Top Tips to Help You Create the Perfect Business Name

Choosing the right business name is extremely important. In fact it should be one of the first things you do! Since you can’t change the name of your business a few months or years down the line, it pays to get the name right first time round. Look at other businesses around you. The right name is catchy, evocative, and memorable. The wrong name is instantly forgettable. So if you are struggling to come up with a name for your start-up, here are a few top tips to help you stay on the straight and narrow.

Stick to Traditional Spellings

Names that are a bit ‘different’ stick in the brain, but don’t make the mistake of trying to be too clever. Deliberately misspelling a word so your company name stands out is a really bad idea. Customers will more often than not do a search online using the most obvious spelling. This could make it difficult to see your website in the search results for your own company name. Not great, right?

Simple and Straightforward

Simple, easy to pronounce business names are the best. If people don’t have a clue how to say your business name, they won’t remember it. Don’t make up a nonsense name either – it may have worked for Google and Bing, but they are the exception rather than the rule.

Informative Names

The best business names are those that actually mean something. Ideally your business name should give customers a good idea of what the business is all about. For example, you could call a cleaning business ‘Dolly Mop’ but if you were selling computer parts, this wouldn't relate to your business.

Is it Available?

Sounds obvious, but have you checked whether anyone else has the same name or similar? You won’t be able to register a company name with Companies House that is too similar to one already in existence. And, since you will also need a website, check that the domain name corresponding to your chosen business name is free. If it isn’t, put your thinking cap back on.

Be Flexible

Don’t be too restrictive when coming up with a business name. Businesses often evolve over time, so although you might start off selling one small line of products, as your business grows, you may wish to expand into new lines and territories. As such, a highly specific business name could cause consternation amongst your customers.

And finally, if you go into creative overload and come up with several awesome names, test them out on a small circle of people. If one name proves to be more popular than the rest, you have a winner on your hands.

Once you’ve chosen a business name, get in touch with us. We’ll help you create a website that is as professional as your new name, helping you to stand out in the competitive marketplace for all the right reasons.