You’ve found the ideal industry niche where your skills and know-how are in demand. Now, all you need is the perfect name for your business. For many, this is easier said than done.
Choosing the right business name is a significant first step in building your brand. After all, it signifies what your business and its service and/or product is all about. As the name of your business is usually the first thing potential clients and/or customers learn about you, it needs to be clear and memorable to make a lasting impression on them. 
To say it’s an important decision would be an understatement. For instance, choosing the wrong business name may fail to attract attention, turn away customers and/or clients, or even potentially lead to legal issues. Don’t worry, using a business name generator can help take away some of the pressure.. Such a tool can suggest creative yet industry-specific names that fit your branding needs.
Here are 7 additional tips on how to come up with a unique and unforgettable name for your business:
- Avoid complicated names.
Sure, you want the name of your business to be creative. But you also want potential clients and/or customers to connect to it, not be confused by it. So, first rule of thumb: keep it simple. Given that the attention span of today’s average online consumer is only 8 seconds, don’t give them reasons to miss finding you online (i.e., a complicated or purposely misspelled name).
- Choose a name your business won’t outgrow.
While you hope your business will succeed and grow, you most likely won’t be able to predict from the get-go how future growth will look or in what direction it will take you. Therefore, don’t pick a name that will limit your business to a specific product, service or location. And, make sure the name will resonate with clients and/or customers over the long-term.
- Use a name that conveys meaning or, at least, sounds catchy.
Yes, you want your business name to mean something or, at least, relay a positive association with your business. Straightforward names that also describe your product or service will make it easier and faster for potential clients and/or customers to find you online.
But keep in mind that meaning isn’t everything. Google, Spanx and Yahoo sound catchy – and are therefore memorable. In fact, it’s helpful for businesses to pick a name that has sound symbolism. According to research, people innately and unknowingly attach meaning to certain speech sounds. Therefore, picking a name that has certain sounds may positively influence consumer perception about your business.
- Get trusted opinions about the name.
Even if you’re excited about the business name you’ve come up with, ask others for feedback about it. Seek out the opinions of those friends, family members and colleagues whom you trust most. As they are one step removed, they may recognize a negative connotation that you don’t, which could end up saving you time, effort and money in the long run.
- Confirm that the name is, indeed, unique.
Once you’re set on a particular business name, conduct a thorough online search to make sure that no one else is already using it – or a similar name – for their business. This will prevent you from inviting potential legal issues from competitors, not to mention confusing and consequently losing clients and/or customers. For instance, if you are opening some kind of marijuana dispensary, this should be clear from your name, domain and branding. Your internet search should also include doing a trademark search to provide insight into whether you can get a trademark for your name. If required, you can also hire an attorney to face legal issues. You will need to make sure that the company you use are reputable, this marijuana trademark attorney, for example, as they will be able to investigate the legal documentation and try to get you the outcome you want.
- Grab the domain name.
Once you have the perfect name for your business, you’ll want to establish your own domain name based on it. Doing so will help you make your business look more professional. After all, there are around 350 million active domains that already exist in the world today. You don’t want your new business to miss out on potential clients and/or customers who expect to find your type of business online with its own domain name. Having your own domain name can also help you spread brand awareness on social media.
- Create a business email
Okay, so you have a business, an awesome business name, and your own domain name. Go on, strengthen your branding efforts even more by creating a business email address that includes your business name. Current and potential clients and/or customers will expect to see and communicate with you via your business email address. Since your business name will appear in your email address, sharing it often is also another way to increase brand awareness.
In Conclusion
You want your business to have a catchy, memorable name that resonates well with clients and/or customers. While thinking of such a name may come easily to some than others, there are name generating tools out there that can help make the process less intimidating. Also, consider some of these tips to help with your brainstorming and creative thinking.
