How to Choose the Best Name for Your Business

Choosing a business name is a big undertaking. The right name can make your business instantly recognizable and set it up for success. While a bad name can do the exact opposite. So how can you go about choosing a great name for your business? These tips will guide you through all the important steps.

Keep It Original

There are numerous famous brand names in the market, and all of them are unique and memorable. To find the name which best suits your brand, consider the following:

  • Your Offering: Focus on your main offering and see if you can incorporate it in the name. For example, if your offering is a password protection app, you can name yourself Password Secure.
  • Simplicity: Don’t try to make it sound smart or complex, the best names are easy to remember, pronounce, and between 1-3 words, as reported by Brand Bucket.
  • Diversification: If you have plans of expanding to new locations and offerings, do not make your name too specific, such as Chicago Dental Care.
  • Logo Considerations: Along with your name, use an online logo design tool to create a unique and memorable logo. 

Check Its Availability

Once you have a list of names you like, it’s time to confirm if they are available for use. Here’s where having a good original name pays dividends:

  • Domain Check: Your name will surely be a part of your website URL, hence use sites such as GoDaddy, Hostinger, etc. to check if your domain name is available.
  • Social Media Check: Similarly, use online tools to check account names across all social media platforms you plan to market on.
  • Adapt Your Name: If your name is taken, you can choose to tweak it a bit and still register. According to Gandi, a common method includes adding a verb, article, or descriptor before your name.

Register Your Business Name

Once you have found a name, you can use the following steps to obtain legal authority over it:

  • Choose a Structure: Don’t forget that it’s not enough to decide what kind of business you want to have and what to call it. You also need to choose a business structure and get it properly set up (which includes registering your business name). This great how to guide on starting a business can be a huge help.
  • Obtain a Trademark: To secure your name at the federal level, you can trademark it through the United States Patent and Trademark Office. However, this process is expensive and requires meeting various criteria.

When it comes to naming a business, it’s best to keep it simple, true to your offering, and something which you yourself love to say.

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