IT?

This may feel obvious, but do you like the name? Better yet, do you love it? When you say it out loud or write it down, do you feel excited or proud? You need to be your business’ biggest champion, and that means you’ll be saying its name a lot. Make sure you like doing so!

IS THE DOMAIN AVAILABLE?

This might seem like an obvious one, but it is easy to overlook. With new businesses popping up every day, and a digital landscape that provides a global-reach from your living room, it can be hard to keep up. There’s nothing worse than moving forward with a business name only to find that the domain is unavailable or the price is out of your budget.

Whenever you’re brainstorming business names, use GoDaddy’s Domain Name Search to see if the domain is available for each idea. Keep in mind it is in your best interest to get the .com domain, whenever possible. It’s the most familiar domain extension, and many customers will assume your domain will end that way, which can give your business credibility. 

If your desired name isn’t available, don’t let this discourage you. This is an excellent step in seeing what is available to you and what isn’t.

ARE THERE CONFLICTS?

If your desired name is available, it’s time for research 

Google is a great place to start. Search for your name choices to see what appears when you search - even if the domain is available. Make sure your desired name is not associated with something that you don’t want your business to be connected to or similar to a competitor’s name. 

Next, make sure it isn’t already trademarked. So, to be safe, check the United States Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). If you’re unsure or have trademark questions, you can consult with an intellectual property attorney.

HOW DO OTHERS PERCEIVE IT?

Once you have a couple of ideas, call up your most trusted (and most honest!) friends and family members for feedback.