How to Name Your Brand - A Step by Step Guide to Choosing the Best Business Name

When you’re starting a new business, choosing a name is one of the first tough decisions that you’re faced with. But it doesn’t have to feel so overwhelming. I have helped many entrepreneurs hone in on their perfect brand name and today I’m sharing an easy step by step guide to help you choose a unique and original name for your business. So let’s begin…

Market research
Start out with some preliminary research. List names of businesses you like and look for inspiration. Think about why you like certain names more than others and look for patterns.
Check on competition
Check on your competitors and make sure you are not planning on a name that sounds similar to theirs. A unique name will help you get noticed and differentiate you amongst competition.
Develop a brand strategy
Your brand strategy includes aspects like core values, target audience, brand goals etc. A clear understanding of these will help you determine whether a name is a good fit for your business or not.
Different ways to choose a brand names
Some of the directions to start thinking of a brand name are listed below with examples. If you wish to deep dive in further detail this in-depth article from Squadhelp is a great resource to check out.

Use your name — e.g. Disney, Martha Stewart
Describe what you do — e.g. The Home Depot, General Motors
Make word combinations — e.g. FitBit, Dunkin’ Donuts
Incorporate a suggestive metaphor — e.g. Tropicana, Alibaba
Use an acronym or initials — e.g. UPS, MTV
Invent a new word — e.g. Xerox, Exxon

5. Brainstorm ideas

Your brand name should be simple and easy to say. Make lists, create mind maps, research synonyms and related words on an online thesaurus. Once you have a list of words you can try a name generator like Name Mesh, enter a few words and see what comes up. Narrow down your options, sleep over them and run them by friends and family to gain feedback. Do not make a hasty decision.

6. Check the availability

Once you have shortlisted some brand names its important to check that they are not in use by another business. Make sure they aren’t trademarked and that a suitable domain name and social media handles are available. Do a quick google search to see if anything comes up by the same name or even something very similar.

7. Test your brand name

Before zeroing in on a brand name you could consider doing a small survey among close family and friends or even potential customers to test it. A few other important points to consider are:

Does the name sound good and is it easy to pronounce?
Can your brand name be given without you having to spell it?
How memorable is the name?
Does your brand name align with your brand’s values and offerings?
Will it grab your ideal client’s attention?
Does it have any unintended negative meaning or will it offend any culture or community?

Bonus tip! Does your brand name inspire any visual branding ideas? Some names come loaded with visual ideas which can provide invaluable inspiration for brand designers when they get down to designing your brand identity and logo.Final Thoughts:

So there you go, my easy 7 step process for over coming the creative block and choosing a brand name with confidence. While the possibilities of potential brand names can be virtually endless it is important to remember this adage: “A good name can’t make a lousy product great, but a great product can make even the strangest name unforgettable.”