A rose by any other name… probably wouldn’t cost as much. Read on for
some tips on how to name your company, and why it’s an important part of
your business.

A company needs a name before anything else. You can skimp on a lot of
things when you’re starting out, but you have to get the name right on the
first try.

For one, company names are as good as set in stone. Children can take on a
nickname or use their middle name. You can call pets anything, as long as
“dinnertime” is tacked on the end. By comparison, changing a business name
involves a lot of paperwork, and perhaps even a substantial ad campaign.
(Though if you’re a huge music act, you can change your name to some
obscure symbol and people will play along. Go figure.)

Even more important, names are part of your business’s first impression.
You don’t want people to discount or discredit you based on the name alone.
Let them pick on things that matter, like your attitude, experience, or
wardrobe. (Note to the lads: poofy chest hair and medallions are
not coming back. So stop it.)

In all seriousness, a company’s name is tangentially related to its
long-term business dealings: having one that pigeonholes your company, or
that clients don’t take seriously, is a bad start to what should be a
long-term affair.

So what to do? While we can’t tell you what to name your company, we can
give you a few tips to consider. Think of these as lines for your coloring
book, rather than hard-and-fast rules.

Pick something you won’t regret saying aloud, or printing on an business
card. Ever heard your neighbors shouting at their froo-froo pooches?
Yeh, that’s a right laugh. Would you think twice about cutting a check to
a name that reads like a body part? Maybe.

Skip the wit while you’re at it. Chances are, that inside joke isn’t so
funny once the alcohol wears off.

Keep it generic. Leave some room for the business to evolve. If the
name is too specific to your line of work (”Spiffy Silverware”), you’ll be
at a disadvantage as your business expands and evolves (”Spiffy Silverware
and Cufflinks”). Take Amazon.com as an example worth following: the name
has naught to do with books, housewares, or even selling things. “Amazon”
can be anything at all.

Keep it simple. Ideally, the name should be something easy to
pronounce and spell. Don’t worry about it explaining what you do, or what
are your selling points. That’s what slogans are for. (Slogans, by the
way, are pretty easy to change.)

Don’t name it after yourself. Don’t even use your initials. Unless
you’re such a big shot that you have personal name recognition — and if
you are, why are you reading this? — tying your personal name to the
business is a neon “One-Horse Shop” sign. In turn, many such businesses
aren’t taken seriously, and clients will plan on lowballing the rate before
they’ve even seen your credentials. Unjust though it may be, this is how
the game works.

Make it unique. You don’t want a name that’s so close to someone
else’s. (Not unless you want a lawsuit.) Your Secretary of State should be
of help with this one: if they’ve stepped up to the technology plate, they
should offer a searchable corporation database from their website.

Many of these tips are also helpful when picking internet domain names,
under which to host your company website. (You were going to get
one, weren’t you?) We’ll cover this more in another article.