I’ve got couple of people ask me how to name a business so I’ve decided to share little ideas here on what I think.
Should you use your own name or create a brand name for your business?
Using your name to create a business brand means presenting yourself as an individual contributor and keeping the focus on you. Coming up with a brand name on the other hand will require a thorough naming process and will create some daylight between you and your business.
In the past , many companies took their founder’s names. Think Lipton, Ford, etc but these companies’ modern day counterpart are more likely to develop brand names like Starbucks, Tesla etc.
1. A brand name gives you room to grow.
Should your business become more than one person, brand name provides room to grow.
2. A brand name provides an opportunity to express ideas.
What ideas and feelings does your name evoke to those who hear it? Unless you go by “Sting” or “The Rock” you name doesn’t really convey any meaning. It’s not even a name you chose. But creating a brand name allows you to say something.
3. A brand name may be easier to spell or pronounce.
Names that are commonplace in one language or culture may appear strange or unpronounceable.
4. A brand name may be more distinctive.
Personal names are so common that they fail to stand out. In creating your brand name, you can choose to use a different naming style, pick one that’s significantly shorter or longer than competitors.
Your name may lead people to assume accurately or not, that you’re from a particular country or region and, whether or not it’s fair, that assumption may come with prejudice.
Unless you’re lucky to have such a distinctive, evocative name such as J.S Smart and H.D Final, or Fox Racing named after founder, Geoff Fox, names that are short, simple, easy to remember, and have built-in meaning or imagery, consider creating a brand name for your business.
