You have your dream business in mind, and you cannot wait to get started. You know your target audience, you know what you want to offer, you have a vision for your brand. But there’s one big piece still missing – the name. What do you call this bad boy?

Let’s Get Into It.

Naming your business can feel like an impossibly huge task. The name needs to check so many boxes – you want it to be memorable, legible, catchy, unique, meaningful, but not-too-long. And available as a domain name. And available as an Instagram handle. And on TikTok. And the list goes on. Some people claim your name can make or break you, while others argue it’s just a small piece of the puzzle.

With so many boxes to check, how could you possibly choose just one perfect name?

Why Your Business Names Matters

Your business name is quite literally a huge part of your brand identity. It will often be the first impression you make on potential customers. A great name can convey your brand promise and values, spark an emotional response, and/or help you stand out in a saturated market.

Your business name also has some practical implications. It needs to be available both to be registered as a legal entity and also to secure domains, social handles, trademarks. A name that’s already widely in use can make it tricky to stake your claim online. How would clients ever find you if you shared your name with 10 other companies out there?

So putting time into choosing the right business name, brainstorming lists of options, and doing your due diligence in researching is time well spent. You want the end result to be both a name you’re proud of and one that reflects what your brand is all about.

Why Your Business Name Doesn’t Matter

A name alone does not make a successful business. Should I repeat that? A name alone does not make a successful business! It’s not the name that matters most, but what you do with it. You can take an unusual or even silly-sounding name, and turn it into a powerful brand through effective marketing and delivering an amazing product or service. A name that doesn’t make sense at first glance can even work in your favor by being more memorable.

While important, your business name does not have to be perfect. Think of Google. When it first launched as a search engine, the business name sounded pretty much like a nonsense word to anyone hearing about it. And it didn’t inform consumers on what the business did. Now Google is literally a verb and one most well-known companies in the world. Remember Skype? What does “skype” mean and what does it tell you? A whole lot of nothing. It’s short, sweet, weird, and memorable. And fun fact they actually wanted to go with “Skyper” but the domain was taken. They pivoted slighty, and just ran with it. See how that works?

More than anything, I want to encourage new and aspiring entrepreneurs by saying:

Think hard, but don’t stress (too much). So many new and aspiring business owners will spend weeks to months just figuring out a name, rather than focusing on constructing and brainstorming a business model or marketing plan. Don’t fall victim to Analysis Paralysis!

The last thing to mention for now is that, you are not stuck with the name you choose for life! Did you know that Nike was called Blue Ribbon Sports when they started? What about eBay? They launched as AuctionWeb. Think they got their names “perfect” the first time? Maybe not, but their design and marketing took them over the moon. Your business can and will evolve. It’s natural and necessary. Don’t like the name you chose in 2 years? Change it.

At the end of the day, your business name is just one component of your overall brand identity and strategy. It does not have to perfectly encapsulate who you are or what you offer. Put thought into it, but don’t stress endlessly. Pour your energy into the business itself.

My Experience Naming My Business

As a web designer, you can probably guess how obsessed with design I am. Anything related to branding for me was priority number one. I wanted the perfect name, the perfect logo, the perfect everything.

I knew I was going to start a web design studio, I knew what I wanted to offer, and I knew I had what it takes. I was so confident in my ability not only to make beautiful websites, but also to run a business (despite having zero experience being an entrepreneur). But I had zero confidence in coming up with a name. To me it had to be perfect. I wanted it to let people know what I did. I desperately wanted it to have a meaning. And where did that leave me?

I had countless notes, on countless apps of potential words in a million different combinations, trying to piece together my perfect business name. Fast forward a few months… (Not kidding!) I sat on a few different names for months with no clue how to decide. One day I’d be 100% set on my Option A, and the next day I’d flip flop to Option C. I waited legitimately 2 full months to start working on the details and structure and strategy of my business, all because I couldn’t stick with a name.

And where did I land?

After a desperate search for a meaningful name, I went with Artemis. More specifically: Artemis New York. Does it have a meaning? Not really. Does it tell you what I do? Definitely not. But it’s legible, unique, and honestly, to me, just sounds cool. Inspired by how Nike renamed themselves after the Greek god of victory, I started looking up names of other gods in hopes to find a fit. That’s where I originally saw the name “Artemis.” Artemis – goddess of the hunt. I stretched the meaning of “the hunt” to sort of parallel “the grind” that running a successful business requires. But in reality, when it came down to it, Artemis was just the coolest sounding name that I found and instantly loved.

Was Artemis available as an LLC? As a domain? As a social handle? Nope. A random truck company had the name, but it didn’t feel like an overused or saturated name. So I tacked “NY” onto the end to represent my hometown roots and give off that effortlessly cool vibe that, let’s be real, pretty much everyone associates with New York City. Suddenly I had a name. And now here we are.

Naming Tips for Stuck Entrepreneurs

If you’re stuck in a naming rut for your new business, don’t lose hope. Here are some tips to help get yourself unstuck:

• Try an online business name generator to spur new ideas. Shopify has one!
• Write a long list of words that reflect either who you are or the vision you have for your business. Just braindump what comes to mind without judgement. Toy around with different configurations of words from your list and see if something sticks.
• Remember short and sweet is almost always the answer. Unless of course you’re using your own name as a personal brand.
• Write down a list of companies you love. Look for trends or similarities in your list of names. Does something stand out or are there any trends you can follow?
• Check for availability! Don’t get overly attached to a name before checking if it’s already taken as an LLC, domain name, social handle, etc. My advice is doing a quick search on IG as a step one. A few names I liked, I saw right away had like 10 business accounts using it already.
• Try to reference what you do if it’s possible to do succinctly. For example, adding the word “design” or “coach” or “studio” each immediately hint towards what the business does.
• Be original! You want your name to stand out! Choose something memorable.
• Look to another language. Ever heard of Figma? They borrowed their name from Japanese. There are also a ton of lists like this one that compile meaningful words that don’t have a perfect English translation. One that sounds cool or has a meaning that resonates with you may also be a good starting point.

The Verdict

Naming your business is important. But don’t let it scare you into inaction. Choose something that resonates with you and is available as a business name. Remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, and you aren’t stuck with it forever.

Don’t get trapped endlessly second-guessing your business name. At a certain point, you have to take the leap. The name itself is just the beginning.