As soon as you decide to start a business to sell a product or service, you will also begin to think about what name to give it. No matter what sorts of business try to use common sense when choosing a name.
Here are a few tips to make sure you pick the best name possible
Define the Business
When you set out to name your business or brand, you should always start with defining it. This can be a brief summary that defines the idea behind the company, product, or service being named.
In the definition make sure to include a description of what’s being named, ideas you’re hoping to convey via the name, a description of your target audience, and the names of your competitors.
This step will help guide you as you consider your various naming options.
Choose Well
The temptation to name something after you is there but do remember there are so many names out there similar to yours. You do not want to be confused with some other business of the same name or be ignored altogether.
For your potential name to catch people’s attention and make it stick in their minds, be unique. Choose a name that will stick out. Also, as you choose the name think about how it sounds, is it fun to hear and say?
Is it visually appealing? This matters especially when you choose a business using your initials. Something that may mean something to you may mean nothing to others.
If you use a vernacular name make sure that the meaning is clear and understood and not interpreted in the wrong way. Be sure that you know the name’s root meaning, but also that those who don’t should be able to make sense of it too.
Make the name meaningful and let it convey the intended message and evoke the right feelings. Most importantly make it adaptable. Make it able to accommodate foreseeable and unforeseeable changes in the future.
Be Creative
Say it out loud, does it sound good? Is it musically pleasing, fun to say? Does it work in in many different languages and does it look good? Meaning is it visually appealing when written out?
Being visually appealing will make it easier later to make a creative logo and produce a catchy tag line with just a few words.
Being creative with your name and making it is catchy and buzzworthy can help when you start advertising.
So choose a name that is memorable which will catch people’s attention and stick in their minds.
Avoid Misunderstandings
Being clear is very important when it comes to names. You do not want your name to be written one way and then convey another meaning altogether because of the spoken languages around you.
Make sure your name avoids inappropriate meaning or associations in popular languages. Also, make sure the name is not only easy to spell but also easy to pronounce to avoid mispronunciation which may lead to ridicule.
Be Compliant
You will have to register your business and a big part of the process that may speed or delay the process is the naming. Make sure it is legally available and there is no likelihood that the name will result in legal problems.
It is always prudent to do trademark checks and avoid being legally forced to change names later and it will help to avoid legal challenges from brands using the same name before you or due to legal action from a competitor.
Try to pre-screen names for those legal, linguistic, and other risks before they can be seriously considered.
