A name leaves a first impression. A name gives a customer their first glimpse into your company and what you do. A name is passed by word of mouth. A name will last a lifetime.

So, needless to say, the name of your business is a pretty crucial element to your overall business plan. How in the world do you ever begin to name your business?

How to Come Up with a Name for Your Biz

There are several questions you can ask yourself that may help you begin to formulate a name.

• What does your business do?
• What is unique about what you do?
• What type of impression do you want to leave? Classy? Quality? Bargain?

It is a good idea to come up with three to five potential names and move on from there. Then you can begin to narrow them down. You’ll need to do a trademark search, to make sure you aren’t infringing on anyone else’s company name.

You can do it yourself by visiting The United States Patent and Trademark Office. And, it’s also a good idea to search the internet and see if anyone else is using the name without a trademark. Or, if your budget allows, you can always hire a lawyer to perform a comprehensive search for you.

Once You Have a Name, What’s Next?

After determining if your name(s) are available you can make your final choice. Do some research, ask others what they think. You might use these items to help eliminate some of your finalists::

• Is the name easy to pronouce?
• Is it relatively short and easy to remember?
• Do you have a catchy slogan in mind that will accompany it well?
• Is it descriptive and accurate?
• Do you like it?

Conclusion – Don’t Take the Name Too Seriously!

Well, I think we can all agree that naming your business is serious business! But, at the same time, it’s okay to have a little fun with it. After all, when you’re an entrepreneur, you wear many hats.

So why not embrace the ‘Chief Name Picker’ hat, too? Just remember, when all is said and done, it’s the quality of your product or service that really matters. And if you pick a name that makes you giggle, then who knows – you might just find that your customers start giggling too.

Happy naming!