The simple guide to naming your small business

WHAT IS IN A NAME?

You have the idea for your business, you understand your offers, your target market, and your goal. But what about a name? Well you do one of two things: pick one at random just to get your idea out into the world, or stare blankly into space, agonizing over the right choice all hours of the day. There’s really no in-between!

Naming your business (and naming it strategically) is quite the challenge. Maybe you’re naming your business for the first time. Maybe you’ve been in business for a while, but think it’s time to rename yourself. Either way, I’m here to walk you through the best naming practices so you can:

• Avoid analysis paralysis (been there, done that!)
• Steer clear of a name that boxes you in and limits future growth (one that’s too specific)
• Use your creativity without creating a too-complicated or confusing name
• Choose a name that evokes emotion with your ideal clients

TYPES OF BUSINESS NAMES

I’ve been inspired by my latest read: Brand Brilliance – elevate your brand, enchant your audience by Fiona Humberton. 

According to Fiona “The right company name will elevate your brand from the get-go”. Your name sets a tone and regardless of the route, evokes a feeling.

There are four types of business names I want to share with you today: Founder names, descriptive names, emotional names, and combination names

FOUNDER NAMES

A founder name is one of the most common you’ll see amongst small businesses and solo entrepreneurs as it turns the owner’s name into the business name.

A few examples of this might be:

• Lacie’s Salon
• Holly McClain Coaching
• Harper Family bakery
• Reese Publishing Co
• Crystal Lee Photography
• Bethany Stark Fitness
• Anya Calligraphy
• Rachel Martin Fine Art
• Weasley Wizard Wheezes (You know I couldn’t miss adding this one!)

Using your own name is a practically foolproof and quick way to ensure you have a unique business name.  It will likely be easy for you to obtain domain names, account names and clients will be able to quickly build name recognition.

On the contrary, if you plan to sell your business one day or expand with new offerings or employees, it may be a setback. If you have an uncommon name or an oddly spelled name, a founder name can work against you. These scenarios could make it hard for clients to spell, search, or pronounce your business.

My original business name was “Aubre Walther Design.” although it was clear what I offered, the uncommon last name and spelling of my first name raised some concerns. In my case I also found that the name lacked the inspirational feeling I was after.

You’ll want to consider the feelings you want to evoke with your business name. Does using a founder name accomplish that for you?

DESCRIPTIVE NAMES

Descriptive names are exactly what they sound like. The name conveys exactly what the product or service of that business is. 

Typically descriptive names are used by larger corporate companies like: Toys R Us, General Motors, and The Weather Channel. But they are also popular for small brick and mortar businesses (or businesses that serve a specific geographic area). 

Here’s a few ideas of descriptive names that would suit a small service provider like yourself:

• The Yoga Den
• The Crystal Healing Coven
• Greenville Youth Counseling  (note how the city name is incorporated)
• Harrisburg Nutrition
• Brandywine Beauty
• Charleston Senior Photography
• The Bride’s Florist
• Bluestone Publishing House
• Furniture Fairy
• Drapery & Interiors
• Furry Friend Baked Goods
• Little Garden Essentials
• The Succulent Greenhouse
• Homemade Housewares

There are some disadvantages you may want to consider. If you don’t plan to live in your current location for very long you may not want to go with a business name that uses a specific town, city, or geographic marker. Additionally, if you are looking for a bit more personality and feeling, a descriptive name can often feel cold and stiff.

Descriptive names do have the advantage of clearly communicating to your audience what it is you do. They can be valuable in terms of SEO as they are easily found by users online (since your name would have keywords or a location someone would likely search for). If you are a small business that serves a local community you may want to consider a descriptive name.

EMOTIONAL NAMES

Emotional names are all about evoking a strong feeling. They can be symbolic or convey a part of your story that is significant to your mission, goal, audience, or origin as a business. They can be deeply personal to the founder or simply use words that would resonate with the intended target market.

These thematic names are very popular amongst small businesses because they can be clever, whimsical, and get an audience excited or interested. Emotional names rely on words that paint a picture, tell a story, or evoke the 5 senses. Since they aren’t specific to an offer or a founder name, there is plenty of room for future growth.

Here’s a few examples:

• Artisan Kind (hey, that’s me!)
• The Zaniya Center
• Meraki Muse
• Galactic Soul Network
• The Rewilding Method
• Fox and Arrow
• Little Leaf co.
• Alchemy of All
• Fruity and Fresh
• Venus Flow
• The Lively Hut
• Dandelion and Dew
• The Autumn Road
• Mama’s Wood Stove
• Charmed Hearth
• Simple and Sweet
• Aurora Way
• Tranquil and Devine
• Capture The Glow

The disadvantage of using an emotional name is that it can be a bit too vague for your audience to really understand what your business is. You also run the risk of making something too complex to pronounce, spell, or remember.

If you do choose to go with an emotional business name you want to be sure your tagline and other brand messaging speaks very clearly to what you do and who you do it for.

COMBINATION NAMES

You may find that you want to combine a descriptive name with an emotional name! This is the best of both worlds for many small businesses as it provides clarity as well as an emotional connection or symbolism.

For example:

• Pinnacle Exit Group
• Anthology Marketing Studio
• Winding River Apothecary
• Black Cat Counseling
• Purple Rose Yoga
• Wild  Joy Photography
• Cozy Day Press
• Setting Sun Accounting
• Ivy Alley Law 
• Full Circle Fitness

While it is less common you could also try combining a founder name with an emotional name. It can give a small business that unique, one-of-a-kind feeling. It can also lend to confusion or a lack of clarity for your audience. As we know, emotional names can be too vague and founder names can be confusing if uncommon. (Simply proceed with caution if this type of name feels right to you!)

• Martha’s Cauldron
• Frannie’s Inkwell
• Jessica Jones Wallet
• The Cooper House
• Lucy’s Wagging Tail
• Rosebuds With Rachel

HOW EXACTLY TO NAME YOUR BUSINESS!

There will be advantages and disadvantages to every type of name. The important thing to remember is to choose a name that:

 “reflects your aspirations for your business and the value that you add.”- Fiona Humberton

According to Fiona, choosing a business name is not a matter of stuffing relevant keywords together. It’s also not settling for something that doesn’t spark a real feeling simply because you couldn’t think of another option. You should care about your business name and feel connected to it. So should your audience,

In her book, Brand Brilliance, Fiona outlines her process for selecting the best business name that I have summarized here:

1. Brainstorm adjectives and use a thesaurus to add more options. List any words that come to mind around what you do, what you deliver, your value and the feeling you want to create.

2. Create a list of names that feel right then double check your list and cross out any that might have negative connotations.

3. Double check that the list of names all work with your unique brand personality. (If your brand is bold like a Slytherin, don’t choose a name better suited to a Hufflepuff!)

4. Write the name as it would appear in a URL. Note if there are any back-to-back letters that make it hard to read or pronounce.

5. Next, make sure the domain name is available. ( I highly suggest purchasing it from Google Domains to make your life easier, and for only about $12 a year.) 

6. If the name is taken, add in another descriptive word to make it unique or shorten the business name in some way. Example: www.greenvillefinacialplanning.com could become www.greenvillefinancial.com.

7. Go with your gut (by far my  favorite tip). Does it feel right to you? When I started my business I knew I wanted a name that would evoke a certain feeling…but it couldn’t decide. After days of brainstorming it finally hit me. I’ll never forget that day I went jogging on December 1st, 2020, the name ”Artisan Kind” popped into my head and my gut said “yes!” It’s rare for things to come to us easily so when they do, trust that instinct. 

8. Finally, snap it up! Get your domain name, email address and social media handles secured!

Oh and a bonus tip: remember that your business is not for everyone and neither is your name. Your business name doesn’t have to please or resonate with all your friends, family, or strangers on the street. It only needs to connect with you and your ideal clients!

Happy naming!